Heresy

[From the 11th to the 13th century a particular religious sect was allowed to grow in the Languedoc region of France. Called Catharism this dualist thinking religion flourished, not only with the poor but also people like the Counts of Toulouse and the great Esclarmonte of Foix. In the early part of the 13th century the Pope petitioned the king to form. a crusade and vanquish the heretics. This petitioning finally led to the Albigensian Crusade. A force of Knights and Mercenaries besieged the Cathars and in a massive pyre at Montsegur massacred some 200 of them virtually eliminating Catharism in Southern France].