Christian Society and the Crusades, 1198-1229: Sources in Translation, including "The Capture of Damietta" by Oliver of Paderborn

II. Crusade and Council, 1208-1215

11. Crusade and Council, 1. The Albigensian Crusade: From the Chronicle of Roger of Wendover Roger of Wendover began to write his chronicle at St. Albans monastery in England around 1217 and continued to 1235, when he was succeeded by Matthew Paris. Roger was uniquely well informed and a sensible user of documentary evidence. His account of the Council and the events of the Albigensian Crusade reflect the point of view of a learned, uninvolved English cleric who had the power of organizing events and presenting a coherent narrative. The selections from Roger's chronicle in this volume are taken from J. A. Giles' translation in Bohn's Antiquarian Library, London, 1849, Volume 11. The best discussion of Roger's work is that by V. H. Galbraith, Roger Wendover and Matthew Paris (Glasgow, 1944). The Albigensian Heresy and the Launching of the Crusade, 1208. About that time the depravity of the heretics called Albigenses , who dwelt in Gascony, Arumnia, and Alby, gained such power in the parts about Toulouse, and in the kingdom of Arragon, that they not only practised their impieties in secret as was done elsewhere, but preached their erroneous doctrine openly, and induced the simple and weak-minded to conform to them. The Albigenses are so called from the city of Alba, where that doctrine is said to have taken its rise. At length their perversity set the anger of God so completely at defiance, that they published the books of their doctrines 26 CRUSADE AND COUNCIL, 1208-1215 amongst the lower orders, before the very eyes of the bishops and priests, and disgraced the chalices and sacred vessels in disrespect of the body and blood of Christ. Pope Innocent was greatly grieved at hearing these things, and he immediately sent preachers into all the districts of the west, and enjoined to the chiefs and other Christian people as a remission of their sins, that they should take the sign of the cross for the extirpation of this plague, and, opposing themselves to such disasters, should protect the Christian people by force of arms; he also added, by authority of the apostolic see, that whoever undertook the business of overthrowing the heretics according to his injunction, should, like those who visited the Lord's sepulchre, be protected from all hostile attacks both in property and person. At this preaching such a multitude of crusaders assembled, as it is not to be credited could have assembled in our country. Of the Movements of the Crusadersagainst theAIbigenses When therefore they were all assembled and prepared for battle, the archbishop of Narbonne, the legate of the apostolic see in this expedition, and the chiefs of the army, namely the duke of Burgundy, the count of Nevers, and the count de Montfort, struck their camp and marched to lay siege to the city of Beziers. But before they got to it the lords of some of the castles, having little confidence in themselves, fled at the sight of their army; the knights and others who were left in charge of the said castles, went boldly as good Catholics and surrendered themselves with their property, as well as the castles to the army of the crusaders; and, on the eve of St. Mary Magdalen, they surrendered the noble castle of Cermaine to a monk, the lord of the castle, who also possessed several others of great strength, having taken to flight. They warned the citizens of Beziers, through the bishop of that city, under penalty of excommunication, to make choice of one out of two alternatives; either to deliver the heretics and their property into the hands of the crusaders, or else to send them away from amongst them, otherwise they would be excommunicated, and their blood be on their own heads. THE ALBIGENSIAN CRUSADE 27 The heretics and their allies scornfully refused to accede to this, and mutually swore to defend the city; and, when they had pledged their faith, they hoped to be able for a long time to sustain the assaults of the crusaders. After the city was laid siege to, on the feast of St. Mary Magdalen, the catholic barons considered how they could save those amongst them who were catholics, and made overtures for their liberation; but the rabble and low people, without waiting for the command or orders of the chiefs, made an assault on the city, and, to the astonishment of the Christians...