Montseguer - An Alternative St David's day Commemoration.

MONTSEGUR - An Alternative St David's Day Commemoration. If you fancy a change from a St David's day in Wales with all those Kilts, Welsh cakes, leeks and dafodils and all that. Of course only do as I suggest if the kids have grown up, after all don't rob them of the pleasures of 'Dydd Dewi'. However, you want a break then why not take a trip to the Pays de Ariege in the Languedoc and spend St David's Day making a pilgrimage to Montsegur. What's the Welsh Connection, not a lot really but the brave and bold of the castle atop Montseguer gave up their defence of their ''Cathar Citadel'' on 1 March 1244, if that's not good enough an excuse then trust me you will enjoy the break in the Pays de Ariege and be inspired by being ''in touch'' with the spirits of the martyrs of Montsegur.

Antur Ysbryd Cofiwn: gethin.apgruffyd@ntlworld.com

Introduction: The war in Iraq has focused some attention on the history of the Christian Crusades in the "Holy Land" of the Middle East. However, there were also Christian Crusades in Europe as well most notably those being the German crusade against the "pagan Freishlanders" and that of the Teutonic Knights against the "Pagan Balts". Most infamous of Christian Crusades was that of the French against the Cathars and people of the Languedoc. The below provides you with some information of interest to lead you into further study of this Crusade and Catharism....leading toward more knowledge of the advent of Occitan Cultural Renaissance and in time a contemporary Occitan Nationalist Movement. You will I hope keep in mind as of some comparative interest that the period of the Crusade against the Cathars is of time of our 'Age of Llywelyn Fawr'.

A Warning: Cathar wisdom and beliefs has been "contaminated" by some (not all) Anglo - American "New Age Nonsense" also books as 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' and of late the 'Da Vinci Code', whilst being "good reads" have also distorted much to do with Cathar "Hermetic" knowledge. However, I do not entirely wish to pour scorn on the "Esoteric Hermetic Mysteries" or their modern equivalent writings in factual research or in fictional endeavours. I would personally promote an interest in the "Esoteric Hermetic Mysteries" as such does tend to "open ones mind" however, I would advise all before beginning such studious quest into ancient mysteries, to read Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. Further, I advise before deep study of Cathar beliefs then perhaps a good grounding reading should be made of historical writing on the Albigensian Crusade. After which be as "Esoterically Hermetic" as you please and have need to be and why not?

Montsegur.

"Fortress for the Victor - Temple for the Defeated".

The Poet Joe Bousquet.

On 1 March 1244, Pierre-Roger Mirepoix emerged from the Cathar fortress and negotiated a fifteen day truce at the end of which Montsegur was to be surrendered. The Catholic troops gave the Cathar forces generous terms. The mercenaries would be allowed to leave with their arms. Any Cathars who abjured their heresy would be forgiven. Lords and ladies, knights, soldiers, craftsmen, servants, would be allowed to depart after being deposed by the Inquisition and abjuring Cathar beliefs. Most of the Cathar perfecti declined the offer, and twenty-six mercenaries, knights, soldiers and followers actually asked for consolamentum on March 13th--the spring equinox. This would guarantee their death at the end of the truce. At some point, either during the truce or before, or perhaps at two separate occasions, two or four Cathars snuck out of the fortress and descended down the steep northern-eastern slope, carrying with them some sort of valuable objects. Because many of the French Catholic troops were locals of dubious loyalty pressed into service, the Cathars found it easy to slip through the enemy lines. Their fate and destination is now a subject of myth and legend. It is, however, generally believed that the cache consisting of monetary valuables--the Cathar Church treasure and that it was smuggled from Montsegur and made its way to Cathar bishops in Italy where it was used to sustain the church there. Treasure hunters, nonetheless, continue today to rummage and dig around the vicinity of Montsegur for this lost cache. On the morning of March 16 *, between 205 and 225 Cathars marched down the southern slopes of the pog and positioned themselves on a mass execution pyre of wood and logs prepared earlier at the foot of the hill. Either they climbed ladders to the top of the bier or entered into an enclosure and were tied to stakes positioned in the wood. After the saying of prayers the pyre was set on fire. The Siege of Montsegur ends and on 16 March 1244 over 200 Cathars are burnt at the stake and with them Esclaramonde, high priestess of their religion and as the flames consumed her white dove flew from the fire into the spring skies. Ever faith endures over tyranny, if visiting Montsegur please place tributes in memory Esclaramonde and other Cathar Martyrs consumed in the flames.

