The Albigensian Crusade

[Peter1469]

But, sire, there are good Catholics inside.

Kill them all. God will know his own.

And so the US military has its awesome catch phrase, kill them all and let god sort them out.

But the quoted words sealed the fate of the heretics known as the Cathars. The Albigensian Crusade (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/12976/Albigensian-Crusade) was a war in southern France, in what is now known as Languedoc. Arguably the best of France, and I have been to most of the country and it is hard to assign favorites, but Languedoc is up there.

The Catholic crusaders worked their way through the Languedoc converting or killing Cathars. There were four major Cathar fortresses. I have been to three of them. Running down the mountain in a thunder storm for one of them!

Anyway, the last stronghold was the castle at Montségur. A castle on a very steep hill, which could only be taken by siege. And when the defenders agreed to terms, there were to march down to the foot of the mountain and all who embrace the Catholic Church shall be greeted as brothers and sisters. All heretics were to be burned. 250 of them refused to convert and walked under their own power into the bonfire. At this exact spot.

[Mister D]

Those words are likely the fancy of a later chronicler.

[Peter1469]

Those words are likely the fancy of a later chronicler.

Not the quote known today, but the one I provided at the top. There are historical documents, but of course, they could be embellished.

[Mister D]

Not the quote known today, but the one I provided at the top. There are historical documents, but of course, they could be embellished.

There are but the document in question was written 20 years later. That a massacre occurred, while perhaps exaggerated, I don't think is in serious dispute.

[Gerrard Winstanley]

There are but the document in question was written 20 years later. That a massacre occurred, while perhaps exaggerated, I don't think is in serious dispute.
The massacre was pretty well-documented. Given most of the chroniclers were Catholic churchmen themselves, there's little reason for them to embellish.

[Mister D]

The massacre was pretty well-documented. Given most of the chroniclers were Catholic churchmen themselves, there's little reason for them to embellish.

Sure there is. That's what narrators do. Moreover, I don't know if the author in question was even there!

[Gerrard Winstanley]

Sure there is. That's what narrators do. Moreover, I don't know if the author in question was even there!
In all contemporary narratives of the Albigensian Crusade, the crusaders are depicted as brutish aggressors. Given most of the chroniclers were in the employ of the Church (I acknowledge the quotes are probably embellishments), you would expect them to at least treat the aggressors in some apologetic light, but that's not the case.