- Everard des Barres
Everard des Barres (died 1174) was the third Grand Master of the
Knights Templar from 1147 to 1151.As Preceptor of the Templars in
France from 1143, he was one of the highest dignitaries of the Order whenRobert de Craon died in 1147. He was chosen to succeed Robert, and as soon as he was elected, he accompaniedLouis VII of France on theSecond Crusade , and was among those sent ahead toConstantinople before Louis' arrival there. He later saved Louis during a battle with theSeljuk Turks inPisidia .According to the chronicler
Odo of Deuil , Everard was extremely pious and valiant. He seems to have had a strong influence on Louis. After the failure of thecrusade at theSiege of Damascus in 1148, Louis returned to France, followed by Everard, who was in charge of the king's treasury. Everard's Templars stayed behind and helped defendJerusalem against a Turkish raid in 1149.Back in France, Everard abdicated officially in 1151 and became a monk at
Clairvaux , despite the protests of the Templars. He was succeeded byBernard de Tremelay (who actually led the Order since Everard's departure in 1149) and died in 1174.
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