Esclarmonde of Foix
Encyclopedia
Esclarmonde de Foix (born after 1151 – died 1215), also called Esclarmonde the Great, was a prominent figure in Catharism in thirteenth century France
.
She was the daughter of Roger Bernard I
, Count of Foix, and of Cecile Trencavel
. The name Esclarmonde means "Light of the World" in the Occitan language. She was a sister of Raymond-Roger de Foix
, Count of Foix. She married Jordan III of L'Isle-Jourdain, lord of L'Isle-Jourdain
. They had several children, among them Bernard, Guillamette, Olive, Othon de Terride, and Bertrand, Baron de Launac.
She was widowed in 1200 and, sometime thereafter, turned to the Cathar Church. She received the Cathar sacrament, the consolamentum, for becoming a Parfaite
, or member of the Cathar Elect, at the hands of the Cathar bishop Guilhabert de Castres
in 1204 in Fanjeaux
with three other women of high rank, Aude de Fanjeaux, Fays de Durfort, and Raymonde of Saint-Germain. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of her brother, Raymond-Roger de Foix, Count of Foix.
She settled in Pamiers
and was likely involved in the initiative to rebuild the fortress of Montségur
. She belonged to the conference of Pamiers
, also called the "conference of Montreal" in 1207. It was the last debate between the Cathars and the Roman Catholic Church
, represented by Dominic Guzman
. The following year Pope Innocent III
launched the Albigensian Crusade
against the Cathars.
Esclarmonde de Foix also was responsible for the establishment of schools for girls and for hospitals in the region. She and her sister-in-law Philippa ran a House for Parfaites at Dun
in the Pyrenees Mountains, which functioned as a home for aged Parfaits and a girls' school.
The University of Winnipeg
offers the Esclarmonde de Foix travel scholarship in her memory.
, shepherds from Montségur
claimed that "a white dove escaped and flew over the walled crest" and he believed that this dove was Esclarmonde de Foix. This literary folklore - which is documentable only as far back as its first mention by Rahn
- has been used as the modern basis for revering Esclarmonde de Foix as a saint in several contemporary Gnostic churches.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Roger-Bernard I of Foix
Roger Bernard I the Fat was the fourth Count of Foix from 1148. He made peace with the church.At Pamiers in 1149 and again in 1163, he had to make restitution of confiscated lands to the church of Saint-Antonin of Fredelas. He made a paréage with the church dividing the government of the lands...
, Count of Foix, and of Cecile Trencavel
Trencavel
The Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc during the 10th through 13th centuries. The name "Trencavel," originally a nickname and later a family name, may derive from the Occitan words for "nutcracker"...
. The name Esclarmonde means "Light of the World" in the Occitan language. She was a sister of Raymond-Roger de Foix
Raimond-Roger of Foix
Raimond Roger was the fifth count of Foix from the House of Foix. He was the son and successor of Roger Bernard I and his wife Cécilia Trencavel....
, Count of Foix. She married Jordan III of L'Isle-Jourdain, lord of L'Isle-Jourdain
L'Isle-Jourdain
L'Isle-Jourdain may refer to:*Lordship of L'Isle-Jourdain, centred on L'Isle-Jourdain, Gers*communes in France:** L'Isle-Jourdain, Gers, in the Gers department** L'Isle-Jourdain, Vienne in the Vienne department...
. They had several children, among them Bernard, Guillamette, Olive, Othon de Terride, and Bertrand, Baron de Launac.
She was widowed in 1200 and, sometime thereafter, turned to the Cathar Church. She received the Cathar sacrament, the consolamentum, for becoming a Parfaite
Cathar Perfect
Perfect was the name given to a monk of the medieval French Christian religious movement commonly referred to as the Cathars. The term reflects that such a person was seen by the Catholic Church as the "perfect heretic"...
, or member of the Cathar Elect, at the hands of the Cathar bishop Guilhabert de Castres
Guilhabert de Castres
Guilhabert de Castres was a prominent Cathar theologian. Born in Castres, he became a Perfect and, between 1223 and 1226, Bishop of Toulouse in the Cathar Church...
in 1204 in Fanjeaux
Fanjeaux
Fanjeaux is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.Fanjeaux is located west of Carcassonne. Between 1206 and 1215, Fanjeaux was the home of Saint Dominic, the founder of the Roman Catholic Church's Dominican Order.-Population:-References:...
with three other women of high rank, Aude de Fanjeaux, Fays de Durfort, and Raymonde of Saint-Germain. The ceremony was conducted in the presence of her brother, Raymond-Roger de Foix, Count of Foix.
She settled in Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
and was likely involved in the initiative to rebuild the fortress of Montségur
Montségur
The Château de Montségur is a former fortress near Montségur, a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the Cathars. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the "Cathar castles," is actually of a later period...
. She belonged to the conference of Pamiers
Pamiers
Pamiers is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. Although Pamiers is the largest city in Ariège, the capital is the smaller town of Foix...
, also called the "conference of Montreal" in 1207. It was the last debate between the Cathars and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, represented by Dominic Guzman
Saint Dominic
Saint Dominic , also known as Dominic of Osma, often called Dominic de Guzmán and Domingo Félix de Guzmán was the founder of the Friars Preachers, popularly called the Dominicans or Order of Preachers , a Catholic religious order...
. The following year Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
launched the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
against the Cathars.
Esclarmonde de Foix also was responsible for the establishment of schools for girls and for hospitals in the region. She and her sister-in-law Philippa ran a House for Parfaites at Dun
Dun
Dun is now used both as a generic term for a fort and also for a specific variety of Atlantic roundhouse...
in the Pyrenees Mountains, which functioned as a home for aged Parfaits and a girls' school.
The University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
offers the Esclarmonde de Foix travel scholarship in her memory.
In Folklore
Esclarmonde is said, in at least one story, to have assumed the form of a dove in order to carry the Holy Grail away from those who had persecuted the Cathars. According to German medievalist Otto RahnOtto Rahn
Otto Wilhelm Rahn was a German medievalist and a Obersturmführer of the SS, born in Michelstadt, Germany....
, shepherds from Montségur
Montségur
The Château de Montségur is a former fortress near Montségur, a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France. Its ruins are the site of a razed stronghold of the Cathars. The present fortress on the site, though described as one of the "Cathar castles," is actually of a later period...
claimed that "a white dove escaped and flew over the walled crest" and he believed that this dove was Esclarmonde de Foix. This literary folklore - which is documentable only as far back as its first mention by Rahn
Otto Rahn
Otto Wilhelm Rahn was a German medievalist and a Obersturmführer of the SS, born in Michelstadt, Germany....
- has been used as the modern basis for revering Esclarmonde de Foix as a saint in several contemporary Gnostic churches.
Gnostic church
Gnostic church may refer to a variety of religious organizations which identify themselves with Gnosticism. Various Gnostic religious organizations include:*Ecclesia Gnostica*Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica*Society of Novus Spiritus...