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More Information about the Cathars and Catharism

If you are interested in the Cathars, their history and their beliefs, there is no shortage of material. The problem is sorting the wheat from the chaff. Here is some of the wheat.

Source Documernts - Gnostic and Cathar Documents

An extract from the Thirteenth Century Lyon Rituel (Rituel de Lyon), The only known surviving Cathar illuminated manuscript The Gospel of St Thomas Next: An early gospel, possibly first century and earlier than (and a primary source for) the earlier "Canonical" gospels.

A Gnostic gospel: The Book of John the Evangelist Next:

The Consolamentum , The The Cathar Right of Baptism by the Holy Spirit - English translation of the Lyons Ritual Next:

Apparelhamentum, English translation of the Cathar
Right of General Confession Next:

Source Documernts - Orthodox Documents

Anna Comnena, on the Bogomils Next: c. 1110 in English translation from the Greek. The Bogomils were almost certainly the source of Catharism in the West

Source Documernts - Accounts of the Cathar Crusades

The Siege of Termes from The Song of the Cathar Wars: The History of the Albigensian Crusade, translated by Janet Shirley (Aldershot: Ashgate, 1996) Next:

The Siege of Termes: Sections 171 to 192 of chapter 7 of the Historia Albigensis by Pierre des Vaux-de-Cernay Next:

The Siege of Toulouse 1217-18 according to The Chronicle of William of Puylaurens, Chapters 26-8 Next:

Canso de la crozada - Guillaume de Tudèle

Source Documernts - Catholic & Inquisition Documents

Canon Three of the Fourth Lateran Council (1215) Next:

Accusations against the Albigensians by Raynaldus (13th C) Next:

An Extract from the Chronicle of Ralph, abbot of Coggershalion concerning the discovery of a Cathar in Rheims Next:

Bernard Gui, Extract from the Inquisitors' Manual [1307-1323], Practica inquisitionis heretice pravitatis on the Waldensians Next:

Bernard Gui, Extract from the Inquisitors' Manual [1307-1323], Practica inquisitionis heretice pravitatis on the Beguines Next:

Bernard Gui, Extract from the Inquisitors' Manual [1307-1323], Practica inquisitionis heretice pravitatis on the Albigensians (Cathars) Next:

Caesarius of Heisterbach: Medieval Heresies from Dialogue on Miracles, V , Discussion of Waldensians, Albigenses, and "intellectual heretics" at Paris. Next:

Angelo Clareno, a Spiritual Franciscan: On Torture Next: , early 14th Cent.

Medieval Sourcebook, Primary Documents Jacques Fournier, Bishop of Pamiers 1318-1325: The Inquisition Record. [At SJSU] English translation by Nancy P. Stork of selected confessions by Cathar heretics and Jews to Bishop Jacques Fournier and the Inquisition at Pamiers.

B�atrice de Planissolles (noblewoman, Chatelaine de Montaillou, later husband of Barthélemy Amilhac, suspected of Cathar beliefs)
Barthélemy Amilhac (priest and husband of Béatrice de Planissolles suspected of Cathar beliefs)
Grazide Lizier (widow of Pierre Lizier of Montaillouand, the local priest's concubine, suspected of Cathar beliefs)
Agnes Francou (member of the sect of the Poor of Lyons - A Waldensian who refused to swear an oath)
Guillemette Battegay: Confession of Guillemette, Widow of Pierre Battegay of Pamiers

Source Documernts - Primary Document Petrus Iohannes Olivi: Selections from the Apocalypse Commentary (1247/8-1298).

Extracts from various documents concerning the War against the Cathars: Minerve, (the tile of the site does not accurately describe its contents) Sources cited

BOOKS

The Albigensian Crusade by Jonathan Sumption ; Paperback: 272 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.84 x 8.49 x 5.32 Publisher: Faber & Faber; (June 2000); ISBN: 0571200028 ; Hardcover; Publisher: Faber & Faber; (April 1978; ASIN: 0571110649 5 stars

Massacre at Montsegur: A History of the Albigensian Crusade by Zoe Oldenbourg ; Paperback: 432 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.33 x 8.46 x 5.44; Publisher: Phoenix Press, London WC2; (June 2001); ISBN: 1842124285; ( in French. Buché à Montsegùr) 5 stars

The Other God: Dualist Religions from Antiquity to the CatharHeresy (Yale Nota Bene); by Yuri Stoyanov; Paperback: 476 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.30 x 7.70 x 5.01 Publisher: Yale Univ Pr; (August 2000); ISBN: 0300082533. The definitive work on Dualism. 5 stars

Montaillou, village occitan de 1294 � 1324, Editions Gallimard (Paris, 1978), in English. Montaillou, abridged English version, Penguin (London, 1978), Book by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie. A good account of a coda to the main story of the Cathars, based on Inquisition records of the arrest of a whole village called Montaillou on suspicion of Catharism. 5 stars

The following links will take you to pages containg more recommended books dealing with:

OTHER

Arques, Museum: located in the house of René Neli, the man who revived interest in the Cathars early in twentieth century.

Back to: the Papal Inquisition

What did Cathars believe ?	Important Events in Catharism	Thirteenth Century Warfare - a glossary
Basic Cathar Tenets		Crusaders and their arms
Cathar Believers		Role of the Church: Cistercians & Dominicans
The Cathar Elect		Cathar Views of Catholic Belief
Cathar Ceremonies	What was the Albigensian Crusade ?	Catholic Views of Cathar Belief
The Cathar Hierarchy	Who led the Crusade ?	Catholic Propaganda
Implications of Cathar Beliefs	Who's Who in the Cathar wars	Cathar Vindications
Where did Catharism come from ?	The Papal Inquisition	The Cathar Legacy
Cathar Terminology	Cathar Castles	Do Cathars still exist ?
Cathar Martyrdom	Who were the Counts of Toulouse ?	More about Cathars