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There arose in certain areas of France opposition to the Catholic Faith by a number of people who were called Waldenses, and disturbed the pope so much that he proclaimed crusades against them.

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Bzovius, a Roman Catholic historian, says:

"INNOCENT III AD 1209. Pope Innocent could no longer brook the obstinacy of the erring Albigenses; for as much as they were never moved by the miracles wrought by the godlike Dominick, nor by the truth of his doctrine, nor by the sanctity of his life, nor by the force of his reasoning, and they defended their contumacy with arms; wherefore he proclaimed a sacred war against them - and he animated the crusaders with many rewards, in order that they might carry it on strenuously. Simon Montfort lived in those days - a man distinguished by his faith, bold in war, of great prudence, intelligent, munificent, splendid and affable, a defender of the Catholic faith and a most eager adversary of the heretics. By advice of the legates and the princes, he was appointed to command the army....... Much trouble was expended in taking the camp of Minerva; for there were found therein 180 persons, who preferred being burnt alive to adopting a pious creed ........

This year at the command and exhortation of Pope Innocent a vast number of crusaders came to Lyons on the feast of St. John the Baptist. Chief among these were Peter Archbishop of Sienna etc... and besides these a great multitude of the nobility and potentates of France and Spain collected together, for the destruction of the Albigensian heretics; so that 500,000 were reckoned in the Catholic army.

In France the Albigensian war was prosperously carried on under the direction of Count Montfort. For when, as in the preceding year, the Albians had opened their gates to him and had suffered no injury, when they afterwards returned to their impiety they did not escape with impunity and the authors of the mischief were capitally punished. Vaurum itself was taken by storm; there also the impious were delivered to the fire, when they persisted in their madness.

In the year 1211 Lavavre being taken, Aymeric, the Lord of Mount royal, who held the camp with a garrison was hanged; eighty others, who fell by the gibbet, were slain by the crusaders who were impatient of the delay, by the orders of Simon; and innumberable heretics were burnt ...

In the same year, the crusaders obtained possession of another great city, by the divine aid, situated near Toulouse, called, from the event, the beautiful valley; in which, when, after an examination of all the people, all promised to return to the faith, 450 of them, hardened by the devil, persisted in their obstinacy, of whom 400 were burnt and the rest were hanged. The same was done in the other towns and castles; these wretches willingly exposing themselves to death.