In 1118 the Knights Templar were formed, although some historians believe they may have come into existence as early as four years before in 1114. The first Grand Master and founding member was Hugues de Payens who, along with eight of his companions, formed the order. It is said that they accepted no new members for a period of nine years. However some evidence points to the fact that they may have initiated new recruits as early as two years after inception. In 1120 it is believed that the Count of Anjou, father of Geoffrey Plantagenet joined the order.
Below is a listing of those founding members of "Le milice Du Christ". Originally some claim the order was little more than a private club, as all the founders below were vassals of the Count of Champagne, to whom Hugues de Payens was a cousin. Andrew de Montbard (later to be a Grand Master himself??) was the uncle of Bernard of Clairveux who wrote the knights rule of order. Pope Honarius II, Bernard's boss was originally a Cistercian follower of Bernard. He (Honarius) called that a council be held in Troyes (Champagne) regarding the new knighthood and it is in Troyes that the first Preceptory was established. Perhaps this proves that even in medieval times it wasn't what you knew but rather who you knew.
