Deaths on March 24

Odon de Pins, Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller

Odo de Pins: Leading the Knights Hospitaller in a New Era

Known variously as Odo de Pins, Eudes de Pin, or Odon de Pins, this significant figure served as the twenty-third Grand Master of the Knights Hospitaller. Born around 1212, Odo de Pins assumed the Order's highest office in 1294, succeeding Jean de Villiers during a period of profound transition for the renowned military and monastic order.

A Strategic Relocation to Cyprus

His tenure, though spanning only two years until his death on March 24, 1296, was marked by a crucial strategic decision. Following the dramatic fall of Acre in 1291—the last major Crusader stronghold in the Holy Land—the Knights Hospitaller, like other military orders, needed to establish a new operational base. It was under Grand Master Odo de Pins's leadership that the Order's headquarters were formally relocated to Limassol, a vital port city in what is now modern-day Cyprus. This move was not merely administrative; it represented a fundamental adaptation to the post-Crusader geopolitical landscape, ensuring the Order's continued existence and influence from a secure island foothold.

Succession After a Pivotal Term

Upon Odo de Pins's passing in 1296, the leadership of the Knights Hospitaller transitioned to Guillaume de Villaret, who would inherit the responsibility of guiding the Order through its next phase from its new Cypriot base.