André de Montbard (ca 1068-17 October 1156) was the fifth Grand Master of the Knights Templar and also one of the early members if not one of the founders of the Order. His life started and ended in Burgundy, France, heartland of the Knights Templar as well as the Cistercians. It shows a remarkable link to both.
He was born at Montbard castle in Burgundy as second son of the first count of Montbard, Bernard I (ca 1040-1103) and his second wife Humberge de Tonnerre d'Angoulême (ca 1025-1068). He had an elder brother, Raynard de Montbard (1043-1120) who inherited the county on the death of his father in 1103. His sister was Aleth de Montbard (1060-1107). Aleth was the mother of Bernard of Clairvaux this made Andre an uncle of Bernard.
Within the Templar group he was seneschal, deputy and second-in-command to the Grand Master between 1148 and 1151. After the Siege of Ascalon in August 1153, André was elected as fourth Grand Master. That election took place by the end of 1154, after a delay because of opposition to his candidature by king Louis VII of France who favoured another candidate. He replaced Bernard de Tremelay, who had been killed during an assault on the city of Ascalon.
André died in 1156, either on 17 January (according to the martyrology of Reims) or 17 October (according to the orbituary of Bonlieu). The earlier date seems to pertain to André relinquishing his post of Master to his successor Bertrand de Blanquefort (Master from January 1156 to 1169). After this André retired to Clairvaux Abbey, as did his predecessor Evrard des Barres. There he died only a few months later, in October 1156.
Sources templiers.org,Wikipedia. Illustration Seal of André de Montbard, Public Domain source
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