A Temporary Aberration

“What is known as the Cathar Religion flourished in the full light of day, for a very brief period.  It was first identified as a heresy by the church in 1150; was deprived of the protection of the lords of Occitan in 1210, subjected to one hundred years of the inquisition and finally eradicated, with the burning at the stake of the last Perfect, Guilliaume Belibaste in 1310.”

Well… no!

An Amalgam

magdalene2 Very little is known about the Cathar faith which can be subjected to the normal academic proof of veracity.
What we can surmise is that it had very early beginnings, before the birth of Jesus.  It is an amalgam of  the earlier religions of Egypt, Persia, Sumer and India. The message was unified, simplified and made available to all by the teaching of Jesus and Magdalene.

Wide Distribution

A Wide-Spread Belief Very little is known about the Cathar faith which can be subjected to the normal academic proof of veracity. What we do know is that it had very early beginnings, before the birth of Jesus. It is an amalgam of the earlier religions of Egypt, Persia, Sumer and India. The message was unified, simplified and made available to all by Jesus teaching. The Church of Rome, determined to protect the Jewish heritage, adopted some of this alternative religion and tried to obscure the differences. The Emperor Constantine in allowing the Church of Rome to prosper failed to recognise these differences. "Heracy" quickly changed in meaning from "different opinion" to "crime against faith". In order to avoid recognition of the true strength of the alternative faith, the Church of Rome gave the faith a different name in all the territories in which it occured stressing different aspects of the teaching in each place.The Cathar church had no possessions, no grand churches or bejewelled vestments, no ritual, ceremonies, sacraments or pagentry.

Its litargy was sparse and there was no formal heirachy organised on a geographical basis.The Church of Rome, determined to protect the Jewish heritage, adopted some of this alternative religion and tried to obscure the differences. The Emperor Constantine in allowing the Church of Rome to prosper failed to recognise these differences.”Heresy” quickly changed in meaning from “different opinion” to “crime against faith”.

In order to avoid recognition of the true strength of the alternative faith, the Church of Rome gave the faith a different name in all the territories in which it occurred stressing different aspects of the teaching in each place.

The Council

cathars The Albigensian Crusade may well have been triggered by a meeting of  Cathar Church leaders from many  different geographical locations. The meeting took place at St Felix en Lauragais in 1167. There, for a brief moment the Cathars showed that there was a unified structure however informal. There was a hint that above the Perfects the was at least one more level, possibly several levels. It was no more than a hint because there were no material possessions, and no self aggrandisement to distinguish position.

Modern Folklore

glastonbury The poem “Jerusalem” by William Blake was adopted by the 19th century feminist movement and set to music by Parry as a theme song for the women’s suffrage movement. Edward Elgar then elevated it to an orchestral piece and since 1922 has been an ever-present element at the last night of the Proms.

Another Christianity

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThough a relatively modern piece it essentially asks the Question “ Did Jesus visit England?” and the significance of it’s adoption by the suffragette movement was the suggestion that there might be another Christianity; one which was much more sympathetic towards women! If Jesus really did walk the “mountains green” 2000 years ago, then it must have been before the year 30, perhaps fifteen years before the Roman invasion and occupation of Britain was commenced. ( Julius Caesar knew Britain was there, but he didn’t conquer it , that achievement fell to the Emperor Claudius.

Another  Religion

Fast forward to 376. In the east, sitting outside the Roman Empire were the Germanic peoples, Goths, Vandals and Alans to the North East. Persians and Assyrians to the east, Arabs and Indians to the South East and Egyptians to the South. All these areas absorbed Jesus teaching and allowed it to flourish but with significant differences in interpretation.  Some of these interpretations were so different they could hardly be considered the same religion.

The Goths

The Gothic religion was labeled by the Church of Rome as “Arian” but it was more than that.  The Goths absorbed the original Arian thinking that if Jesus was indeed the son of god, then at some time he must have not existed, he must have been created just like the rest of us.  He might well be considered human. A good man but just a man.

