180px, Statue of Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim (died 1200), also known as Henry Walpot, was the first Grand Master of the

Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians o ...

serving from 1198 to sometime before 1208. As little is known about him, information regarding the Grand Master is mostly based on historians' theories. Walpot hailed from a rich family from

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

. He was in favour of turning the organisation into a military order. The death of the Hohenstaufen emperor

Heinrich VI Henry VI (German: ''Heinrich VI.''; November 1165 – 28 September 1197), a member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was King of Germany (King of the Romans) from 1169 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 until his death. From 1194 he was also King of Sic ...

in 1197 caused an important change in the Teutonic Order, and together with King Amalric II of Jerusalem decided to militarise the fraternity, so they were incorporated as an independent military order in 1198 under the direction of Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim and received privileges from popes

Celestine III Pope Celestine III ( la, Caelestinus III; c. 1106 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, ...

and

Innocent III Pope Innocent III ( la, Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216), born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 to his death in 16 J ...

. In 1199 he received a copy of monastery rules from Gilbert Horal, the

Grand Master of the Knights Templar The grand master of the Knights Templar was the supreme commander of the holy order, starting with founder Hugues de Payens in 1118. Some held the office for life while others resigned life in monasteries or diplomacy. Grand masters often led ...

, and on behalf of Pope Innocent III. It was based on the rules of the

Templars , colors = White mantle with a red cross , colors_label = Attire , march = , mascot = Two knights riding a single horse , equipment ...

. Walpot died and was buried in Acre.

References

External links

Die Grafen von Bassenheim
12th-century births 1200 deaths German untitled nobility Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order Military personnel from Mainz {{Germany-reli-bio-stub