Many of these sites were replaced by new castles built by the victorious. It starts with the sights about the region, with emphasis on montsegur and a similar castle, queribus. According to the book, holy blood, holy grail, montsegur was the location of a mythical. Bishop of toulouse bons hommes brother burghers burnt carcassonne catharist catharist church cathars catholic century chanson chateau christian clergy condemned consolamentum consuls council count of foix. Montsegur was relatively selfsufficient with a good reservoir system of cisterns for water and a metal forge for weapons and an ample supply of wood to fire it. Aug 2006 institute for hermetic studies readers are certain to find markales answer revealing, if not altogether disturbing. In 1209 in beziers, france, the inquisition is charged with exterminating cathars, the church of love. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the cathars. He wrote two books on his wartime exploits, but never once mentioned a single word about montsegur or the treasure of solomon. The siege was an epic event of heroism and zealotry. Richard stanley live from the sacred mountain montsegur.
Photo walking tour of montsegur where the cathars died. Montsegur is a commune in the ariege department in southwestern france. The final chapter in montsegur and the mystery of the cathars will be particularly interesting to those awaiting the release of otto rahns work on the cathars later this year. There are very few of these, although you may find a few vestiges near to existing structures eg castles at peyrepertuse, and puivert. The present fortress on the site is actually of a later period. Using the final, brutal siege in the catholic crusade against the cathar heresy as a backdrop, players take the roles of true believers trapped in the fortress of montsegur. One day tour with james mcdonald to two of the audes most magnificent castles. The area around renneslechateau is drenched in a history of bloodshed and treasure. The book is extremely detailed and would be best for the student of the albiegensian crusade rather than the general reader. Visigoths, templars, cathars and assorted scoundrels, clerics and adventurers roamed the area at different times in history. The mythology of montsegur reached a new peak during the 1980s with the publication of holy blood, holy grail by michael baigent, richard leigh, and henry lincoln, a bestseller that linked the reported missing treasure of montsegur with mysterious events in the nearby village of rennele chateau. Rahn was a young german academic, whose books greatly advanced interest in montsegur and catharism, both in the 1930s and now.
It is also the location of the holy grail according to early versions of the grail legend and of the ark of the covenant according to more recent stories. The fall of this montsegur the iconic cathar citadel to a crusading army in 1244 following. It is a time of terror, with neighbor pitted against neighbor, and religious passions running high. The cathar castles chateaux cathares of the languedoc. Massacre at montsegur is a very wellwritten account of a difficult period in history. Located in the amazing cathar country, near the delightful market town of mirepoix, this is a magical place where young and old can stay in this enchanting part of the languedoc. Introduction into the mystery of renneslechateau and. The history and philosophy of the mysterious cathar religion and its lost treasure. The ruins of montsegur are perched at a precarious 3000foot 1207 m altitude in the south of france near the pyrenees mountains. Link to tripsavvy homepage walking tour of montsegur, last big stand of the cathars. Ben hammotts research into the renneslechateau mystery. The castle of montsegur is famous as the last stronghold of the cathars after the crusade against them inspired by the pope and the king of france. Because of andrevas desires to be close to the only two remaining family members she has her grandmother and uncle, she moves to this area of unrest. One of the phrases of the chronicler peter des vauxdecernay is cited over.
A history of the albigensian crusade zoe oldenbourg. Recommended books about the cathars, catharism and the cathar crusade in the. Introduction into the mystery of renneslechateau and sauniere. It is not unthinkable that some of the treasure that these groups brought with them or accumulated was left behind in the region. Montsegur has a cult following with its chateau ruins on mont pog, attracting cathar history enthusiasts, hikers, and lovers of small charming villages. After the castle surrendered, about 210 perfecti and unrepentant credentes were burned in a bonfire on 16 march 1244. Montsegur fortress is perched on top of a rocky spur at an altitude of 1,207 metres and can be reached on foot in 30 minutes. See more ideas about albigensian crusade, knights templar and king arthur legend. Markales descriptions of the wild breton moors and the inaccessible peaks of the pyrenees are described with a bardic grandeur that is befitting of his poetic roots. We arrived there in the afternoon after visiting the no. Montsegur and the mystery of the cathars markale, jean on.
