# Albigensian Crusade (1209)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1209-albigensian-crusade
Location: Languedoc, France
Themes: War

Pope Innocent III launches a crusade against the Cathars of southern France. At this point in the timeline (1209), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Innocent III (8 January 1198 – 16 July 1216).

## Why it matters
Albigensian Crusade mattered because it shows how warfare and conquest affected Christian communities and the relations between faiths.

Pope at the time: [Pope Innocent III](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-innocent-iii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Albigensian Crusade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albigensian_Crusade)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Albigensian Crusade](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Albigensian+Crusade)
- [Wikipedia — Medieval Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church#Middle_Ages)