The Albigensian Heresy (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781585092932)

The Albigensians were mostly from Southern France with the village of Albi being a center for their beliefs, hence their name. The Roman Church launched a 20 year crusade against them from 1209 to 1229, making this the only crusade ever launched against their own fellow Christians. The Albigensians were also known as Cathars. This book thoroughly explores their belief system, explaining how and why it upset the Roman Church, and covers many of the key players and religious leaders that were involved in the movement. This was a highly spiritual movement which attracted many people who were upset with the corruption and control that the Church had been exhibiting at the time. The Church often reacted with severe brutality in order to put a stop to the competing spiritual expression that was spreading rapidly throughout the countryside. This book does not cover much of the physical battles and warfare, but focuses more of the clash of beliefs and the political maneuvering, allowing the reader to come away with a clear understanding of the Cathar creed, and their system of belief.