The Song of the Cathar Wars: A History of the Albigensian CrusadeJanet Shirley The Song of the Cathar Wars is the first translation into English of the Old Provençal Canso recounting the events of the years 1204-1218 in Southern France. In an effort to extirpate the Cathar heresy, Pope Innocent III launched what is now known as the Albigensian Crusade, but it was fiercely resisted by the lords and people of the Languedoc, if in the end in vain. This ’song’ was written in two parts, the first by William of Tudela, a supporter of the crusade; the second by an anonymous continuer, wholeheartedly in sympathy with the southerners, although not with the heretics themselves. It stands as a historical source of great importance, not least because it depicts the side that lost. The poem is also a skilful, dramatic and often impassioned composition, evoking the brilliant world of landed knights and the glories and bloody realities of battle. Janet Shirley is an award-winning translator of works on the French Middle Ages. Other publications by her include the Song of Roland and, in this Crusade Texts in Translation series, Crusader Syria in the 13th Century and, with Peter Edbury, Guillaume de Machaut: The Conquest of Alexandria. |
Other editions - View all
The Song of the Cathar Wars: A History of the Albigensian Crusade Janet Shirley No preview available - 2017 |
The Song of the Cathar Wars: A History of the Albigensian Crusade Guillaume (de Tudèle),Janet Shirley No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
abbot of Cîteaux Agenais archbishop armour arms arrived attack banners barons battle Beaucaire Berzy besiegers Béziers bishop Bouchard brave brother Carcassonne cardinal Cathar Church Cîteaux command Count Baldwin count de Montfort count of Comminges count of Foix count of Toulouse Count Raymond Count Simon Creixell cross crusaders death defeated defend destroy ditches fief fighting French Garonne Gascony hauberks helmets heretics holy honour horses inside Jesus Christ killed king of Aragon knights Laisse lances land Lavaur lord count mangonels mercenaries Moissac Montaut Muret Narbonnais castle never paratge pope Provence Raymond Roger Raymond VI ride rode Roger Bernard Roger of Comminges sent sergeants shouted side siege Simon de Montfort Sir Alan Sir Amaury Sir Bernard Sir Foucaud Sir Guy Sir Hugh Sir Peter Sir Roger Sir William struck swords tell took Toulousains tower town townsmen troops valiant viscount whole William of Contres young count