The Cathars: The Most Successful Heresy of the Middle Ages

Without lifting a sword, the Cathars posed a threat to Catholicism greater than the Muslims or Jews—or so the Church believed. The Cathars believed that matter was essentially evil—especially the human body—and that the material world had to be transcended through a simple life of prayer, work, fasting, and nonviolence. Though they radically departed from certain traditional Christian beliefs, the Cathars still believed themselves to be the heirs of the true heritage of Christianity. They completely rejected the Catholic Church and all its opulent trappings, regarding it as the Church of Satan; Cathar services and ceremonies, by contrast, were held in fields, barns, and people's homes.The Cathars found widespread popularity among peasants and artisans. They respected women, who played a major role in the movement. Alarmed at the success of Catharism, the Church began the Inquisition and launched the Albigensian Crusade to exterminate the heresy. The Albigensian Crusade was the first Crusade to be directed against fellow Christians and was also the first European genocide. Today, the mystique surrounding the Cathars is as strong as ever. Their myths and complete history are examined here in __The Cathars__—the compelling true story of this once peaceful religious sect. Catharism was the most successful heresy of the Middle Ages. Flourishing principally in the Languedoc and Italy, the Cathars taught that the world is evil and must be transcended through a simple life of prayer, work, fasting and non-violence. They believed themselves to be the heirs of the true heritage of Christianity going back to apostolic times, and completely rejected the Catholic Church and all its trappings, regarding it as the Church of Satan; Cathar services and ceremonies, by contrast, were held in fields, barns and in people’s homes. Finding support from the nobility in the fractious political situation in southern France, the Cathars also found widespread popularity among peasants and artisans. And again unlike the Church, the Cathars respected women, and women played a major role in the movement. Alarmed at the success of Catharism, the Church founded the Inquisition and launched the Albigensian Crusade to exterminate the heresy. While previous Crusades had been directed against Muslims in the Middle East, the Albigensian Crusade was the first Crusade to be directed against fellow Christians, and was also the first European genocide. With the fall of the Cathar fortress of Montsegur in 1244, Catharism was largely obliterated, although the faith survived into the early fourteenth century. Today, the mystique surrounding the Cathars is as strong as ever, and Sean Martin recounts their story and the myths associated with them in this lively and gripping book. Ката́ры (от француского катарос что значит чистый) — название, данное теологами Римской-католической церкви христианскому религиозному движению, распространённому в XI-XIV веках в ряде стран и областей Западной Европы. Catharism was the most successful heresy of the Middle Ages. This beautifully illustrated volume by the leading author on the subject unveils the mysteries surrounding the Cathars, their links with the Knights Templar, the Troubadors, and the search for the Holy Grail. It was the Feast Day of St Mary Magdalene, 22 July 1209, and an all-out massacre had not been planned.