The Cathars

By: Malcolm D. Lambert

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Paperback | 5 June 1998 | Edition Number 1

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354 Pages

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22.99 x 15.44 x 2.08

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This is the first comprehensive account in English of the most feared and the most mysterious of medieval heretics. A crusade was launched to uproot them in the south of France, the Inquisition was developed to suppress them, and St Dominic founded his friars to preach against them. Their history and that of the medieval Church are inextricably mingled.This book puts the Cathars back into the context of medieval Catholicism. It studies the rise and fall of the heresy from twelfth-century Rhineland to fifteenth-century Bosnia and the Church's counteraction, peaceful and violent.Some argue that our knowledge of the Cathars is fatally distorted by prejudice; in fact, the author shows, we can now acquire an understanding of their beliefs and internal disputes, and the reasons why they once made so powerful an appeal. Using and assessing a rich volume of international research, the author re-examines the problems of the Cathars' origins, the heroism of their leading class, and the balance between inner decline and external pressure in accounting for their disappearance.In this exposition, Italian Cathars are restored to their rightful place, a chapter is devoted to the puzzle of the Bosnian church, and perspective is given to Le Roy Ladurie's brilliant but wayward Montaillou. A final survey assesses the legacy of a heresy which still exerts a strange fascination.

Industry Reviews

"Catharism was the most radical of medieval heresies. Since it touched most areas of Europe in some degree, research on its character and fortunes makes formidable demands on the learning and linguistic ability of any scholar who tackles it, not to mention demands also on his judgement. Malcolm Lambert, well known for his lucid and authoritative writings on medieval heresy, is a match for this challenging task. His new book, The Cathars, is to be welcomed as the most comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of the subject now available in English." Alexander Murray, University College, London

"Lambert's command of the literature and his ability to integrate it into a coherent narrative are unmatched. His book deserves to become the standard account of medieval Catharism." Medieval Review

"This is the first comprehensive study in English of the most mysterious and radical of medieval heresies. Malcolm Lambert ... 'combines scholarly investigation with lucid narrative.'" TD Book Survey

"Malcolm Lambert, with deep erudition allied to pristine sensitive prose, masterfully narrates [the] distinctive history [of] the cathars ... The Cathars ... is, quite simply, indispensible." Catholic Historical Review

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