Pierre Clergue
Encyclopedia
Pierre Clergue was a priest
in the village of Montaillou
, France
in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century. He is the central figure in Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
's book Montaillou, a pioneering work of microhistory
. Since then he has appeared in a number of other histories as well as the villain in the fictional work The Good Men by Charmaine Craig.
s, by far the wealthiest in Montaillou and their power extended throughout the region. Pierre, the head of the family after the death of his father, became the priest of the village. His brother Bernard Clergue
became the local bayle
, the enforcer of laws and collector of taxes. The Clergue brothers thus had a central role in being the representatives of both religious and secular power in the town. As one of the few educated men in town Pierre Clergue also served as a notary
and performed other such tasks.
to ignore Montaillou, despite its being filled with heretics. This changed about 1300 when Pierre Clergue began to inform on some members of his parish. In 1308 he played a central role in the inquisition's move to arrest the entire adult population of the town. Pierre decided which villagers would be freed and which punished. He used this power to satisfy personal grievances. Despite this he and his brother continued to provide shelter and aid to certain Cathars.
e of was the nominal ruler of the village. Le Roy Ladurie lists nine women of Montaillou with whom he conducted affairs: Alazaïs Fauré, Raymonde Fauré, Béatrice de Planissoles, Grazide Lizier
, Alazaïs Azéma, Gaillarde Benet, Alissende Roussel, Mengarde Buscailh, Na Maragda, Jacotte den Tort, Raymonde Guilhou, and Esclarmonde Clergue, his sister in law.
Pierre Clergue justified his philandering a number of ways (though it must be remembered that celibacy among priests was not enforced in the Pyrenees at this time). Cathar doctrine taught that all sex was sinful, though more so within the confines of marriage, as the couple did not believe that they were erring. Since he expected to be absolved from all his sins upon his deathbed in the consolamentum he also felt he could sin without having to suffer for it.
In 1320 Pierre Clergue was arrested by the inquisition under the orders of Bishop Jacques Fournier. Despite a concerted campaign of bribery
and calling in favours by his brother Bernard, Pierre remained in prison and eventually died there. There is no record of his testifying before the Inquisition.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in the village of Montaillou
Montaillou
Montaillou is a commune in the Ariège department in southwestern France.-History:The town is best known for being the subject of Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's pioneering work of microhistory, Montaillou, village occitan. It analyzes the town in great detail over a thirty-year period from 1294 to 1324...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century. He is the central figure in Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie is a French historian whose work is mainly focused upon Languedoc in the ancien regime, particularly the history of the peasantry.-Early life and career:...
's book Montaillou, a pioneering work of microhistory
Microhistory
Microhistory is the intensive historical investigation of a well defined smaller unit of research...
. Since then he has appeared in a number of other histories as well as the villain in the fictional work The Good Men by Charmaine Craig.
The family
Pierre was the son of Pons and Mengarde Clergue. The Clergues were a family of wealthy peasantPeasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s, by far the wealthiest in Montaillou and their power extended throughout the region. Pierre, the head of the family after the death of his father, became the priest of the village. His brother Bernard Clergue
Bernard Clergue
Bernard Clergue was the town bayle of Montaillou in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries. A great deal about his life is recorded in the Fournier Register and has been studied by historians, most notably Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie....
became the local bayle
Bayle
Bayle can refer to:*A position in medieval France similar to that of a bailiff*François Bayle, a French composer of acousmatic music*George A. Bayle Jr., first to market peanut butter*Jean-Michel Bayle, a French motorcycle racer*Pierre Bayle, a philosopher...
, the enforcer of laws and collector of taxes. The Clergue brothers thus had a central role in being the representatives of both religious and secular power in the town. As one of the few educated men in town Pierre Clergue also served as a notary
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
and performed other such tasks.
Catharism
Despite being a priest in a Roman Catholic church Pierre Clergue was a staunch Albigensian having been converted by the parfait Guillaume Authié. For many years he played an important role by convincing the inquisitionInquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
to ignore Montaillou, despite its being filled with heretics. This changed about 1300 when Pierre Clergue began to inform on some members of his parish. In 1308 he played a central role in the inquisition's move to arrest the entire adult population of the town. Pierre decided which villagers would be freed and which punished. He used this power to satisfy personal grievances. Despite this he and his brother continued to provide shelter and aid to certain Cathars.
Loose morals
Pierre Clergue is also notable for his sexual appetite having many mistresses over his long career as priest and virtual ruler of the town. The most important of these was Béatrice de Planissoles who as châtelainChâtelain
Châtelain was originally merely the French equivalent of the English castellan, i.e. the commander of a castle....
e of was the nominal ruler of the village. Le Roy Ladurie lists nine women of Montaillou with whom he conducted affairs: Alazaïs Fauré, Raymonde Fauré, Béatrice de Planissoles, Grazide Lizier
Grazide Lizier
Grazide Lizier née Fauré was a peasant in the Comté de Foix in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century. A number of facts about her life are recorded in the Fournier Register, and her life, along with those of her fellow villagers, was analyzed in Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie's...
, Alazaïs Azéma, Gaillarde Benet, Alissende Roussel, Mengarde Buscailh, Na Maragda, Jacotte den Tort, Raymonde Guilhou, and Esclarmonde Clergue, his sister in law.
Pierre Clergue justified his philandering a number of ways (though it must be remembered that celibacy among priests was not enforced in the Pyrenees at this time). Cathar doctrine taught that all sex was sinful, though more so within the confines of marriage, as the couple did not believe that they were erring. Since he expected to be absolved from all his sins upon his deathbed in the consolamentum he also felt he could sin without having to suffer for it.
In 1320 Pierre Clergue was arrested by the inquisition under the orders of Bishop Jacques Fournier. Despite a concerted campaign of bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and calling in favours by his brother Bernard, Pierre remained in prison and eventually died there. There is no record of his testifying before the Inquisition.