The Cathars

by Malcolm Barber

The Cathars are one of the most famous heretical movements of the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. They infiltrated the highest ranks of society and posed a major threat not only to the Catholic Church but also to secular authorities as well. The movement was finally smashed by the crusade and the inquisitional proceedings that followed. This new study is the first comprehensive history of the Cathars. It addresses major topics in medieval history including heresy, orthodoxy and the Crusades as well as providing a history of the social and political history of Languedoc and the rise of the Capetian dynasty. A fascinating study of the development of radical religious belief and its violent suppression.

Genres: History, Religion, Nonfiction, Medieval History, Christianity, Gnosticism, France

298 pages, Paperback

First published July 27, 2000

About the author

Malcolm Barber is Emeritus Professor of of Medieval European History at the University of Reading.

Reviews

[Keir · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subject of the Cathar heresy and the social systems and institutions that both enabled and broke it is fascinating. From reading the book I felt I had a better understanding of the appeal of Catharism, where it offered similar criticisms to Catholicism as protestanstism later did whilst additionally offering explanations for some the the contradictions of mainstream Christianity. The story of the fall of the Cathars, murdered and chased, the brave "prefecti" who continued their preaching despite severely endangering themselves and e during many hardships, is a truly harrowing one and left real emotional impact. This book's strongest suit is its academic thoroughness and willingness to present different points of view and highlight areas of disagreement amongst scholars, along with a no-nonsense approach to debunking the various romanticisations and nonsense Holy grail theories about the Cathars. Its weakness is its seemingly chaotic structure, where parts of the book proceed chronologically and others jump around in time.

[Frank Vangaever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super gedocumenteerd boek, heel veel feitenmateriaal met nagenoeg 100 pagina's, Aanbevolen Literatuur, Noten, Tabellen en Chronologie van de Albigenzische (A) kruistochten en de campagnes van Simon de Montfort, chronologie en revival van Pierre en Raymond Autier en een 7 tal kaarten van Bogomielen in het Byzantijnse rijk, de politieke structuur van de Languedoc voor de A kruistochten, de verspreiding van het katharisme in de Languedoc, de plaatsen "bezocht" door de A kruistochten, de Italiaanse connectie, de actieradius van Bernard Acier uit Couffoulens, het gebied bestreken door de Authiers…. Aaanrader, zij het een moeilijker boek omwille van het vele feitenmateriaal. Een antidote voor het blabla-boek van Karel wellinghof!

[Tony Gualtieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and comprehensive, but difficult to read due to a somewhat haphazard chronology.

[Marcin Wandzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rozczarowanie. Czasem miałem wrażenie, że to książka raczej o krzyżowcach i kościele.

[logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

great book for a good overview of Cathars in a way that combats modern misunderstanding and narrativizing of the Cathar's struggle into something that it was not, whether that be in the form of demonizing dirt heretics or idealizing the liberalness of Cathar society. In the end, the Cathars had the same flaws as the Catholics, those being church institutions, rituals, and schisms of petty arguments.