History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 133, the Crusade, the Crusade against the Cathars, the Battle of Samartan, Leland.

Hello again. Last week we saw Count Raymond the sixth of Toulouse go on the

offensive in the field for the first time in the conflict. Well sort of go on the offensive. Go on the offensive in a very

defensive manner. The combined army of the Count of Toulouse and the Count of Thwa descended upon the town of Castel Naudry,

where the much smaller army of Simon de Monfort was hol hold up in the damaged fortifications of the town.

Instead of attacking Castle Naudry directly, Count Raymond spent his time building elaborate defences around his camp.

He then used catapult machines against the town and built elaborate defences around them as well.

Count Vramon's men were authorized to go on the odd incursion into the fortified suburbs

surrounding the town, but so far every such foray has been unsuccessful.

So primarily due to count Raymond's appalling lack of ability as a military commander

and his apparent unwillingness to order his men to go on the offensive,

things are not going so well for Count Raymond and the Southern Frenchmen.

Things also aren't going so well for Simon de Monfort.

He's hold up inside a partially destroyed fortified town,

defended by a much smaller army than that of the southern French.

While he's doing nothing, twiddling his fingers

waiting for an attack that just never seems to come, the entire region of

southern France seems to be turning against him. He needs more supplies from

Carcasson to sustain his army at Castel-Naudry, but above all he needs more men.

With more men he could break out of Castel Nordry and attack Count Raymond's ridiculously well fortified camp.

With more men he could slowly start winning back the southern French countryside until not

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