The Albigensian Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in the Languedoc region of southern France. It began in 1209 under Pope Innocent III.
One of the earliest and most notorious massacres occurred at Béziers on July 22, 1209. Crusader forces attacked the city, and it is estimated that thousands of inhabitants, including Cathars and Catholics, were killed indiscriminately.
The phrase "Kill them all; God will know His own" is often attributed to this massacre, signifying the ruthless approach taken by the Crusaders. The killings demonstrated the brutal nature of the campaign, which targeted entire populations suspected of heresy.
Throughout the crusade, numerous other massacres and sieges took place, leading to significant loss of life and widespread destruction. The campaign ultimately led to the suppression of Catharism in the region by 1229.
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