Manichism

Gothic beliefs also incorporated the teachings of Mani. Manichaeist beliefs had thrived beyond the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire.   In Manichaeism there were two Gods, a Good God called simply God, Good God, Pleroma, Bythos, Amun or Mazda and a Bad God, Demoniac, Demiurge or Yahweh.

Leave a Reply

The most dangerous woman in the world

The Treasure of Trencavel

List of Characters

Table Of Contents

References

characters

List of Places

Table of Contents

Pseudo History

home

Extract from The Prisoner of Foix--Chapter 43 -The EntranceNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley-26th April 1355

 

'Looks like we are going to see a bit of excitement, John. The Captain tried to get an agreement from the Prince that if there is surf running across the channel to Arcachon we will turn back to Bordeaux, but the Prince would hear none of it. Instead, he has offered to provide insurance for all three ships. If they are damaged or sunk, the owners will be compensated and every sailor who makes the passage will be given a bounty payment. What none of this seems to take into account is that if we sink in rough, fast-flowing waters we might all drown.'

John raised his eyebrows. 'But that is what we are going to do?'

'Yes, despite the fact that surf running accross the entrance is not uncommon and the deep water channel moves continually. In the end, the Prince attacked their captains on their weakest point, their professional pride! He threw down the gauntlet. He offered to take the Sally first through the channel, and to take control during the passage.' He raised his brow. 'We are going into the Bay of Arcachon, come what may! '

Extract from The Eagle of Carcassone -- Chapter 24-- A Real GoddessNo need to buy a Kindle. Read it on your computer or tablet

John Stanley - 22 July 1355

An hour later John walked with Ximene close to the river along the valley below St Feriole. It was the very essence of a summer’s day. The sun was fierce but in the shadow of the trees, it was cool and fragrant. The trees and shrubs along the riverbank hid their progress, from the Château, from St Feriole.

Eventually they reached a point where John thought it was safe to emerge from cover. To his satisfaction the stream extended into a pool with a sandy beach, shaded by trees. Where the stream entered the pool there was a flat grassy area, almost circular. Behind this, the bulk of two mountain ridges provided a splendid backdrop. He looked around once more ‘Not just a good training ground but a great training ground. If the Greek heroes knew about this they might be tempted to join me, to train with me’

Ximene laughed out loud. He turned to look at her. She had removed her outer clothes and was wearing a white chemise, cut short so that it barely reached her knees. Around her waist, she wore a plaited leather belt, obviously fashioned from the multitude of leather straps to be found in the tackle room.

She ran her hands down over her breasts. ‘When you were unconscious I heard you muttering about gods and goddesses, so  I have decided that from now on, for you, I will be the goddess.’

The Prisoner of FoixVol 1 of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

Aquitaine, an English possession, is in crisis. It is under threat from neighbouring nations and internal dissension.

The Black Prince, King Edward III’s eldest son has been given the task of taking command in Aquitaine.

Suddenly there is an opportunity. Ximene Trencavel is the heiress to the lands of Occitan, to the east of Aquitaine: lands controlled by the Franks. Ximene wants independence, both for herself and for Occitan.

A union between Aquitaine and Occitan would be mutually beneficial. The Black Prince undertakes a secret journey to meet Ximene to negotiate a marriage contract. It is, however, a marriage neither of them really wants.

Meanwhile, the  Franks plot to murder Ximene to prevent ,not just the marriage, but any kind of union between England and Occitan.

The Eagle Of CarcassonneVol II of the series—The Treasure of Trencavel

The loose alliance between Ximene Trencavel and the Black Prince is under threat.

The Prince invades Occitan, to show his support for Ximene but it becomes an invasion which creates more problems than it solves.

The Prince has fallen hopelessly in love with Joan of Kent and Joan is now determined to marry him and become the next Queen of England.

Joan is therefore  determined to convince Ximene that she should not marry the Prince.

Part of her strategy is to encourage Ximene’s relationship with John Stanley—one of the Princes bodyguards—not an easy task as both John and Ximene have doubts about their compatibility.

However, John is grievously injured in a battle and Ximene commits herself to nurse him back to health.