Page "Pope Innocent III" Paragraph 38

The 1208 murder of Pierre de Castelnau, a papal representative in Albigensian territory, changed Innocent's focus from words to weapons.

Innocent called upon King Philip II Augustus of France to suppress the Albigenses.

Under the leadership of Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester, a campaign was launched.

The Albigensian Crusade, which led to the brutal slaughter of approximately 20, 000 men, women and children, Cathar and Catholic alike essentially destroyed the previously flourishing civilization of Occitania and brought the region firmly under the control of the king of France.

It was directed not only against heretical Christians, but also the nobility of Toulouse and vassals of the Crown of Aragon.

King Peter II of Aragon, " the Catholic ," was directly involved in the conflict, and was killed in the course of the Battle of Muret in 1213.

The conflict largely ended with the Treaty of Paris of 1229, in which the integration of the Occitan territory in the French crown was agreed to.

Military action ceased in 1255.