A Probe Into The Influence Of The Albigensian Crusade On The Political Pattern Of The Southern France

From the end of the twelfth century to early thirteenth century, the European Christianitywas threatened and challenged by heresy widely. In southern France, the Albigenses that builtits religious theory systematically on dualism had become the strongest heresy. They claimedthat the Roman Catholic Church created by Satan, is the Church of evil. They mentioned thatPopes are representatives of devil. They denied the authority of catholic religious activitiesand the papacy.There is no doubt, the development of Albigenses challenged the thought ofPope Innocent III who wanted to build a mighty church. Meanwhile, the king of France, whohad stabilize his regime was preparing to make the southern part and northern part unified. Asa consequence, a war aimed to wiping out the Albigenses could hardly be avoided.There are three chapters in this study. The first chapter is the special political pattern insouth France before Albigensian was prevailing. There are two sections in first chapter, one isthe special south France and the other is the complicated regional political pattern. The secondchapter analyzed the activities and influence of Albigensian in south France. There are threesections in second chapter, include the doctrine and activities of Albigensian, the influence toaristocrats in south France, and the relation change between seigneurs and the pope. The thirdchapter talks about the political patten change in south France during the Albigensian Crusadewar, which consists of four sections, the opener--the battle of Beziers and Carcassonne, Simonde Montfort’s thoroughly victory and his breakdown with the pope, the people’s resistancefrom Languedoc region and Simon de Montfort regain leadership, the France king attendedthe war and signed the “Treaty of Paris” at last.The war began with a calculated act of terror, the massacre of Beziers, ended with thesigning of “Treaty of Paris”. It lasted twenty years. The war is completely successful and theeffects of the victory were lasting. Firstly, the Albigensian heresy was exterminated.TheChurch was not again seriously threatened by heresy until the rise of Luther in the earlysixteenth century. Secondly, the war got the conflict of interest between feudal lords insouthern France interweave, and, it happened at a turning point that paved the way for thefusion of France gradually. In so far as kingship is concerned, to eradicate heresy, to evict external powers and to make the unification come true means that the status of the king ofFrance was promoted in Europe，to the Church, the establishment of the Inquisition and theUniversity of Toulouse reconstructed the Catholic authority,which has a significant impact inmany respects to France and Western Europe.