White Brotherhood
Encyclopedia
The White Brotherhood was an urban society (or militia
) of Toulouse
established in 1211 during the episcopate of Folquet de Marselha
, so-called from its members' habit of wearing white crosses on their chests. The society, called a "pious institution" by William of Puylaurens, was militant towards usurers (Jews
) and Cathars, robbing them and destroying their homes. Most of the Whites came from the city proper. A Black Brotherhood
, so-called in opposition to the White, was soon formed and two factions went to war in the streets of Toulouse. According to Puylaurens:
From the White Brotherhood Folquet selected 500 men-at-arms and sent them to aid the Albigensian Crusade
in besieging Lavaur
. The bishop even composed pro-Crusade sirventes
for the troops to sing. Count Raymond VII
, however, forbade the citizens to go and tried to force Folquet from the city. The White Brotherhood did go, however, and the bishop eventually left as well, to join the siege at Lavaur.
The White Brotherhood gained notoriety among the opponents of the Crusade. The troubadour
Gavaudan
wrote the song A la plus longa nuech de l'an in which he criticises the "foolish white people", almost certainly a reference to the Whites of Toulouse.
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
) of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
established in 1211 during the episcopate of Folquet de Marselha
Folquet de Marselha
Folquet de Marselha, alternatively Folquet de Marseille, Foulques de Toulouse, Fulk of Toulouse came from a Genoese merchant family who lived in Marseille...
, so-called from its members' habit of wearing white crosses on their chests. The society, called a "pious institution" by William of Puylaurens, was militant towards usurers (Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
) and Cathars, robbing them and destroying their homes. Most of the Whites came from the city proper. A Black Brotherhood
Black Brotherhood
The Black Brotherhood was an urban society established in Toulouse in 1211 in response to the White Brotherhood led by the bishop Folquet de Marselha. The Blacks opposed the Albigensian Crusade and supported the Count of Toulouse, Raymond VII....
, so-called in opposition to the White, was soon formed and two factions went to war in the streets of Toulouse. According to Puylaurens:
Daily the two parties would clash, banners flying, bristling with weapons, even with cavalry in evidence. Through the agency of His servant the bishop, Our Lord came to bring them, not a bad peace but a good war.
From the White Brotherhood Folquet selected 500 men-at-arms and sent them to aid the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
in besieging Lavaur
Lavaur
Lavaur is the name of several communes in France:* Lavaur, Dordogne, in the Dordogne département* Lavaur, Tarn, in the Tarn département...
. The bishop even composed pro-Crusade sirventes
Sirventes
The sirventes or serventes is a genre of Occitan lyric poetry used by the troubadours. In early Catalan it became a sirventesch and was imported into that language in the fourteenth century, where it developed into a unique didactic/moralistic type...
for the troops to sing. Count Raymond VII
Raymond VII of Toulouse
Raymond VII of Saint-Gilles was Count of Toulouse, Duke of Narbonne and Marquis of Provence from 1222 until his death. He was the son of Raymond VI of Toulouse and Joan of England...
, however, forbade the citizens to go and tried to force Folquet from the city. The White Brotherhood did go, however, and the bishop eventually left as well, to join the siege at Lavaur.
The White Brotherhood gained notoriety among the opponents of the Crusade. The troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
Gavaudan
Gavaudan
Gavaudan was a troubadour and hired soldier at the courts of both Raymond V and Raymond VI of Toulouse and later on in Castile. He was from Gévaudan, as his name implies...
wrote the song A la plus longa nuech de l'an in which he criticises the "foolish white people", almost certainly a reference to the Whites of Toulouse.