Guilhabert de Castres
Encyclopedia
Guilhabert de Castres was a prominent Cathar
theologian. Born in Castres
, he became a Perfect
(Parfaits) and, between 1223 and 1226, Bishop of Toulouse
in the Cathar Church. In the theological debates in the early 13th century between the Cathars and the Papal representatives, he presented the Cathar arguments, thus at the Debate at Montreal in 1207 and at the last Debate at Pamiers where he encountered Saint Dominic
in 1209, prior to the Albigensian crusade
s.
In 1193, Guilhabert settled in Fanjeaux
where he attended to a group of Perfects and believers until Simon de Montfort
took the town during the Albigensian Crusade in 1209. Guilhabert withdrew to the Chateau de Montsegur and ministered from its safety. In 1222, Guilhabert escaped from Castelnaudary
that was besieged by Amaury de Montford
. Five years later, during a respite in the war, he presided over the Cathar synod at the Château de Pieusse
where about a hundred Perfects had assembled. During the meeting, it was decided to create the bishopric of Razes
. From 1229 to 1232 he lived at the Château du Bézu. Constantly under the threat of persecution, he conducted numerous pastoral visits to the towns and chateaux of the Languedoc thoughout the war.
In 1232, he convinced the lord of the Chateau de Montsegur, Raymond de Péreille
(Ramond de Perella), to allow him to set up the "house and head" (domicilium et caput) of the Cathar church at the stronghold, and subsequently the site attracted Cathar refugees and faidit
s. Guilhabert died in in 1240, and was succeeded by Bartrand Marti as bishop.
The fall of Montsegur in 1244 effectively ended the Cathar movement.
Zoe Oldenbourg
comments:
Cathar
Catharism was a name given to a Christian religious sect with dualistic and gnostic elements that appeared in the Languedoc region of France and other parts of Europe in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries...
theologian. Born in Castres
Castres
Castres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc....
, he became a Perfect
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"...
(Parfaits) and, between 1223 and 1226, Bishop of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
in the Cathar Church. In the theological debates in the early 13th century between the Cathars and the Papal representatives, he presented the Cathar arguments, thus at the Debate at Montreal in 1207 and at the last Debate at Pamiers where he encountered Saint Dominic
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...
in 1209, prior to 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...
s.
In 1193, Guilhabert settled 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:...
where he attended to a group of Perfects and believers until Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
Simon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
took the town during the Albigensian Crusade in 1209. Guilhabert withdrew to the Chateau de Montsegur and ministered from its safety. In 1222, Guilhabert escaped from Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in south France. It is in the former province of the Lauragais and famous for cassoulet of which it claims to be the world capital, and of which it is a major producer....
that was besieged by Amaury de Montford
Amaury VI of Montfort
Amaury VI de Montfort was the son of the elder Simon de Montfort and Alice of Montmorency, and the brother of the younger Simon de Montfort.He participated in the Albigensian Crusade under his father's command...
. Five years later, during a respite in the war, he presided over the Cathar synod at the Château de Pieusse
Château de Pieusse
The Château de Pieusse is a one of the so-called Cathar castles in the French commune of Pieusse, near the town of Limoux in the département of l'Aude. It is a "true" Cathar castle in the sense that the site was never taken by the French crown during the annexation of Roussillon, but the buildings...
where about a hundred Perfects had assembled. During the meeting, it was decided to create the bishopric of Razes
Razès
Razès is a historical area in southwestern France, in today's Aude département.Several communes of the département include Razès in their name:* Bellegarde-du-Razès* Belvèze-du-Razès* Fenouillet-du-Razès* Fonters-du-Razès...
. From 1229 to 1232 he lived at the Château du Bézu. Constantly under the threat of persecution, he conducted numerous pastoral visits to the towns and chateaux of the Languedoc thoughout the war.
In 1232, he convinced the lord of the Chateau de Montsegur, Raymond de Péreille
Raymond de Péreille
Raymond de Péreille was an Occitan nobleman who was the lord of Château de Montségur. Born about 1186, he rebuilt the destroyed castle after 1204. He married in 1222 and resided over the castle together with his cousin Pierre-Roger de Mirepoix who also became his in-law by marrying Philippa,...
(Ramond de Perella), to allow him to set up the "house and head" (domicilium et caput) of the Cathar church at the stronghold, and subsequently the site attracted Cathar refugees and faidit
Faidit
A faidit is a lord dispossessed of his land and title. Commonly used in historical works in reference to lords in the Languedoc who ran afoul of the Catholic Church during the Albigensian Crusade, who were accused of heresy and had their properties confiscated by the church...
s. Guilhabert died in in 1240, and was succeeded by Bartrand Marti as bishop.
The fall of Montsegur in 1244 effectively ended the Cathar movement.
Zoe Oldenbourg
Zoé Oldenbourg
Zoé Oldenbourg was a Russian-born French historian and novelist who specialized in mediæval French history, in particular the Crusades and Cathars.-Life:...
comments:
It is a little disconcerting to find history telling us so little about this man, and indeed about the other leaders of the movement... Yet Guilhabert himself seems to have been one of the greatest personalities of thirteenth-century France. The history of the deeds and actions of these persecuted apostles may well have proved as rich in inspiration and instruction as that of a Francis of Assisi: They too were messengers of God's love. It is not immaterial to recall that these torches were put out forever, their faces obliterated and their example lost to all those whose lives they might have guided during the centuries that followed.