Memories of Space in Thirteenth-Century France: Displaced People After the Albigensian Crusade

The displacement of people is one aspect of the Albigensian Crusade that has received relatively little scholarly attention. Through an examination of chronicle evidence, testimonial evidence from the administrative enquêtes, and inquisitorial depositions of the 1240s, it is clear that displacement was a policy of the crusade, a measure of its effectiveness, and a highly personal experience for individuals who were forced to flee the crusading army. Further, displacement was central to the construction of individual and shared memories of the crusade itself.