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Almaric of Montfort restored to King Lewis the eight, the conquered Countries of the Albingenses: the siege of Auignon: the King appointeth a Gouernor in Lan∣guedoc. The warre continues against the Albingenses: Toulouze is besieged: a treatie of peace with the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains.
ALmaric of Montfort had not the fortune of his Father in the warres of the Albingenses. For he had neither King Philip Auguste, who per∣mitted the leuie of the Pilgrims, nor Pope Innocent
the third to appoint them. Moreouer, there was neither Citi••nor Village in France, where there were not wi∣dowes and fatherlesse children, by reason of the pas∣sed warres of the Albingenses. And besides all this, the Prelats were many times put into great feares, by those cruell combats that were ordinarily made, and many of them left behinde them their Miters, and some Abbots their Crosses. The speech of the expe∣ditions of the Crosse was not so common. This was the cause why Almaric did not long enioy his conque∣red Countries, wherewith being much afflicted, hee went into France, * 1.1 and deliuered vp vnto Lewis the eight of that name, King of France, all the right that he had to the said Countries, which the Pope, the Councels of Vaur, Montpelier, and Lotran had gran∣ted vnto him: and in recompence thereof, King Lewis created him Constable of France, [ 1224] in the yeare 1224.
To put himselfe into possession, King Lewis the eight came into Languedoc, and comming to the gates of Auignon, he was denied entrance, because profes∣sing the Religion of the Albingenses, they had beene excommunicated, and giuen by the Pope to the first Conquerour: for then Auignon was no chiefe Citie of the Earldome of Venessin, as at this present, but be∣longed to the King of Naples and Sicily. The King be∣ing much moued with this deniall, resolued to besiege it, which continued for the space of eight moneths, in the end whereof they yeelded themselues about Whit∣sontide, [ 1225] in the yeare 1225.
During this siege, almost all the cities of Languedoc, acknowledged the king of France, by the mediation of Mr. Amelin, Archbishop of Narbonne. The King established for Gouernour in Languedoc, Imbert
de Beauieu, and tooke his way to France: but hee died by the way at Montpensier in September, in the yeare 1226.
The young Remond, Earle of Toulouze, was bound by promise to the king, to goe to receiue his absolu∣tion of Pope Honorius, and afterwards he should giue him peaceable possession of all his lands: but the death of the king in the meane time happening, he saw the Realme of France in the hands of king Lewis, a childe and in his minority, and the regency in the pow∣er and gouernment of his mother. Hee thought that hauing to deale with an infant king, and a woman re∣gent, he might recouer by force that which he had quit himselfe of by agreement. He therefore resolued to take armes, being encouraged thereunto, by the succours of the Albingenses his subiects, who were in great hope to maintaine their part in strength and vigor, during the Non-age of the King of France, but they were deceiued in their proiect. For though Lewis the ninth were in his minoritie, yet he was so happie as to haue a wise and a prudent mother, if euer there were any. For King Lewis the eighth, before his death, had appointed her the Tutrix or Gardianesse of his sonne, and Regent of the Realme, knowing very well her great capacity and sufficiency. Besides Imbert de Beau∣ieu maintained the authority of the king in Languedoc, tooke armes, and made opposition against the Earle Remond, and the Albingenses. * 1.2 The Queene sent him diuers troopes, by the helpe whereof he recouered the Castle de Bonteque, neare to Toulouze, which was a great hinderance to Imbert and his portizans. All the Albingenses that were found within the Castle were put to death; and a certaine Deacon, with others that
would not abiure their Religion, by the commande∣ment of the said Imbert, Amel the Popes Legat, and the aduise of Guyon Bishop of Carcassonne, they were burnt aliue, [ 1227] in the yeare 1227. suffring death with ad∣mirable constancy.
The more the persecution increased, the more the number of the Albingenses multiplied, which Imber of Beauieu perceiuing, he went to the Court to let them vnderstand, that without succours, he could no longer defend the countrey, and the places newly annexed to the Crowne and patrimony of France, against the Al∣bingenses and the Earle Remond. In the meane time whilest he was absent, the Earle Remond tooke the Castle Sarrazin, one of the strongest places that Im∣bert had in his keeping, and holding the field did much hurt to his enemies.
