The corruption of angels : the great Inquisition of 1245-1246 Mark Gregory Pegg

On two hundred and one days between May 1, 1245, and August 1, 1246, more than five thousand people from the Lauragais were questioned in Toulouse about the heresy of the good men and the good women (more commonly known as Catharism). Nobles and diviners, butchers and monks, concubines and physicians, blacksmiths and pregnant girls--in short, all men over fourteen and women over twelve--were summoned by Dominican inquisitors Bernart de Caux and Jean de Saint-Pierre. In the cloister of the Saint-Sernin abbey, before scribes and witnesses, they confessed whether they, or anyone else, had ever seen, heard, helped, or sought salvation through the heretics. This inquisition into heretical depravity was the single largest investigation, in the shortest time, in the entire European Middle Ages. Mark Gregory Pegg examines the sole surviving manuscript of this great inquisition with unprecedented care--often in unexpected ways--to build a richly textured understanding of social life in southern France in the early thirteenth century. He explores what the interrogations reveal about the individual and communal lives of those interrogated and how the interrogations themselves shaped villagers' perceptions of those lives. __The Corruption of Angels__, similar in breadth and scope to Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's __Montaillou__, is a major contribution to the field. It shows how heretical and orthodox beliefs flourished side by side and, more broadly, what life was like in one particular time and place. Pegg's passionate and beautifully written evocation of a medieval world will fascinate a diverse readership within and beyond the academy.

in Mark Gregory Pegg The Testimonies Of The Great Inquisition Of 1245-46 Have Found A Historian With The Erudition And Imagination To Exploit Their Riches. Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's Montaillou, Is Also, Of Course, Based On A Register Of Inquisitions In The Languedoc, Some Half Century Later Than This One. But Pegg Sets A New Standard In The Theoretical Sophistication And Consistency--as Well As The Literary Grace--with Which It Is Done. This Book Is The Most Sensitive And Searching Account Of The Religion Of Country People In Any Part Of Europe In The High Middle Ages Known To Me.--r. I. Moore, university Of Newcastle Upon Tyne

this Book Is Gorgeously Written. It Gives A Window Into The Life Of People In A Place In The Past That Is Preserved In A Unique Kind Of Source. The Material Is Gracefully, Accurately, Indeed, Inspiringly Handled. Mark Gregory Pegg Offers A Community History Of A Very High And Rare Order.--edward Peters, University Of Pennsylvania

this Is A Fascinating Account Of An Inquisitorial Process Undertaken In Languedoc In 1245 And 1246. Mark Gregory Pegg Asks Questions Not So Much About The Abstract Nature Of Cathar Belief But About How It Was Remembered, Maintained, And Integrated Into Lived Experience Of The Villagers Of The Lauragais. . . It Is A Fine Example Of How To Approach A Medieval Text That Will Be Widely Appreciated By Nonhistorians.--paul Freedman, Yale University

jay T. Lees - History

this Is A Wonderful Book Deserving To Be Read From Beginning To End. It Is A 'good Read' That Will Capture The Imagination, And Teachers Of Medieval History Should Get It Into The Hands Of Their Students.

On Two Hundred And One Days Between May 1, 1245, And August 1, 1246, More Than Five Thousand People From The Lauragais Were Questioned In Toulouse About The Heresy Of The Good Men And The Good Women (more Commonly Known As Catharism). Nobles And Diviners, Butchers And Monks, Concubines And Physicians, Blacksmiths And Pregnant Girls - In Short, All Men Over Fourteen And Women Over Twelve - Were Summoned By Dominican Inquisitors Bernart De Caux And Jean De Saint-pierre. In The Cloister Of The Saint-sernin Abbey, Before Scribes And Witnesses, They Confessed, Whether They, Or Anyone Else, Had Ever Seen, Heard, Helped, Or Sought Salvation Through The Heretics. This Inquisition Into Heretical Depravity Was The Single Largest Investigation, In The Shortest Time, In The Entire European Middle Ages. Mark Gregory Pegg Examines The Sole Surviving Manuscript Of This Great Inquisition With Unprecedented Care - Often In Unexpected Ways - To Build A Richly Textured Understanding Of Social Life In Southern France In The Early Thirteenth Century.--jacket. The Hundred And One Days -- The Death Of One Cistercian -- Wedged Between Catha And Cathay -- Paper And Parchment -- Splitting Heads And Tearing Skin -- Summoned To Saint-sernin -- Questions About Questions -- Four Eavesdropping Friars -- The Memory Of What We Heard -- Lies -- Now Are You Willing To Put That In Writing? -- Before The Crusaders Came -- Words And Nods -- Not Quite Dead -- One Full Dish Of Chestnuts -- Two Yellow Crosses -- Life Around A Leaf. Mark Gregory Pegg. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [199]-217) And Index. "On two hundred and one days between May 1, 1245, and August 1, 1246, more than five thousand people from the Lauragais were questioned in Toulouse about the heresy of the good men and the good women (more commonly Known as Catharism). Nobles and diviners, butchers and monks, concubines and physicians, blacksmiths and pregnant girls - in short, all men over fourteen and women over twelve - were summoned by Dominican inquisitors Bernart de Caux and Jean de Saint-Pierre. In the cloister of the Saint-Sernin abbey, before scribes and witnesses, they confessed, whether they, or anyone else, had ever seen, heard, helped, or sought salvation through the heretics. This inquisition into heretical depravity was the single largest investigation, in the shortest time, in the entire European Middle Ages.". "Mark Gregory Pegg examines the sole surviving manuscript of this great inquisition with unprecedented care - often in unexpected ways - to build a richly textured understanding of social life in southern France in the early thirteenth century."--BOOK JACKET. Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS......Page 10 1 Two Hundred and One Days......Page 14 2 The Death of One Cistercian......Page 15 3 Wedged between Catha and Cathay......Page 26 4 Paper and Parchment......Page 31 5 Splitting Heads and Tearing Skin......Page 39 6 Summoned to Saint-Sernin......Page 46 7 Questions about Questions......Page 56 8 Four Eavesdropping Friars......Page 63 9 The Memory of What Was Heard......Page 68 10 Lies......Page 74 11 Now Are You Willing to Put That in Writing?......Page 85 12 Before the Crusaders Came......Page 94 13 Words and Nods......Page 103 14 Not Quite Dead......Page 115 15 One Full Dish of Chestnuts......Page 125 16 Two Yellow Crosses......Page 137 17 Life around a Leaf......Page 142 NOTES......Page 144 BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WORKS CITED......Page 210 INDEX......Page 230 Between May 1, 1245, and August 1, 1246, more than five thousand people were intensively questioned in Toulouse about the "heresy of the good men and good women" (commonly, though incorrectly, known as Catharism). Mark Gregory Pegg examines the sole surviving manuscript of this great inquisition with unprecedented care-often in unexpected ways-to build a richly textured understanding of life in southern France in the early thirteenth century. This book is a passionate evocation of the vibrant rhythms by which thousands of medieval men and women lived their lives through half a century of holy war and religious persecution. On 201 days between May 1, 1245, and August 1, 1246, more than 5000 people from the Lauragais were questioned in Toulouse about the heresy of the good men and the good women. This book examines the sole surviving manuscript of this inquisition, exploring what the interrogations reveal about the individual and communal lives of those interrogated.