Above is taken from below web site - Do pay a visit to this site it has excellent pages on Montsegur.

MONTSEGUR AND THE CATHARS HERESY In 1243-1244--the Cathars--a mysterious heretical sect were besieged at Montsegurby ten thousand Royal Catholic French troops. In March of 1244, the castle ...www.Russian.org/montsegur.htm - 10k - Cached - Similar pages
Another excellent Web Site worth a Visit:
The Cathars: Cathar Castles: Montségur or Montsegùr Cathar Castles: Montsegur and its role in Catharism and the French CatholicCrusade against the Cathars and their strongholds of the Languedoc and the ...www.Languedoc-France.info/120719_montsegur.htm - 30k - Cached - Similar pages

....A most infamous incident in the Albigensian Crusade, which one way or another you may have heard of: The Massacre at Beziers On 22 July 1209, the feast of St. Mary Magdalene; the Northern Crusaders began to make camp around Beziers. Taking advantage of this opportunity provided by those who were about to lay siege to Beziers, the knights within Bezier mistakenly decided to open the gates and mount an attack the Northern Crusaders. However, this attack was repulsed and the Northern crusaders quickly went on the offensive in attacking towards the open gates. Despite heroic attempt to halt attackers at the gates, the crusaders soon had broken through the defences and were within the walls of Beziers. Beziers at this time whilst of Cathar sympathy was not populated by just Cathars, many of its citizens were devout Catholics and also many Jews had sought refuge there. Beziers was then a place of refuge and thus full of not only its own citizens but also with "Faidits" (landless knights) and those who had fled the countryside. As the slaughter began, a crusader aware that many of Beziers citizens were Catholics, cried out; "How do we know who to kill?"....To which Arnold Amaury papal plenipotentiary replied:” Kill Them All. God Will Know His Own". ....The slaughter was terrible as was the conclusion of the Massacre of Bezier, it is estimated that the Christian Crusaders that day killed up to 20.000 victims; man. women and child. Cathars and Catholics, Jews and Gypsies.

Languedoc aka Occitania.

The web will be full of information on the Languedoc but I will particularly draw your attention to fact that once upon a time this used to be the territory of the Volcae Tectosages with their capital being at Toulouse. You will be most interested in fact that it is from the name of this tribe that "Welsh/Wales" comes from, reasons for which i will let you discover for yourselves via web search of 'VOLCAE'.

Languedoc - Occitan Cultural Renaissance & Nationalism.

In brief, the Albigensian Crusade brought to an end the Independence of the Laguedoc/Occitania, minor localised revolts followed but most major insurrection was associated with the 16th Century Religious wars in France (the film Martin Guerre by way is set in area of Foix) in which the Languedoc was very much centre of the protestant Cause. At start of the French Revolution, pro - revolutionaries in the Languedoc supported both cause of restoration of autonomy for the Languedoc and of the native 'Oc' language but the centralising 'Jacobins' of Paris soon stamped on that idea. (see Socialist Worker arguments against Welsh nationalism for good of modern day Jacobinism). After this it was all down hill until the 19th century cultural revival of the 'Felibrige Movement' (Oc language revivalists)

For Other Useful Web Sites, Just Enter Web Search For:
* Cathars.
* Albigensian Crusade.
* Languedoc and Midi Pyrenees.
* Occitan Language and Culture.
* Occitan/Languedoc Nationalism Today.
* Ariage and Foix Tourism Web Sites.
* Parti de la Nation Occitania.

* There are also a number of personal sites for walking and climbing enthusiasts worth looking at.

Must Books To Read:
* God's Heretics. The Albigensian Crusade by Aubrey Burl. Sutton Publishing.
* The Perfect Heresy. The Life and Death of the Cathars by Stephen O' Shea. Profile books.
* The Yellow Cross. The Story of the Last of the Cathars by Rene Weis.
* Massacre at Montsegur. A History of the Albigensian Crusade by Zoe Oldenbourg.
* Montailliou. Cathars and Catholics in a French Village 1294 - 1324 by Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie.

