Albigensians (French: Albigeois) literally means the inhabitants of Albi, a city in southern France. However, the term was used to refer to the later followers of Catharism, a Gnostic-like religious movement of southern France in the 12th and 13th century. The name originates from the end of the 12th century, and was used in 1181 by the chronicler Geoffroy du Breuil of Vigeois. The name is somewhat misleading as the center of the religious movement was really Toulouse.

Early Catharism was much more associated with Gnostic theologies that it inherited from its association with the Paulicianism and Bogomils. However, as one historian phrased it, as time proceeded they became more and more like orthodox Christians. When the term "Albigensians" or "Albigensian Crusades" are used they are usually referring to these later Cathars which were a branch of the earlier sect.

They believed that the principles of good and evil continually oppose each other in the world. The Albigenses opposed marriage, bearing children (because they thought bringing life into the world to be a sin), and eating meat. Their enemies claimed they advocated suicide,when in reality they only advocated the voluntary cessation of food by those already close to death (so that

In the 14th century the church declared them heretics. In the years that followed the Crusades and Inquisitions against them, they slowly dissolved, and by the 15th century they had completely disappeared as a sect. By the time Pope Innocent III came to power in 1198, he had resolved to suppress the Cathari. There followed over forty years of war against the indigenous population. During this period some 500,000 Languedoc men women and children were massacred. However many of the Albigensians, who as previously stated came closer and closer to identifying with orthodox Christianity, merged with the Waldensians prior to their sect being wiped out in the inquisitions. The Albigensians left their mark on the Waldensian movement which is evident in the Waldensian theology and customs. The Waldensian movement was opposed to the early Cathar movement but was known to work side by side with the Albigensians.

There exists today a modern sect that claims to be Cathars which received its consolamentum from survivers of the original sect. This however is difficult if not impossible to prove.

See also

• Cathars
• Albigensian Crusade

Cathares Katharen Albigensi Cathar カタリ派