The Albigensian Crusades by Joseph R. Strayer

Review by Sarah Newell

“Repression can destroy a faith; it can also produce dangerous decay in the society that uses it.”  These words hold meaningful truths for today’s society, yet they were written about the thirteenth century.

In 1208 there began a crusade against the Cathar and Waldensian heretics of Southern France.  In an area known as Occitania, the Roman Catholic Church sought to eliminate dissent while the Northern French king sought to acquire land. While the resulting Albigensian Crusades were considered successful, it lead to many unintended consequences including the disillusionment that paved the way for the Reformation.  Continue reading →