Recall what is said in Part I about nobles “who did not join in the struggle against heresy when called upon to do so would be excommunicated and their territories placed under interdict”. In light of this, the refusal of the Counts of Toulouse, Foix, Beziers and other districts in the Languedoc becomes a blatant refusal to be manipulated or controlled by either the King of France or the papacy. One might suspect that this really stuck in Innocent’s craw.
According to web sources Pierre de Castelnau was ‘born in the diocese of Montpellier’. This diocese was located in southwestern France. Given his name, Pierre was most likely born in Castlenaudary. He was a monk of the Cistercian order, also known as Benedictines or Bernardines. This is the same order to which Bernard de Clairvaux belonged. Bernard was said to have had significant ties with the Templars and was involved to a great degree with the Second Crusade. The Cistercians supported themselves by farming, raising sheep for wool and brewing liqueurs.
These same sources state that by the year 1199, Pierre de Castelnau had become the archdeacon of Maguelonne. He was appointed by Innocent III to lead the way in the suppression of the Cathar heresy. Castelnaudary lies in the heart of this particular Cathar country, and so the archdeacon would have been very familiar with not only the particulars of the area, but the politics and ways of the people as well.
In 1207, Pierre de Castelnau became involved in a dispute between Raymond de Foix VI and the Count of Baux. Some sources state that this may have had more to do with the monk’s death than his other involvement with rooting out the Cathar heresy. By other reports [1], the monk met with the lords and in particular with Raymond VI, the Count of Toulouse and Marquis de Provence. The author of the referenced document reports that the monk threatened Raymond that if he did not abjure his associations with and protection of the Cathars, he would forfeit his lands, title and other rights mentioned above as a heretic. It is also reported herein that Raymond did in fact threaten the papal legate with death if he continued on this track. This same source states that it was not a retainer loyal to Raymond or even a family member who slew Pierre de Castelau, but that Raymond hired an assassin to do the job. Other sources state that it was one or more of Raymond’s knights who slew the monk. For that matter, it could be said that Innocent hired an assassin to slay Pierre de Castelnau to force the issue for reasons explained in the final paragraph here. It is not unheard of, as the Borgia popes did such things. This, however, is purely a speculation and one that would not find great popularity.
In any case, it can be said that NO ONE knows for sure what happened that fateful night and speculation has run rampant down through the years. Those speculations are colored by which side of the fence one is standing – the side of the Church or the side of the Cathars. We have seen that the Church was not averse to making up things – devising false documents such as the Donation of Constantine and the collection of the “False Derectals of Isidore” mentioned previously. Personally, in spite of his feelings for the Church of Rome and the Papacy, I don’t think Raymond would have been so blatantly stupid as to threaten the papal legate. Raymond was about 52 years old at this time and hadn’t held on to his lands or titles by being an impetuous hot-head. Furthermore, this was a private meeting between the lords and the legate, so how would anyone know whether de Castelnau was threatened or not, save those directly involved? It comes across as pure supposition on the part of pro-Catholic ‘historians’ who would prefer to see Innocent III as justified in launching the slaughter of thousands of innocent people, men, women and children – from infants to elders - Cathars and Catholics alike.
Pope Innocent III did indeed take the event and run with it, declaring Raymond VI of Toulouse excommunicated. He called for the King of France to take up arms against the Albigensians in the Languedoc. At this particular time Phillip II was the King of France. Due to previous confrontations with Innocent III to do with his own throne, Phillip was not particularly keen to enjoin the battle. Phillip was more interested in the finer pursuits of education and construction. Under his guidance, Paris became the first city of teachers the medieval world had known. He continued the construction on Notre Dame which had begun shortly before he took the throne, and he had the Louvre built. Phillip left it to those who came after him to take up the call to arms. If one studies the history of these particular times, it will be seen that these were times in which everyone seemed to be at war with everyone else – often due to disputes with the papacy and who should or should not be king.
Until we meet again my friends take care and be well,
Rayvn
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