Catharism

More research is required in order to really understand this vibrant phenomenon. The historians under study here all approached the study of heresy in their own way, even if some of their ideas or methods were similar in some aspects. The study of heresy for Pegg and Moore has been cloaked by the “Cathar” heresy. If this is the case, more studies are required to really grapple with the fallout of losing “Catharism.” That is, if we are to take out “Cathars” from the picture of heresy where does that leave the other heresies that have been studied under similar circumstances? For Pegg, we must completely rewrite the history of medieval heresy; indeed he even argues medieval religion. I do not quite agree that this step is necessary. A study of medieval heresy can (and has been done even if Burnham is at times occupied with “Cathars”) be done by removing “Cathars” from the picture. But if we are going to continue to write a history of medieval heresy with the “Cathars” then more work is necessary to really illuminate their world as too much of the evidence for “Catharism” is rooted in arguments from silence. More work, like that of Caterina Bruschi, is sure to be done on evoking the world of the “Cathars.” Furthermore, there are more inquisitorial records out there that can – and most likely currently – be mined for more fruitful information about medieval heresy. We must take into account the methodological…

born into and lived in. Dominic was born in modern day Spain, a land divided into Christian and Muslim kingdoms. Another aspect of his world was that Europe was battling Islam in the Holy Land with the crusades, which by Dominic’s lifetime the tide was against the Crusading Christians. Dominic also lived through the fourth Crusade, where Crusaders under Venetian command sacked the Eastern Orthodox Christian city and Capital of the Eastern Roman Empire of Constantinople. While there were more…

The Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition, established in fifteen-forty-two by Pope Paul III (the pontifical incumbent who was also responsible for the authorization of the Jesuit Order), was the primary institution to maintain and implement Papal bulls, in addition to their function of administering legalistic ramifications upon deviants of Catholic orthodoxy within the Papal States, and ostensibly exhibiting proper procedure to Catholic states in the process of…

The Crusades originated in 1096 as religious inspired military campaigns to recapture the Holy Land of Jerusalem from the Muslims and protect Christendom. Throughout the course of the Crusades, crusaders attacked fellow Christians, allied with Muslims, and went to other locations, including the Byzantine Empire and Languedoc. While other crusaders fought Christian heretics in the Albigensian Crusade, the Children’s Crusade of 1212 sought to fulfill the mission and travel to Jerusalem. Although…

During the Early Middle Ages, Europe was enslaved by the Roman Catholic Church. Well discipline oppressing fear ruled the lives of peasants, mobility, Lords and Kings. The only accepted Christian religion was the Catholic religion. All other religious sects were regarded as heretics. A heretic, any belief or doctrine disagreeing with the Church. (heretic) Crusades were implemented to seek out all heretical nonconformist and bring them to justice. Tribunals are then mandated in order to bring…

harm and assault people While human witches and sorcerers got their powers to curse and harm where the same as the devil and demonic power. In the late Middle Ages all those who performed magic were associated with the devil and considered a cult. This form of magic was considered to be the worst heresy possible. The concept of witchcraft helped lead to the witch crisis in the beginning of the fourteenth century. Jeffery Russell states in his book, Witchcraft in the Middle Ages, that “Medieval…

Egypt. By 1192, a peace treaty was signed to reestablish the kingdom of Jerusalem which ended the third crusade. The fourth to the sixth crusade occurred in the time range of 1198 – 122. Albigensian Crusade The control of Jerusalem marked the middle of the 12th century, and the control of the Holy Land was no longer a main goal of the Crusaders. Crusading was classified as a special class of war that could be called by the pope against the enemies of faith This was the crusade that was called…

Rosary beads are a private rite of devotion used in order to bring comfort to those who use it and deepen their connection with God. For centuries Rosary Beads have been used in the Catholic religion. Rosary Beads were first used in the year 1214 when Saint Dominic the founder of the Order of the preachers, fell into a coma (Marshall, 2011). St Dominic experienced an apparition of Mary whilst in the coma and who presented him with the Rosary to help in his quest to convert the Albigensian Cathar…

notice. As a result, the Reconquista was to subdue the Muslim forces in Spain. The Reconquista was the recapturing of Spain. With every christian territory the muslims conquered, the reconquista truly became the second front of the crusades. The Reconquista may have began as just a Spanish affair, but as the war between the christians and muslims became known, the “Reconquista’s new identity as a crusade” took place (Madden 116). After the Muslims captured almost the entire Iberian Peninsula in…

From the Christian Martyrs in Ancient Rome to the suppression of Catharism in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Counter-Reformation and the 30 Years War that followed it, religious condemnation and persecution has been commonplace throughout European History, including the medieval era. Often, this persecution in fact benefitted the persecutors personally, rather than being a selfless act to ensure the faith remained ‘pure’. This was no less true during the 12th century Renaissance – the time of…