SECONDARY SOURCES
Massacre at Montsegur by Zoe Oldenbourg
This is the book which got me started on this whole topic in the first place. I'd never heard of the Albigensian Crusade before Oldenbourg's book and I couldn't get enough of it after.
It's a popular history book rather than an academic one and often criticized for its anti-Church bias. However, it was a great read and I found it quite stirring in its most polemical parts. It motivated me to delve into the history of the Crusade and the "Cathar church." Although I am now of the opinion that the organized "Cathar church" never existed in the Languedoc before the Crusade, I am still grateful for the effect this book had on me. Rereading it after many other books on the subject, however, I found it generally unconvincing, but still a fun read.
A Most Holy War by Mark Pegg
If there's one book
that I recommend above all others on this topic, this is it. It's a
good idea to have read one of the previous tellings of the heresy and
the Crusade, in order to properly appreciate Pegg's brilliant
deconstruction and superior analysis.
I had wanted to
learn and retell the tragic story of the creation and destruction of the
"Cathar church" until Pegg convinced me that it never existed and
turned the whole story on its head. I had to change my focus quite a
bit as a result, but I'm grateful. The story can be even more
interesting as a result.
The War On Heresy by R. I. Moore
Another
excellent book contributing to a new historical understanding of
heresy. Rather than focusing on the Albigensian Crusade, this book
follows the story of accusations of and reactions to heresy from their
re-emergence in the 11th century until their culmination in the 13th and
14th.
For those, like me, who are looking to understand
the Albigensian Crusade without the shadowy presence of a secret
organized alternate religion in the Languedoc, this is a must read.
The Southern-French Nobility and the Albigensian Crusade by Elaine Graham-Leigh
An
excellent resource on the nobility of the Languedoc, especially the
Trencavels. This book also has a very interesting discussion of the
primary sources, their authors and their relative reliability.
Graham-Leigh draws extensively on charters and cartularies as evidence for her arguments and they shed an interesting light on the discussion.
The Occitan War by Laurence Marvin
A
definitive military history of the Albigensian Crusade, with particular
attention paid to poliorcetics and logistics. Although Marvin is aware
of Pegg's work, he does not seem to incorporate it into his view of the
"Cathar" heresy. However, the heresy itself is not the subject of this
book and Marvin's use of sources and personal observation of the
locations in order to reconstruct the military events of the war makes
for a very interesting book.
Montaillou by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
A curious
work of microhistory, often cited and sometimes heavily criticized.
This is an examination of a small village in the 14th century, based on
Inquisition records of the interrogations of all of the adult
inhabitants. Although this occurs long after the Crusade period, it is
offers an unparalleled insight into village life in the Languedoc. Come to think of it, I
don't know of any parallel of any sort where every member of a
community has been asked about a subject. It's therefore very difficult
to compare with any other portrayal based on just one or two sources.
The Cathars by Sean Martin
A typical example of the standard telling of the "Cathar" heresy and "church." Once you've read one, there's not a lot to glean from the others.
The Perfect Heresy: The Revolutionary Life and Death of the Medieval Cathars by Stephen O'Shea
Another typical example of the traditional story of the "Cathars." It's been a few years since I read this and Martin's book (above) and they're easy for me to get confused.
Cathar Castles: Fortresses of the Albigensian Crusade by Marcus Cowper
An Osprey military history book with pretty pictures of the castles. Unfortunately, there is little left of the 13th century construction of the castles and although this book often notes that what is presently standing are later reconstructions, there is no effort to reimagine how the castles were built during the period of the Crusade.
God's War by Christopher Tyerman
(the sections on the 4th Crusade and the Albigensian Crusade)
A supposedly definitive account of all of the Crusades. I didn't know a lot about the 4th Crusade before reading it, although I intend to learn more about that and the 5th, since they border so closely on the Albigensian. I did not like Tyerman's section on the Albigensian Crusade at all -- I found he presented many conclusions without reference to his evidence or the existence of alternative interpretations.
I will critique this book more extensively at a later date.
The Albigensian Crusade by Jonathan Sumption
One of the classic traditional sources on the Albigensian Crusade. I read it many years ago and can't comment on it accurately now. It's on my list to reread.
The Albigensian Crusades: Wars Like Any Other? by Malcolm Barber
An interesting article on the contentious topic of atrocity during the Albigensian Crusade. More of my comments to come.
The World of the Troubadours by Linda Paterson
(currently reading)
Blood Cries Afar: The Forgotten Invasion of England 1216 by Sean McGlynn
(currently reading)
PRIMARY SOURCES
One of my goals is to reread each of the primary sources and enter the information into Evernote so as to be able to more easily reference where historians draw their information when the original sources don't agree and the historians don't choose to footnote their conclusions extensively.
The Song of the Cathar Wars by William of Tudela and the Anonymous Continuator, trans by Janet Shirley
The Chronicle of William of Puylaurens, trans by W. A. Sibly and M. D. Sibly
Historia Albigensis by Peter of Les Vaux de Cernay
(not sure which translation I read.)
-- Sam Taylor
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