Also via libraries:
* Material on Napoleon Peyrat of Ariege born 1809 (Foix department Capital) on matter of the Albigensian Crusade.
* Material on "Anthroposophist" Deodat Roche and in particular his disciple the philosopher Simone Weil "The Red Virgin" writing as Emile Novis (the reason why she wrote under this name is interesting in itself).
* Material on Maurice Magre. (It is he who influences Otto Rhan).
It is largely the writings of these people from Peyrat in the 19th century to other aforementioned in the 1920's - 1930's period who establish influences that along with the "cultural revival" of the 'Felibrige" produce conditions for the eventual birth of post WWII "Oc Nationalism". This political and cultural nationalism in the Languedoc owes much to the "prevailing radical mood of the 1960's" and has comparisons with both Brittany and Cymru. However, the Languedoc was to have even greater comparison with Corsica as in both "French Regions" returning French Colonists and their pro - French Muslim workers fled Algeria to settle in Corsica and the Languedoc and start to "buy up" the local Wine Plantations and associated businesses. This led to the rise of a very broad based growth of popular support for birth of a more radical nationalism and the Languedoc witnessed wide spread "Wine Riots" but in Corsica give rise to militant "take over" of French Colonist properties. In consequence in the Languedoc the French made concessions to "cultural nationalism" and the "disturbances" there died out. Corsica however, could not be as easily "bought off" and there a Corsican Liberation Front began a War of Independence. I most earnestly suggest you also search out "Oc Nationalism" on the web. (NB: see also 'Oc Flags', inc those of a number of "Oc Regions").

Afterthoughts: Re study of above, In particular give attention to Esclaramonde "The Joan of Arc of the Languedoc", you will also come across much to do with "Occult Interests" of Nazis as in the 1940's Otto Rahn and later the English psychiatrist Arthur Guirdham. All of which will bring you into the realms of contemporary "Esoteric Mysteries" as written up in the 'Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' by Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh. It is their work that so obviously inspired Dan Brown's 'Da Vicni Code'. You will also become aware that during the 60's and in years to follow the "Hippie Identification" with Catharism and in association the phenomena of growth a verity of "religious cults" with desired links to Catharism. In all this you will read a lot about the Knights Templars and of course the marvellous Hoax of the 'PRIORY OF ZION', although there is a continuing debates as to whether it is an "HOAX" or not; it now being argued that there is a "DENIAL HOAX". All wonderful stuff and a good read but to keep "Eye on the Prize", so to speak?

Cathar Welsh Connections?
Go Find Them for Your Selves Like I had To Do! ...Oh well, I will give you a few to prompt your interest. One, those "Bloody Basques" were responsible for down fall of Montseguer and of course Castell y Bere, but there are a few more? Inc the easy one being that of the Troubadours whom so influenced our medieval poet Dafydd ap Gwylim. Not least that many of the "Cathar Towns" you will of course be familiar with because today they have well known Rugby Clubs. Then there is FOIX (it is pronounced as 'fwa', yes! F.W.A.) with it's great fortress of the splendid Counts of Foix and of the Esclaramonde sister of Raimond Roger Count of Foix. There are other ''Welsh Connections'' which I will keep to myself as after all I am not doing all this work for ''media researchers'' to rip off?

In the memory of the 'Cathar Knights'
The Cathar knights Are softly crying by the roadside As the day is dying.
As a final insult, As a last torment, They're lost in the tumult enrobed in cement.
Words of The Singer Francis Cabrel 1983, his words are commenting on the sadness of all that is left of Catharism are monuments to Cathar Knights by the roadside seen throughout the Languedoc, whilst the roads are full of tourists heading south into "Cathar Country". You see as in the Cymric heartland of 'Pura Wallia", the Ancient lands of Cunedda and many rural areas of Europe traditional lands are being depopulated of it's native inhabitants - In this "New Age of Globalised Tribal Movement" much of it "engineered" by the 20th Century Imperialism of Capitalist World Banks.

NB: PLEASE IF USEING ANY OF MATERIAL ABOVE DO CREDIT THIS AND OTHER SORCES.
Yours esoterically
G.Gruffydd, Cymric Consul to the Counts of Foix.

PS: An enjoyable way to support the Languedoc, is of course by drinking their wines.