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The Cathars
In the 12th century ad, a religion emerged in the Languedoc called Catharism and it was embraced with zeal by Lords and peasants alike.
The basic ideas of Catharism was that there were two creations, the good, or spiritual world over which God reigns, and the evil and material world governed by Satan. Man was caught in the evil world. The Cathars held austere beliefs and renounced worldly pleasures. They believed that in order to go to heaven, the soul had to be pure. The Cathars were tolerent of other peoples religions and believed in equality of the sexes. Their belief of equality of the sexes was a major problem for the Catholic church which wanted to suppress women
The Cathars were pacifist by nature and their leaders, known as parfaits, lead an austere lifestyle. There were 40,000 Croyants (believers) with a 1000 priests (parfaits). The croyants lived normal lives, but could become parfaits after a three year apprenticeship. The male and female priests shared their time between preaching and doing work.
The Cathars were in conflict with the orthodox Roman Catholic Church. The Cathars believed that the Roman Catholic Church had lost its way and was too materialistic. The Roman Church were fearful that the Cathar lifestyle was a threat to both their income and way of living, and declared them to be heretics and that they had to repent or be killed… in an attempt to bring the populous back into the fold, one of the Pope's representatives met with Raymond iv of Toulouse, who was known to be a protector of the Cathars, but was assassinated during the meeting.
The crusades against the Cathars was ordered, and in 1209 a papal army of more than 30,000 Knights from across Europe. Many of them of a predatory nature, seeking land and wealth, descended on the Languedoc under the command of Simon de Montfort, and quickly took control of the eastern parts of the Languedoc, including Nimes. The soldiers had been sent to kill and exterminate the Cathar religion. The killing went on for 35 years claiming thousands of lives of men women and children
One of the major strongholds of Catharism, was Albi (which gave its name 'Albigensian' to the believers).
The Crusaders then laid siege to Beziers on July 22nd, 1209, having just captured the village of Servian to the east of Beziers. The city was pillaged and burned. When the Papal Legate, Arnaud, was asked how they were to tell the Roman Catholics from the Cathars, he told the Crusaders "Kill them all. God will recognize his own!". Most of the population were gathered into the Cathedral which was then set alight. Nearly 20,000 men, women and children were slaughtered. Beziers was reduced to ashes.
During the Autum of 1209 the castle at Puisserguier was captured by Guiraud de Pepieux, Lord of a small estate, and a Cathar sypathiser, but before Simon de Montfort and the crusaders arrived Pepieux had escaped with two Crusader knights that he had taken prisoner in the castle and fled together with many other Cathars to Minerve. After abusing his prisoners he released them to walk off to Carcassonne which was the next objective of the Crusdaers. Carcassonne fell after a short resistance, followed quickly by Castelnaudary, Montreal, Limoux, Castres and Albi.
The crusade against the Cathars continued, and the towns of Lastours and Bram fell to the crusaders. Then in June, 1210, Simon de Montfort laid seige, to the impregnable fortress village of Minerve. He attacked St Rustique's well, the principal water source for the village. Four catapults were set up around the village, the largest named "Malevoisine" to destroy the well. The population of Minerve held out for several weeks, but ran out of water when the crusaders managed to destroy the town's well. Viscount Guilhem of Minerve knew that the 200 men of his garrison couldn't resist the onslaught, he negotiated the town's surrender. He saved the villagers and himself, but 180 Cathars who had taken refuge, were burnt at the stake, when they refused to deny their faith. This terrible act that was to be repeated for another 34 years until the fall of Montsegur.
In 1231 Pope Gregory ix authorised Dominican friars to form an inquisition, when the Church clamped down on anyone veering from the 'path'. Montaillou was a very small village in the Ariege in southern France. It is distinguished by being one of the last pockets of Catharism in the area. The Bishop of Pamiers - Jacques Fournier - later to be Archbishop of Albi and finally Pope Benedict XII, interrogated accused heretics which he minutely recorded, and provides us with an intimate record of their daily lives. An excellent book refering to these times is "Montaillou" a portrait of life in a medieval village on the Pyrenees by Emmanuel le Roy Laudurie and published in paperback by Penguin books.
Minor pockets of Catharism continued in the Dordogne, Toulouse,and the
Corbieres until the castle at Montsegur was defeated in 1244 followed by the fortress at Queribus in 1255. This marked the final military operation against the Cathars.
It was in the castle at Villerouge-Termenes near Termes, that once belonged to the Archbishops of Narbonne that the last known cathar parfit, Guilhem Bélibaste, was burnt alive in 1321. There is very little remaining from Cathar times, The castles of Peyreperteuse, Puivert, Cabaret (Lastours), Coustaussa, Puilaurens, Montsegùr , Queribus, Termes, Aguila, and Carcassonne are amongst the most interesting.
"In the Footsteps of the Cathars"
Lagrasse
Lagrasse is famed for its Abbey, Medieval houses and streets, and a lovely 12th century hump backed bridge. It is good place to explore anytime of the year and has a number of good restaurants. The abbey, St Marie d'Orbieu, was founded in 799, with a founding charter from Charlemagne, and it became quickly one of the most important abbeys in southern France. It became pivotal in the politics and religious affairs of the south, being on the border of Spain and France. The abbey has a good gift shop, and plays host to an important book fair and conference in the Summer. Explore the tiny streets between the main road and the river.
