The Perfect Heresy : The Revolutionary Life and Spectacular Death of the Medieval Cathars
by O'Shea, Stephen
- Used
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN 10
- 0802713505
- ISBN 13
- 9780802713506
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Synopsis
The Revolutionary Life and Death of the Medieval CatharsAt the beginning of the thirteenth century, the Cathars, a group of heretical Christians, rose to prominence in Languedoc, now a region of southern France, but then a patchwork of city-states and principalities beholden to neither king nor bishop. The Cathars held revolutionary beliefs that threatened the authority of the Catholic Church as well as the legitimacy of feudal law: They thought the idea of Hell to be a sham; they rejected all sacraments, including marriage; they thought private property an absurd notion and that all things worldly were corrupt; and they preached religious tolerance and equality of the sexes.Supported by the leaders of Languedoc, Catharism enraged the new and formidable pope, Innocent III, who was determined to flex the Church’s muscle after decades of ineffectual weakness. Innocent resolved to eradicate what is now known as the Great Heresy. He recruited the forces of France, eager to expand her territory to the south, to undertake a systematic extermination of the Cathars and their supporters through a series of crusades between 1209 and 1229. By the time the wars were finally over, the ancient social fabric of the Languedoc had been destroyed, the territory of France reached as far as the Mediterranean, and a terrifying new force—the Inquisition—had been unleashed that would torment Europe for centuries.The Perfect Heresy eloquently chronicles the life and death of the Cathar movement—one of Western civilization’s most mind-boggling tales. As he did in his highly praised Back to the Front, Stephen O’Shea brings long-ago events to life though the energy of his prose and the clarity of his insight. Full of colorful and passionate personalities, his latest book sheds new light on the thirteenth century and on the timelessness of religious intolerance.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Better World Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 925795-6
- Title
- The Perfect Heresy : The Revolutionary Life and Spectacular Death of the Medieval Cathars
- Author
- O'Shea, Stephen
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0802713505
- ISBN 13
- 9780802713506
- Publisher
- Walker & Company
- Place of Publication
- New York
- This edition first published
- September 2000
Terms of Sale
Better World Books
Better World Books wants every single one of its customers to be happy with their purchase. If you are not satisfied your purchase or simply find out that it was not the book you were looking for, please e-mail us at: help@betterworldbooks.com. We will get back to you as soon as possible with directions on how to return the book to our warehouse. Please keep in mind that because we deal mostly in used books, any extra components, such as CDs or access codes, are usually not included. CDs: If the book does include a CD, it will be noted in the book's description ("With CD!"). Otherwise, there is no CD included, even if the term is used in the book's title. Access Codes: Unless the book is described as "New," please assume that the book does *not* have an access code.