History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 142, the Crusade, the Crusade against the Cathars, the decision of Pope Innocent, the Third.

Hello again and welcome to another year of podcasting.

In our final episode for last year we saw Simon de Monfort emerge victorious, having conquered all of Long dock except for the city of Toulouse, the town of Montabong, and a smattering of mountain

strongholds to the south. To consolidate his rule he imposed

northern French laws and customs on his southern French conquests. In desperation, Count Raymond the sixth of Toulouse travelled to the

kingdom of Aragon to meet up with King Peter II. King Peter had been unable to defend his Peter the second.

King Peter had been unable to defend his southern French vassals from Simon de Monfort's

advances because he had been away crusading in Spain. Together King Peter and Count Raymond hatched a plan which

would result in King Peter assuming wardship over Count Raymond's lands, while severely curtailing Simon

de Monfort's power and handing the southern French counties of Fois and Camage back to their counts.

The plan in effect would extend the power of the throne of Aragon right across the Long dock region.

King Peter, whose estimation within the Catholic Church had risen mightily following his

recent Spanish crusade victory, wrote to Pope Innocent III, alleging

that Simon de Monfor had exceeded his brief in his crusade against the Cathars by conquering lands devoid of heretics and by taking

advantage of King Peter's absence in the Spanish crusade to extend his territory.

The Papal Legate Arnold Armory, a long-time supporter of Simon de Monfort, sent his own letter

to Pope Innocent, countering King Peter's arguments.

But this letter was forwarded to Rome nearly one month after King Peter's letter to the Pope.

King Peter then travelled to the city of Toulouse and declared that all of Count Raymond's extensive

lands were now under the protection of the crown of Aragon.

He also took the momentous step of declaring Simon de Monfor's vassalage to Aragon to be at an end.

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