Chapter I: The Mediæval Recovery of Civilization 1

” II.—Languedoc and the Albigenses 28

” III.—The Preliminaries of the Crusade 70

” IV.—The Albigensian Crusade—The Early War 106

” V.—The Albigensian Crusade—Muret and its Sequel 145

” VI.—The Mendicant Orders and the Inquisition 191

” VII.—Epilogue on Prohibition 220

BIBLIOGRAPHY 253

TWO MAPS IN POCKET AT END OF BOOK.

(1) Languedoc and Adjacent Lands in 1209.

(2) (_a_) Town of Muret, 1213; (_b_) Battle of Muret, September 11,
1213, 1st phase; (_c_) Battle of Muret, 2nd phase; (_d_) Battle of
Muret, 3rd phase; and (_e_) Approximate Restoration of Toulouse in
1217-1218 to illustrate its siege by de Montfort.

DEDICATORY LETTER.

To R. C. N.

MY DEAR—

This book is rightfully yours for your unfailing help and encouragement. In dedicating it I do but make a payment on account.

It was begun during a term in the New York State Legislature, when I endured Prohibition lobbyists, and cast about for something which might serve as a historical precedent in the way of religio-political oppression on so vast a scale. I was not long before discovering that traditional Christianity had more to say for the Inquisitors than for the Prohibitionists, so that the parallel with Prohibition has been thrust into an epilogue.

My thanks are due to many mutual friends. Among them are M. Joseph Poux, Archiviste du Département de l’Aude; Father Astruc, Curé of St. Vincent’s Church, Carcassonne; Father Villemagne, Curé of Castelnau; Professor Joseph Anglade of the University of Toulouse; M. Galaberd, Archiviste and Librarian of the City of Toulouse, and M. Jules Chalande, also of Toulouse and of the Société Archéologique du Midi de la France. To the studious man, France is a sort of paradise, for the local scholars receive you with enthusiasm and lay themselves out to forward your work.

Our good friend Belloc, the Master of those who would celebrate the Middle Ages in the English tongue, besides his kindly preface, has been good enough to read the manuscript and make several helpful suggestions.

Finally, although all theological discussion has herein been avoided, still I am sure you would prefer to have me frank with my readers and tell them that I am by birth an Episcopalian, as we call Anglicans in America, and by choice a member of the so-called Anglo-Catholic party in that communion.

HOFFMAN NICKERSON.

_34, West 54 Street,
New York, N.Y.
January, 1923._