History of the Crusades

the Crusades Episode 173, the crusade against the Cathars, the end of the 13th century.

Hello again.

Last week we saw the Cathar stronghold of Monsieur come under attack by the combined forces of the French crown and the church. After holding out for 10 months, the

castle surrendered to the besieges and more than 200 Cathar Perfect were burned alive.

The fall of Monsieur was the beginning of the end of the Cathar religion.

The fact that none of the noble families of southern France had come to Monsieur's

assistance was a signal to the Cathars that unlike the days of the Crusade, this time they were on their own.

Gradually, the grandsons of the men who had led the fight against Simon de Monfor

submitted to both the Catholic Church and Northern French rule.

Count Raymond the seventh who had previously sacrificed so much to preserve southern French independence, not only

failed to come to the aid of the Cathars in their hour of need, he joined the active persecution of them.

In June 1249, he ordered 80 Cathars to be burned as heretics in the town of Aijon, and he no longer opposed the spread of the Inquisition within

his domains.

His late conformity to church wishes and demands was rewarded when he died in September 1249.

His body, accompanied by no less than five bishops was taken to Fontovro, the traditional resting place of the

Plantagenets. His effigy lay within Fontovrow Abbey amongst such luminaries as King Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine and

Richard the Lionheart until the year 1638, when his effigy was destroyed to make way for some building works to extend the Abbey.

Following his death, Count Raymond's lands were inherited by King Louis IX's brother and Raymond's son-in-law,

Alphonse of Poitier.

Alfonts of Poitier was of a frail disposition and disliked traveling, with the result that he only visited Long dock twice during his lifetime.

However, this was not an indication that he was disinterested in his new territory.

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