Odo of St Amand | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 8thGrand Master of the Knights Templar | |
| In office 1171–1179 | |
| Preceded by | Philip of Nablus |
| Succeeded by | Arnold of Torroja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1110 |
| Died | October 1180 (aged 69-70) |
| Nationality | French |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Jerusalem Knights Templar |
| Rank | Marshal of Jerusalem (1155-1156) Templar Grand Master (1171-1179) |
| Battles/wars | |
Odo of St. Amand (French:Eudes; 1110 – October 1180) was the 8thgrand master of theKnights Templar, between 1171 and 1179.
Odo was born to a noble family from Limousin, France.[1] He wasmarshal of Jerusalem and laterviscount.[2] He was a headstrong leader of the order, which earned him praise and resentment in equal measure. An example of this can be found 1172. When aTemplar knight, Gauthier du Maisnil, was accused of murdering anAssassin dignitary toKing Amalric, Odo refused to hand him over. He cited thepapal bull which stipulated the only power over the Templars was Rome.
Odo took part in several expeditions during his time asgrand master. He spearheaded military action inNaplouse,Jericho andDjerach, scoring considerable victories with the Templars. Perhaps his finest hour was at thebattle of Montgisard, where his knights convincingly defeated a superior detachment ofSaladin's army.
In March 1179, Odo oversaw the construction of theChastelet fortress. Its position and impregnability made it a thorn in Saladin's side and he offered considerable amounts of money to have it destroyed. It was so effective that Saladin's May assault onJerusalem in 1179 was defeated. His forces broke on the fortress's thick walls, and the fierce fighting of the Templars stationed there scored heavy losses on theMuslims. Trying to capitalize on the victory, an assault on theIslamic forces was organized at theBattle of Marj Ayun in 1179. It was spearheaded byKing Baldwin IV, CountRaymond III of Tripoli, Odo de St Amand andRoger de Moulins. However, Saladin had regrouped and decimated the Christian forces. Baldwin IV escaped the carnage, taking with him theTrue Cross, but St. Amand was captured and taken hostage.[3]
In August 1179, the new Templar fortress was captured and the knights stationed there were beheaded by the Muslim forces. Odo died in one of Saladin's jails sometime during 1180, although no exact date survives.[3] His release was proposed, in exchange for one of Saladin's captive nephews, but negotiations came too late.
Not only were Odo's victories important from a military standpoint, but they were vital in gaining fresh pledges of money and resources from homeland countries in Europe. Inspired by the Templars' sensational victory at Montgisard, Renaud, Lord of Margat, donated half of the income from several of his cities to the order's cause.[4]
| Religious titles | ||
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| Preceded by | Grand Master of the Knights Templar 1171–1179 | Succeeded by |