Gone Medieval Crusades Against Heretics
Dec 6, 2024
Mark Gregory Pegg, author of "A Most Holy War" and expert on the Albigensian Crusade, delves into the blood-soaked battles of the early 1200s as the Church fought to eliminate heresy. He discusses the controversial Cathars and the shifting perceptions around their movement. Pegg unpacks the motivations behind Pope Innocent III’s brutal crusades against fellow Christians, revealing how these conflicts transformed medieval society and instilled a lasting fear of heresy across Christendom.
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Origin of the Name "Albigensian Crusade"
- The Albigensian Crusade's name derives from how Northern French crusaders referred to Southerners.
- The term "Albigensian" initially meant Southerner and later acquired connotations of rebel and heretic.
The Cathar Myth
- The Cathar church, a supposed target of the crusade, is likely a 19th-century scholarly invention.
- This invention attempts to explain the crusade and the rise of heresy accusations, but lacks medieval evidence.
Church Politics and the Crusade
- The Albigensian Crusade was likely driven by church politics more than actual heresy.
- Rome sought control over a fractured region with unique religious practices, not necessarily heretical beliefs.