Montségur and the Mystery of the Cathars

by Jean Markale

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On March 16, 1244, over 200 Cathars were captured in their fortress stronghold of Montségur and were burned alive by troops of the Inquisition. While some Cathar enclaves survived into the next century, this was the death blow to a religion that had been a powerful symbol of Occitain sovereignty against the designs of the French monarchy and the papacy. History has recorded that four high-ranking Cathar perfecticarried a great treasure out of Montségur the night before its fall, a fact show more that led rebel Huguenots of the 17th century and members of Hitler's S.S. to believe that an enormous treasure or weapon of awesome spiritual power lay hidden somewhere nearby the ruins of the former Cathar stronghold. Seeking to untangle the true from the false, Celtic and medieval scholar Jean Markale meticulously searches through the obscure history of the Cathars, tracing their roots back to the ancient Zoroastrian religion of Persia. He examines what earned the Cathars--who practiced vegetarianism, non-violence, and tolerance--the ruthless persecution of both the Church and the state. He explores their doctrine, their place in medieval Occitain culture, and their secret pact with the Knights Templar. Most important, he uses all available documentation to reveal the nature of the treasure the Cathars spirited away from their fortress at Montségur the night before its surrender to French troops. show less

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EL ENIGMA DE LOS CATAROS

La masacre de Montségur

Montségur es uno de esos lugares donde todavía sobrevuela el
espíritu cátaro y el misterio del Santo Grial, desafiando las
llamas "purificadoras" de los inquisidores que, en 1244, quisieron
suprimir de la faz de la tierra esta doctrina "herética".

Quiénes fueron los cátarosacuál fue su origen?Qué tesoro
quisieron salvar? Cuál fue su verdadera doctrina, su relación
con la Occitania medieval, con los templarios? Por qué fueron
cruelmente perseguidos y asesinados?

Jean Markale intenta responder estos y otros interrogantes
con la mayor objetividad posible. A través de la comparación
con diversas mitologías y movimientos religiosos, llega a
conclusiones contundentes que nos acercan a la show more verdad de los
acontecimientos. Ofrece, además, datos de la investigación
que llevó a cabo en el lugar donde transcurrieron los hechos.
El enigma de los cátaros abre nuevas perspectivas, sugiere
pistas olvidadas o desconocidas y formula hipótesis novedosas.
Una obra imperdible.
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Author Information

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110 Works 2,558 Members
Poet, philosopher, historian, and storyteller, Jean Markale has spent a lifetime researching pre-Christian and medieval culture and spirituality. He is the author of more than forty books. He is a specialist in Celtic studies at the Sorbonne and lives in the Brittany region of France

Common Knowledge

Canonical title*
Montségur et l'énigme cathare
Original title
Montségur et l'énigme cathare
Important places
France
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, History, General Nonfiction
DDC/MDS
272.3ReligionHistory of ChristianityPersecutions in church historyWaldenses and Albigenses (11th-12th century)
LCC
DC801 .M832 .M3713History of Europe, Asia, Africa and OceaniaFrance – Andorra – MonacoHistory of FranceLocal history and descriptionOther cities, towns, etc., A-Z
BISAC

Statistics

Members
146
Popularity
223,520
Reviews
1
Rating
(3.94)
Languages
5 — English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Media
Paper
ISBNs
9