It has been listed as a monument historique by the french ministry of culture since 1862. I love historical fiction and this book gave me a chance to learn about a part of history. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. There is no evidence skorzeny did any treasure hunting, let alone found anything and buechners 1991 book is, to be charitable, a fairy tale. A history and archaeology museum in the village of montsegur traces the history of the site and of catharism through a rich collection of objects found during excavations at the castle. The castle was originally built in the thirteenth century by a. Montsegur and the mystery of the cathars by jean markale. Apr 24, 2018 a history and archaeology museum in the village of montsegur traces the history of the site and of catharism through a rich collection of objects found during excavations at the castle. In relatively flat areas such as the lauragais plain, castles and castra were often located on nearby hills, for example laurac, fanjeaux, massaintespuelles and carcassonne. Church cathars catholic century chanson chateau christian clergy condemned consolamentum consuls. The cathars before the ss veterans today military foreign.
This was about 15 years before the fall of the montsegur, the main cathar castle. Located in the heart of frances languedocmidipyrenees regions, 80 km 50 mi southwest of carcassonne, montsegur dominates a rock formation known as a pog a term derived from the local occitan dialect puog, or pueg, meaning peak, hill. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the cathar castles, is actually of a later period. In 1507, gaston exchanged his viscounty of narbonne with king louis xii of france for the duchy of nemours, and as duke of nemours he took command of the french troops in italy. Blending the history of the albigensianscathars and the traditions of the tarot, this second volume in the trilogy continues the wry and engaging epic begun in the last troubadour. Last stand of the cathars a magnificent place tripadvisor. Montsegur 1244 uses actual history to frame a tightly focused game that explores faith, loyalty, and the bonds of kinship. See more ideas about france, castle and whole earth.
Today the route of the cathars is a relatively undemanding, yet spectacularly scenic route of ancient chateaux ruins perched on perilous, limestone crags above lush alpine meadows, dense forests, dramatic gorges and thermal springs, that make this part of southern france one of the most popular. Because of andrevas desires to be close to the only two remaining family members she has her grandmother and. Writerfilmmaker richard stanley reports live from the legendary montsegur to discuss the history, mystery and high strangeness in the zone from the guardian of. Offering mountain views, a garden and free wifi, le pelerin is located in montsegur, a few steps from museum of montsegur and a 10minute walk from montsegur castle. Some had a cathar connection, in that they offered refuge to dispossessed cathars in the thirteenth century. Memorial to 200 cathars burnt at the stake at chateau montsegur. Myths and legends apart, the history of montsegur is in fact both dramatic and mysterious. Including famous castles, crusader castles and cathar castles. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the cathar castles, is from a later period. The story is set in medieval lavelanet, france which as the title suggests is in the shadows of the chateau of montsegur, where the heretic cathars are hiding out. Legends of the holy grail surround chateau montsegur in the ariege, france. Pays cathare or the noble ruins remembering the cathar heresy. Genuine cathar castles, advertised as cathar castles. Catharism was a doctrine of great importance for the history of southern france and northern catalonia.
The earliest signs of human settlement in the area date back to the stone age, around 80,000 years ago. He had been assigned to this tiny village in the south of france at the age of 33 and had spent his first few years there in piety and poverty. European history, women in history, albigensian crusade, online book club. Cathar strong points were generally surrounded by a walled settlement ranging from a small village to a sizable city known as a castrum. The mythology of montsegur reached a new peak during the 1980s with the publication of holy blood, holy grail by michael baigent, richard leigh, and henry lincoln, a bestseller that linked the reported missing treasure of montsegur with mysterious events in the nearby village of rennelechateau. After six years of research, my historical novel about the cathars of southern. This french castle is said to have once held the holy grail but is now a gorgeous mountaintop ruin. Aug 8, 2016 explore liviaflows board montsegur, cathars and. The book is extremely detailed and would be best for the student of the. Montsegur and chateau puivert full day tour france. See more ideas about albigensian crusade, castle and pope innocent iii. Carcassonne probably has the best claim to be a cathar castle, followed by three quarters of lastours cabaret. History part ii albigensian crusade, cathar, history.