History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 154, the Crusade

the Crusade against the Cathars, the Council of Montpellia, 1215.

Hello again.

Last week we took the narrative up to the end of the year 1214.

With King John of England no longer threatening Simon de Monfours conquests in the north,

the Papal Legate Peter Curzon had taken advantage of the absence of his fellow Papal Legate Peter Benavinto to formally recognize Simon's claims to land in

Albee, the Arginay and other areas in the north. A horrified Peter Benavinto called for a

council of bishops and archbishops to meet to discuss the matter in January

1215. to discuss the matter in January 1,215.

Now, it would have been easier for Peter Benavinto, and for everyone really,

if Pope Innocent had convened his ecumenical counsel to sort everything out once and for all.

Way back in 1213 following the Battle of Muray, Pope Innocent had declared that the status quo should be preserved

in Long dock until he could call an ecumenical council.

Now it is 1215 and there's still no indication from Pope Innocent that the

magical solution to everyone's problems the Ecumenical Council is any closer to being convened.

So with the status quo having been blown out of the water by Peter Curzon's recognition of Simon de Monfor's expanded territory,

Peter Benavento was left with no option other than to convene a smaller local council to try and put things to rights.

He chose Montpellia as the city to host the meeting, believing the town to be as close to

neutral territory as he could get without leaving

southern France altogether.

As a raft of bishops and archbishops travelled from across southern France to Montpellier at the beginning of 1215,

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