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In her voice: The destruction of the Cathars in Languedoc
Morton, Diana Jane
Morton, Diana Jane
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2009-12
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Electronic dissertations
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Abstract
The following thesis is a narrative history of the persecution and
ultimate elimination of a Christian heresy called Catharism. Their
destruction was brought about by the Roman Catholic Church which saw the
Cathar's strength in numbers, wealth, and organization as a viable threat to
its power. Pope Innocent III called for a crusade against the heretics - the
Albigensian Crusade beginning July, 1209, in the southern region of France
known as Languedoc (Occitania).
The most powerful noble of this period is Count Raymond VI of
Toulouse. He took every possible means to protect his subjects and land
from the ravages of the Crusading army. His unwillingness to persecute
heretics exemplifies the choice made by the majority of noblemen in the
South and portrays best what was then known as "parage."
The voice of this narrative is that of a Cathar woman, a perfecta,
raised in a noble family of believers, and educated by Cathar perfectae. She
represents many Occitanian women: educated and financially independent
seeking spiritual guidance and purpose. The Cathar faith offered her
position, equality, and a voice - all forbidden in the Roman Catholic Church.
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Thesis (M.A.) -- Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Program of Liberal Studies
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Wichita State University