The War on HeresyBetween 1000 and 1250, the Catholic Church confronted the threat of heresy with increasing force. Some of the most portentous events in medieval history -- the Cathar crusade, the persecution and mass burnings of heretics, the papal inquisition established to identify and suppress beliefs that departed from the true religion -- date from this period. Fear of heresy molded European society for the rest of the Middle Ages and beyond, and violent persecutions of the accused left an indelible mark. Yet, as R. I. Moore suggests, the version of these events that has come down to us may be more propaganda than historical reality. Popular accounts of heretical events, most notably the Cathar crusade, are derived from thirteenth-century inquisitors who saw organized heretical movements as a threat to society. Skeptical of the reliability of their reports, Moore reaches back to earlier contemporaneous sources, where he learns a startling truth: no coherent opposition to Catholicism, outside the Church itself, existed. The Cathars turn out to be a mythical construction, and religious difference does not explain the origins of battles against heretic practices and beliefs. A truer explanation lies in conflicts among elites -- both secular and religious -- who used the specter of heresy to extend their political and cultural authority and silence opposition. By focusing on the motives, anxieties, and interests of those who waged war on heresy, Moore's narrative reveals that early heretics may have died for their faith, but it was not because of their faith that they were put to death. - Publisher |
Contents
Death and a maiden | 1 |
Cry Havoc | 11 |
The Dogs of War | 163 |
A winter journey | 327 |
The war among the scholars | 332 |
Chronology | 337 |
Further Reading | 343 |
346 | |
Glossary | 356 |
358 | |
371 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abbot accept accusations of heresy Albigensian Crusade apostolic Aquitaine archbishop Arnold Arras authority baptism became believed Bernard of Clairvaux bishop Bompietro burned canons Cathars cathedral catholic Christ Christian chronicler church Cistercian claimed clergy clerical clerks Cologne condemned confession council count count of Toulouse denied described diocese Eberwin ecclesiastical Eckbert eleventh century emperor enemies Europe excommunicated faith families followers France Gerard Gregory Guibert Harfast Henri de Marci Henry of Lausanne Henry’s heresy heretics holy Humiliati Innocent inquisitors Italy Jews John King lands later Lateran legate Lombardy lords marriage medieval Milan monks noble organisation orléans papacy papal Patarenes Peter of Bruys Peter the Venerable political pope preachers preaching priests Raymond reform refused region Reims religious Robert Robert of Arbrissel Roman Rome sacraments sect secular Simon social Stephen and Lisois story teaching tion Toulouse traditional twelfth century Vaux de Cernay Waldensians women