Cathar history

The Cathars were a religious movement in medieval Europe, especially in southern France, during the 12th and 13th centuries. They believed in a dualistic universe, seeing the material world as evil and spiritual purity as key. Their rejection of church practices and authority led to conflicts with the Catholic Church, which saw them as heretics. This resulted in the Albigensian Crusade (1209–1229) to suppress the movement. The Cathars were eventually exterminated, but they influenced ideas about spirituality and dissent, leaving a lasting legacy in history and culture.