The Albigensian Crusade

The Cathars (Pure Ones) lived in S France. They were believed to be the forefathers of Italian and Scottish Carbonari. They were followers of Gnostics and were more committed to matters of spirit than material wealth and therefore considered their beliefs more "pure" than the Catholic Church. They refused to acknowledge the Pope's authority, were nonconformist and didn't see the need for appointed priest and richly adorned churches. All this posed a challenge to the Catholic Church who considered them heretics(12th century).

Legends abound that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife and that she and her offsprings found refuge in S France preserving the lineage through the Merovingian dynasty. Early Church was fearful of these descendants and hence Mary became negatively described in their books. Women were prohibited from teaching or becoming priests.(Studies have been made into private records of many European families to confirm the Merovingians relationship). Some people in S France associated with this legend, found the Crusades a convenient excuse to take the Holy Land and search for verifications of certain traditions which were counter to the church teachings and circulating in S France. In the Holy Land they stayed in the ruins of Solomon's Temple and apparently found the evidence they were looking for. Over time, they became known as heretics and blesphemers as an attempt to exterminate them. They were the Knights Templars and it is said that their traditions still live on today.

Back to the Cathars, after being proclaimed heretics by Philip ii at the insistence of Innocent iii, they were hunted down and exterminated ,almost completely. This became known as the Albigensian Crusade. The Cathars retreated to the foothills of the Pyrenees. Later Papal army besieged them at Montsegur, a fortress, for more than 10 months before they surrendered and gave themselves up to be burned. Their "treasure" though was said to have been carried out in the night before the surrender (1244). Survivors fled to neighboring countries like Italy. Those remaining became isolated and poor due to the methodical persuit of the church, the Inquisition.

Meanwhile, the Templars had became very rich and powerful much to the envy of King Philip iv and fear of Pope Clement v. So he crushed them (1307).