Imbert came from France, [ 1228] at the spring of the yeare one thousand two hundred twenty eight, accompa∣nied with a great Armie of the Crosse, in which there was the Archbishop of Bourges, the Archbishop of Aouch and of Burdeaux, euery one with the Pilgrims of their iurisdiction.
The Earle Remond retired himselfe into Toulouze where he was presently shut vp, and all the country round about, euen haruest and all spoiled and wasted. Being brought to this extremitie, * 1.3 the Abbot of Grand∣selue, named Elias Garin, came from Amelin the Popes Legat, to offer peace to the Earle Remond and the Toulouzains. He was receiued with great ioy, offering peace and plenty to those that were almost famished, and wearied with warre. Neuerthelesse the wisest a∣mongst them, who better foresaw the euent of things, knew well enough that so soone as they had gotten
the Earle Remond into their hands, they would make vse of him to persecute them, that they would esta∣blish the inquisition and kindle their fires againe, and so vtterly destroy them both bodies and soules: but the reasons of these men were ouercome by the impor∣tunate cries of the common people almost famished, who could not see the time wherein they were fettered with the halter, that should strangle them. Besides the enemie wanted not people in Toulouze, that were wil∣ling to terrifie the Earle Remond saying, that he was not now to deale with Americ of Montfort, but with a king of France, who had power sufficient to ouerthrow him: that continuall feuers kill men, and long warres would at the last burie them all. The Earle Remond passed his word to the Abbot to be at a certaine day at Vasieges, there to resolue vpon that which was to bee done, to bring the peace to a perfection. In the meane time a truse was agreed vpon with the Toulouzains, for certaine daies. The Earle Remond came at the day to the place appointed, and so did the Abbot of Grandselue. After much discourse and communica∣tion touching a peace, the Abbot made him beleeue, that it would be for his greater aduantage to bee in France, than in that place; and that forasmuch as the businesse concerned the King, that it was necessary that the Queene-mother being Tutrix vnto him, and Regent of France, should be present, and that more would be done in a few daies, than in a whole yeare, the businesse requiring so many iournies and goings and commings, which peraduenture would bee long and vnprofitable: and so pawned his faith that here∣by he should receiue all contentment. Being vanqui∣shed by these promises, he consented to come into
France, whethersoeuer the Queene-mother should ap∣point. Meaux was the place she made choise of, and his time was appointed. He came thither, but he was no sooner arriued, but he repented, and acknowled∣ged his great ouersight, in that he had giuen credit to the words of a Priest, especially knowing that his deceased father, had alwaies sped so ill by trusting to those that hold this for a maxime, that Faith is not to be kept with Heretikes, or their fauourers. That he be∣ing held for such a one, had no reason to looke for bet∣ter successe.
There was therefore now no more question of trea∣ties or communications, but of submission to what∣soeuer should be enioyned him. He had now no lon∣ger freedome of speech, but he was carefully guarded, for feare least he should fly to the Albingenses. The Historiographer of Languedoc, * 1.4 though in other mat∣ters much animated against the Albingenses, yet hee could not write of this without commiseration, so la∣mentable was the condition of this Lord. These are his words.
It was a lamentable thing (saith hee) to see so braue a man, that was able, for so long a time, to make resistance against so many people, to come in his shirt and his linnen breeches, bare foot to the Altar, in the presence of two Cardinalls of the Church of Rome, the one the Legat in France, the other the Legat in England. But this is not all the ignominious punishment that was inflicted, but he notes besides, that of so man y conditions of that peace, euery one of them (saith he) had beene suf∣ficient for the price of his ransome, if the king had beene in the field making warre against him.
Inuentary of Serres, in the life of Lewis the eight.
The History of Languedoc, sol. 31.
Hist. of Lang. fol. 33.
The Hist. of Lang. fol. 34.