Robert Fraisnel

Robert probably came from a family originating from the County of Champagne, some of whose members would have held the castle of Harim in the Principality of Antioch. He appeared in a charter in 1179 as Grand Preceptor of the Order of the Temple, before being subsequently appointed Marshal of the Order.[1]

In this capacity, he accompanied the Grand Masters of the Templars and the Knights Hospitaller, Gerard of Ridefort and Roger de Moulins to Tiberias to reconcile Guy of Lusignan and Raymond III of Tripoli, as Raynald of Châtillon broke the truce between Franks and Muslims by attacking a caravan which went from Cairo to Damascus, carrying the sister of Saladin.[2]

The small troop, made up of about 150 knights, encountered an army of Saladin made up of 7,000 men, and Gerard of Ridefort wanted to engage in combat, despite the objections of Roger de Moulins and Jacques de Mailly. The Master of the Templers won his case and the Frankish knights then charged the Muslims on 1 May 1187 at the Battle of Cresson, where they perished under the number of their adversaries,[2] including Seneschal Hurson de Alneto, Jacques de Mailly and Marshal Robert Fraisnel.[1] Only five Knights Hospitaller and three Knights Templar, including Gérard de Ridefort, survived this battle.[3]

• Burgtorf, Jochen (2008). The Central Convent of Hospitallers and Templars : History, Organization, and Personnel (1099/1120-1310). Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-16660-8.
• Delaville Le Roulx, Joseph (1904). The Hospitallers in the Holy Land and Cyprus, 1100-1310. Brill.
• Grousset, René (1991). History of the Crusades and the Frankish Kingdom of Jerusalem.