Hugues de Payens

Born around 1070, Hugues de Payens helped establish the Knights Templar and led the order as its first Grand Master. The Templars began as a small group of knights sworn to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem during the Crusades, but grew into a formidable military and financial force across Europe and the Holy Land. He died on 24 May 1136, leaving behind an organization that would shape medieval politics and religion for two centuries.