Treaty of Paris (1229)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Paris was signed on April 12, 1229 between Raymond VII of Toulouse
and Louis IX of France
. Louis was still a minor and it was his mother Blanche of Castile
who had been responsible for the treaty. The agreement officially ended the Albigensian Crusade
in which Raymond conceded defeat to Louis IX. Based on the terms of the treaty, Raymond's daughter Joan
was to be married to Louis' brother Alfonso. Since Joan was Raymond's heir, this meant she and Alfonso would become the rulers of Toulouse
on his death. Moreover, Raymond ceded the eastern provinces of his lands to Louis and the Marquisat de Provence to the Pope.
political autonomy: Raymond ceded more than half his land to the King directly, and retained the remainder only during his life, as it would fall into royal hands after the his death and the death of his stepson Alfonso. Raymond regained his feudal rights, but had to swear allegiance to Louis IX. Fortifications, such as those of Toulouse
, were dismanteled. Henceforth, Cathar
s had no political protection, as Raymond and his subordinates as vassals of the King were ordered to hunt them down.
The treaty is also known as the Treaty of Meaux.
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...
and Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
. Louis was still a minor and it was his mother Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile
Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX....
who had been responsible for the treaty. The agreement officially ended 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 which Raymond conceded defeat to Louis IX. Based on the terms of the treaty, Raymond's daughter Joan
Joan, Countess of Toulouse
Joan was Countess of Toulouse from 1249 through 1271. Her father was Raymond VII, Count of Toulouse. She married Alfonso, Count of Poitou in 1237 as the Treaty of Paris had stipulated she marry a brother to King Louis. On her father's death she became the countess....
was to be married to Louis' brother Alfonso. Since Joan was Raymond's heir, this meant she and Alfonso would become the rulers of Toulouse
Counts of Toulouse
The first Counts of Toulouse were the administrators of the city and its environs under the Merovingians. No succession of such royal appointees is known, though a few names survive to the present...
on his death. Moreover, Raymond ceded the eastern provinces of his lands to Louis and the Marquisat de Provence to the Pope.
Results
The treaty marks an end to OccitanOccitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
political autonomy: Raymond ceded more than half his land to the King directly, and retained the remainder only during his life, as it would fall into royal hands after the his death and the death of his stepson Alfonso. Raymond regained his feudal rights, but had to swear allegiance to Louis IX. Fortifications, such as those 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...
, were dismanteled. Henceforth, Cathar
Cathar
Catharism was a name given to a Christian religious sect with dualistic and gnostic elements that appeared in the Languedoc region of France and other parts of Europe in the 11th century and flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries...
s had no political protection, as Raymond and his subordinates as vassals of the King were ordered to hunt them down.
The treaty is also known as the Treaty of Meaux.