TemplarsNow: Count

Born around 1074, Hugues, the later Count of Champagne, was the third son of Thibaud I Count of Blois and Adèle of Valois. In 1089, his half-brother Etienne-Henri succeeded Thibaud as the head of the Counties of Blois and Meaux.

On 1 January 1093, Hugues inherited from his other brother Eudes (Odo) IV the Counties of Troyes, Vitry-le-François and Bar-sur-Aube. Only to abdicate in 1125 to become a Templar knight in the Holy Land.

How did his lifes develop from being a rich and important French nobleman to becoming a poor Templar?

Templar Key Information

The Rule of St Benedict c. 500 CE, starting point for the rule of the Cistercian Order, which was the monastic mother of the Order of the Knights Templar

Charta Caritatis c. 1119 CE, rule of the Cistercian Order, originally written by Stephan Harding, 3rd abbot of the first Cistercian Abbey at Citeaux, France. The Charter in other languages is to be found here

Primitive Rule of the Knights Templar c. 1129 CE, by Bernard de Clairvaux, abbot of the Cistercian Clairvaux Abbey, France, presented by him at the Council of Troyes, and accepted there after which the Order was officially endorsed by the Church.

In Praise of the New Knighthood c. 1136 CE, by Bernard de Clairvaux, in support of the juvenile Order of the Knights Templar. The complete text of this work (all 13 chapters in French) can be found here

Rule of the Order of St John (Hospitallers) by blessed Raymond de Puy (1120-1160)

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Hugues 1er de Champagne, from Count to Templar knight

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