The Cathars, also known as the Albegensians were a religious
group appearing in Europe during the 11th century. No one is certain of their true origin and
whether or not they were true Christians, although they did call themselves
Christians. They are thought to have
beginnings with the Bogomils and Gnostics.
They were called Cathars by the Roman Catholics as a derogatory term,
catharos being a Greek word meaning “purified ones”. In general, they held the belief that the
world was governed by two gods, one good and one evil, and that the trappings
of the material world were evil. Cathars
believed that the path to liberation included renouncing the world, living a
pure life and freeing oneself from the corrupting influences of material
things. They believed in reincarnation,
a life of simplicity, not killing, taking oaths or telling lies. Their diet was strictly vegan. Although there was a church hierarchy and
ceremonies, there were no church structures.
The area of Languedoc was not ruled by kings; rather it had several counts and was an autonomous region from the north of France with its kings. Languedoc had always been an area noted for its
liberalism and tolerance.
It was here
that Catharism took root and became the major religion of the area by the early
13th century. The lack of
religious obedience to the Pope and no alliance with the Kings of France did
not sit well with either the Pope or the King of France. Beginning in 1208 the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars began; pitting the
indigenous population against the King of France and the Pope. Within a few years, the Counts of Toulouse
and their allies were deposed. As a
result, the Occitian territories were
annexed to France under the Treaty of Paris.
It is estimated that 500,000 people were killed in this Crusade; however,
not all Cathars were eliminated. The Cathars
had many strong allies in areas from which they were able to obtain permission
to build several remote fortified cities.
On a recent day trip from Toulouse we visited the town of
Cordes-sur-Ciel. It is a small well
preserved town on top of a high hill overlooking the Cerou Valley. Raymond VII of Toulouse decided to build this
fortified town in 1222 as a result of losing territory to Simon de
Montfort. Many remaining Cathars took up
residence here until they were eliminated by the Inquisition. Cordes-sur-Ciel was able to prosper following
the Inquisition, and remained a viable town until the plagues decimated the
population in the 15th century.
Cordes regained some economic prosperity during the late 19th
century, but due to its isolation, was not able to compete with better situated
towns. In the 1970’s a move to restore
the town and make it a tourist destination began. Today it is a beautiful place to climb up to
and have a great view of the valley below.
Parking is at the bottom of the old town and a 15 minute walk straight
up takes you to the top. Not to worry,
there are many shops, restaurants, and galleries along the way if you need to catch your breath.
Although the Albigensian Crusade ended 1229, the Cathars
were able to regroup, thus the cause of the Inquisition in Languedoc. Locals, not loyal to the King of France would
frequently warn the Cathars that the Inquisitors were coming and run them out
of town. In 1232, the Cathars requested
and were granted permission to occupy and fortify Montsegur. After a particular dramatic act in 1242, the
assassination of the Inquisitors in Avignonet, King Loius IX of France cracked
down on the area. The Count of Toulouse,
Raymond VII was again forced to sign the Treaty of Paris and relinquish power. That left the town of Montsegur to be brought
under control. The siege of Montsegur began
in May of 1243 and lasted 10 months.
Opposition forces aiding the Cathars were lead by Pierre-Roger de Mirpoix, who finally had to surrender the fortress and preserve the lives of his fighters. The remaining
Cathars would not surrender and were executed on a wooden pyre, thus putting an end to them once and for all. The fortified town on the mountain top was
destroyed completely and barely a trace can be seen today.
A year later, the new Lord of Mirpoix, Guy des Levis II took
an oath to the King of France and requested permission to rebuild the
fortress. At the bottom of the hill, a
village was also constructed. The new fort
at the top of the hill stands today. The new fort was used to guard the area from Spanish invasion and was actively used until the 16th century. The hike is rigorous, going straight up for about 20 minutes over rough terrain. The area is remote, there no shops or restaurants in the area, so bring your own food and water. The new and old forts had a system of cisterns for water. It was said that the vegetarian diet of the Cathars helped them hold out without supplies for long periods of time. Hiking in the area is great, so is the biking, but the terrain is unforgiving, so be prepared. The view from the top is mostly unspoiled, you can easily imagine yourself back in the 13th century.
Interestingly, the Cathars were believed to have amassed a
treasure which was never found. Some
think that the treasure is buried somewhere in the hills around Montsegur and
may contain among the riches, the Holy Grail.
Those believers think that the Cathars may have been direct descendants
of Jesus Christ, thus giving them access to the Holy Grail. The area of Montsegur
has been the focus of many archeological digs; a museum in the village holds
the findings of some of the explorations. Surprising to me, during WWII Nazi historians were looking for a
connections between the Holy Grail and an ancient Aryan race. They investigated the legends hoping to find their evidence in Montsegur. A 1980’s best seller about the history and
the area, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, was written by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh
and Henry Lincoln.
Much is written about the Cathars and the history of this
area. Quick links to the history and
lore of the area see:
