Guillaume de Sonnac was Grand Master of the Knights Templar from 1247 to 1250.
Personal life
Sonnac was born to a noble family in the French region of Rouergue. No date of birth survives for the Grand Master, however, the Obituary at Riems records his death in combat as 11th April 1250. Sonnac was a skilled diplomat, like Grand Master Blanchefort before him.
Military Record
De Sonnac's tenure was a particularly violent one. He accompanied Louis IX of France on the 7th Crusade and fought the Muslims at the Siege of Damietta. At this long running siege, his leadership of the Templars and Frankish ranks broke the deadlock and captured the city. On 8th February 1250, he commanded the Christian rearguard with the Count of Artois, at the battle of La Mansourah. The Count's recklessness caused huge losses and of 285 Templar knights at that position, 280 were killed. De Sonnac's escape made him famous as a warrior, when many had thought him more suited to politics and administration. With heavy wounds, 4 remaining knights and after losing an eye, he battled through the Muslim ranks, clearing a path to the main Frankish army, where he received treatment. The Count, Louis IX's brother was killed. De Sonnac continued fighting after medical attention. His passion for leading on the front line had its obvious dangers. On 11th April 1250, now fighting with an eye-patch, he was killed in battle at Bahr al-Saghir, along a river by the recently captured Damiette.
Chronicler
De Sonnac was the first Grand Master to formerly record the intricacies of the Templar hierarchy. He added this to existing archives, codified them and stored them in a safe place so that the order would have accurate records in future years. It is certainly ironic that, for a man responsible for creating the order's most in-depth records, there is no indication of when he was born.
| Preceded by Richard de Bures |
Grand Master of the Knights Templar 1247–1250 |
Succeeded by Renaud de Vichiers |