Chateau de Durfort - Termes
In the High Corbières, Termes is the famous stronghold of the knight Raymond de Termes, who fought with the cathars against the crusaders. The castle is built on the top of a hill and dominates the surrounding country, whilst the village below is quaint for the narrowness of its roads and the picturesque river that runs through it. Who could imagine today that the ruins of the castle once belonged to one of the richest Medieval Lords in the Languedoc. The prestigious Termes family reigned there until 1228. In 1210, during the Albigensian Crusade the fortress resisted four months against the Crusaders siege commanded by Simon de Montfort. Termes was defeated... by sickness. In 1260 it became a royal fortress and held an important strategic position facing the Spanish frontier.
Villerouge Termenes
In Villerouge Termenes the last cathar parfait Guillaume Belibaste was brought before the Inquisition and burned at the stake in the year 1321. This was the end of catharism in the Languedoc.
Chateau de Peyrepertuse
The château at Peyrepertuse is the dominating feature of this area -and it is said that if you only visit one château in the Corbières, make it this one. Once you know where to look, it is visible for miles around (the best view is from Rouffiac). The name Peyrepertuse is derived from pierre percée, "pierced rock". Even on the approach road from Duilhac, the nearest village, it is difficult to detect where the rock stops and the castle starts. The pinnacle is so sheer as to seem utterly inaccessible, but the climb from the car park to the castle is in fact relatively easy, ten or fifteen minutes' walk along a shady path with very little scrambling required. The ruins are extensive, and impressive. The main part of the château, over 200m ls reminiscent of the prow of a ship, running along the top of an 800m (2,600 ft) high crag. Further along the ridge, and at first sight completely unreachable, is the keep of San Jordi (Saint George), even higher than the castle itself. Investigation reveals a flight of 60-odd steps carved from the rock, winding their way from the curtain wall up to the ultimate "fortress within a fortress". Needless to say, the view from here is worth every minute of the climb.
Montsegur, the last Cathar stronghold
of the Languedoc
Monsegur is famous as the last stronghold of the Cathars
after the Crusade against them inspired by the Pope and the
King of France. It was also the location of the Holy Grail
according to early versions of the Grail legend.
A building on this site
sheltered a community of Cathars at the end of the twelfth
century. Early in the thirteenth, Ramon de Pereille the co-siegneur
and Chatelain, was asked to make it defensible, anticipating
the problems to come. From 1232 it became the headquarters
of the Cathar community in the Languedoc.
The story of the siege
of Montegùr is one of the most famous associated with the
war against the Cathars. The site is spectacular, and well
worth a visit. There are guided tours from February to
December.
By 1243, all major Cathar
towns and bastions had fallen to the northern crusaders,
except for a handful of remote and isolated strong points.
Chief among these was Montsequr. The fortress was besieged
by ten thousand invaders for ten months. The reason for
the resistance is said to be the existence of a legendary
Cathar "treasure".
On March 1, 1244, Montsegur
finally capitulated. By then its defenders numbered less
than 400. The defenders requested a two-week truce, and in
a display of uncharacteristic generosity, the attackers
agreed. On March 15, the truce expired, and at dawn of the
following day, more than two hundred of the Cathar parfaits,
lay priests, were dragged down the mountain, locked into a
large wood-filled stockade at the foot of the mountain and
burned en masse.
It is said that on the
night of March 16, four men, accompanied by a guide, made a
daring escape. With them, they carried some great treasure,
this could only be achieved whilst dangling from ropes on
the sheer mountainside. It is believed that much of the
wealth of the Cathars had been secretly slipped out of
Montsegur during the almost year-long siege. That is, the
gold and jewels and other mundane relics of wealth. But
this last daring escape and carrying off of some great
treasure is a bit more interesting, as it is rumoured by the
Cathar contemporaries, that these four men were in
possession of the Holy Grail.
Gorges de Galamus
The Gorges de Galamus never fail to impress the visitor and the narrow road winding through, glued at the steep side only allows one car at the time The river Agly rushes through the gorge. Typical mediterranean plants grow on its steep slopes, such as evergreen oaks, juniper trees whilst Bonnelis eagles soar overhead. St Paul de Fenouillet D117 Maury turn towards . Grau de Maury
Chateau de Queribus
The château of Quéribus is perched on a crag, like a finger pointing at the sky, It was the last of the Cathar strongholds to fall, in 1255, and is still probably the best preserved of the border castles, and the most inaccessible. The climb is longer and considerably steeper than at Peyrepertuse, but once again you are rewarded by the view. Very little remains of the original castle which was an important hiding place for the Cathars after the defeat of Montsegur.
Padern
The castle at Padern, is a ruin on a hill overlooking the stepped village of the same name on the banks of the Verdouble. Particularly picturesque at sunset, it has been known as "the gates of heaven". The castle was destroyed in the Middle Ages, rebuilt in the 17th century, and is now once more a ruin. |
