The-culture-of-Occitan.-A-culture-which-allows-women-to-play-a-much-greater-part-in-the-governance-of-households-the-church-and-local-governance.-This-culture-is-closely-interwoven-with-Cathar-beliefs-and-will-always-be-at-odds-with-other-states-dominated-by-the-Church-of-Rome.-In-the-context-of-the-developing-concepts-of-nationhood-Ximene-has-little-doubt-that-Occitan-has-the-right-to-be-considered-a-Nation.-“What-makes-a-state-Speaking-the-same-language-having-the-same-culture-worshipping-the-same-god-living-in-an-area-clearly-delineated-by-natural-features-being-prepared-to-group-together-for-mutual-defense-By-all-these-criteria-there-is-a-state-of-Occitan.”-However-other-parts-of-Occitan-are-under-the-control-of-the-Plantagent-family-rulers-of-England-and-of-Aragon.-Ximene-believes-that-an-alliance-with-either-one-of-them-could-be-of-advantage.-Occitan-is-admired-by-some-but-attacked-by-the-Church-of-Rome-not-just-because-of-its-adherance-to-the-Cathar-faith-but-also-because-of-its-unique-culture.-Both-formally-and-informally-it-is-a-world-controlled-by-the-rules-of-the-Courts-of-Love.-These-courts-are-a-womans-world-into-which-a-man-may-enter-but-only-if-he-accepts-the-rules.-The-link-between-the-Courts-of-Love-and-the-Cathar-faith-are-tenuous-but-the-effect-is-to-give-women-complete-control-of-every-sexual-encounter-something-the-Cathar-faith-itself-demands