History glossary
Cathars
a medieval Christian movement in southern France condemned by the Catholic Church as heretical.
- Category
- Religious movement
- Region
- Languedoc, southern France
- Date range
- 12th-13th centuries
What it means
The Cathars were a medieval Christian movement especially associated with Languedoc in southern France. Catholic authorities condemned their teachings as heresy, particularly their rejection of papal authority and their hostile view of the material world. The Albigensian Crusade against them from 1209 devastated the region and expanded royal and church control.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Rise of the Medieval Church
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Avignon papacy, this story traces how the Christian Church built its authority through bishops, monasteries, missions, reform, and direct confrontation with Europe's rulers.
The Crusades
From Pope Urban II's call at Clermont to the fall of Acre, the Crusades reshaped the medieval world through religious war, cross-cultural encounter, and lasting consequences for Europe and the Middle East.
