The Albigensian Crusade (aka Cathars' Crusade, 1209-1229 CE), was the first crusade to specifically target heretic Christians - the Cathars of southern France. Not successful in repressing the heresy, the on-off campaigns over two decades, led by Simon IV de Montfort, did achieve their real purpose: the political annexation of the Languedoc region, eventually bringing it under the control of the French Crown. The Crusade set a precedent for attacking fellow Christians which would be repeated in Germany, Bosnia and the Baltic regions.
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Timeline
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1209 - 1229The Albigensian Crusade against Cathars heretics in southern France.
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22 Jul 1209The Massacre at Beziers, the first major engagement of the Albigensian Crusade, at Beziers, France as Crusaders slaughter the population for supporting the heresy of Catharism, killing upwards of 10,000 people.
