William of Puylaurens Bücher

The Albigensian Crusade, central to William of Puylaurens' Chronicle, was a pivotal moment in French history. Initiated in 1209 by Pope Innocent III, it targeted the southern French aristocracy, particularly the Counts of Toulouse, accused of safeguarding heresy, notably Catharism—a dualist belief seen as a significant threat to the Catholic Church. The Crusade concluded in 1229 with the defeat of Count Raymond VII of Toulouse, leading to the establishment of the Papal Inquisition in the 1230s to combat heresy. Ultimately, the Crusade resulted in the decline of Catharism and the consolidation of French Royal authority in the region. Puylaurens' Chronicle, now translated into English for the first time, serves as a key contemporary source, detailing the heretical landscape of early 13th-century southern France, narrating the Crusade, and chronicling the rise of the Inquisition, including the siege of the Cathar stronghold Montsegur in 1243-44. This translation features an introduction, comprehensive notes, appendices, and a bibliography. W.A. Sibly, a former Domus Exhibitioner in Classics at Balliol College, Oxford, and M.D. Sibly, who studied history at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, have also translated Peter of Les Vaux de Cernay's History of the Albigensian Crusade.