Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim

{{Short description|First Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights c. 1198–1208}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim

| image = Henry Walpot Painting.png

| order = 1st Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights

| term_start = 1190 or 1198

| term_end = 1200

| predecessor = Master Sibrand

| successor = Otto von Kerpen

| birth_place = Mainz, Holy Roman Empire

| death_date = {{death date|1200|09|24|df=y}}

| death_place = Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem

}}

image:Bassenheim Heinrich Waldpott215.JPG

Image:Arms of Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim, Grand Master of the Teutonic Order.svg

Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim (died 1200), also known as Henry Walpot, was the first Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights serving from 1198 to sometime before 1208.{{cite web |url=https://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/explore/people/152576-heinrich-walpot-von-bassenheim.html |title=Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim |access-date=March 30, 2018 |work=Europeana |publisher=European Union}}

As little is known about him, information regarding the Grand Master is mostly based on historians' theories. Walpot hailed from a rich family from Mainz. He was in favour of turning the organisation into a military order.

The death of the Hohenstaufen emperor Heinrich VI in 1197 caused an important change in the Teutonic Order. They were incorporated as an independent military order in 1198 under the direction of Heinrich Walpot von Bassenheim and received privileges from popes Celestine III and Innocent III.{{cite book |last=Lepage |first=Jean-Denis G.G. |title=Medieval Armies and Weapons in Western Europe: An Illustrated History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bM57BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA193 |publisher=McFarland & Company |date=February 25, 2014 |page=193 |isbn=9780786462513}} In 1199 he received a copy of monastery rules from Gilbert Horal, the Grand Master of the Knights Templar, and on behalf of Pope Innocent III. It was based on the rules of the Templars.

Walpot died and was buried in Acre.