1244: The Last Cathars Climb the Pyre of Montségur
The last days of the Cathar Castle of Montsegur. The legend is beginning...
Liberalia
9/27/20241 min read
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 1244: The Last Cathars Climb the Pyre of Montségur
The fortress of Montségur, perched atop a rocky peak, stands proudly in the dark spring of 1244. It is here, at 1,200 meters of altitude, that the final tragic act of the Albigensian Crusade is played out. For months, the Crusaders have besieged this citadel, the ultimate stronghold of Cathar resistance. At dawn on March 16th, the fate of the "good men," followers of a faith condemned by the Church of Rome, is sealed.
Facing an implacable and numerically superior enemy, Montségur's defenders have no hope left. After a negotiated surrender, 225 Cathars refuse to renounce their beliefs. Rather than submit, they choose the purity of the pyre. On a vast field at the foot of the mountain, they are led to the "Prat dels Cremats," where a massive fire is ignited. In silence, they walk forward, resolute, into the flames that consume them. The fortress falls, but the spirit of the Cathars, it is whispered, continues to haunt these mysterious mountains, still resisting the winds of Languedoc, unwavering and eternal.
For hikers, the "Chemin des Bonshommes" (GR107) passes through Montségur. A 224 km trail, 13 days of trekking with significant elevation changes, but breathtaking landscapes in a wild and fascinating nature. However, one must choose the season wisely: snow often appears in winter, making the journey a bit more technical.
Liberalia Virginie Subias
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