Simon de Montfort, tragic hero of the Song of the Albigensian Crusade: When the Anonymous Continuer of Guillaume de Tudèle’s work makes Pope Innocent III the architect of Montfort’s death

When the fateful (and fatal) rock comes down on Simon de Montfort in the Song of the Albigensian Crusade, it appears to be the culmination of an ineluctable series of events orchestrated by divine Providence since the council of the Lateran. By depicting Pope Innocent III engaging in bibliomancy, and introducing a subtle web of repetitions and resonances running through the text, the anonymous author of the continuation identifies the council of the Lateran as the tipping point of Simon de Montfort’s destiny: despite acting as the military representative of the Church, and thus supposedly operating with its favor and support, he is shown to be abandoned by both God and the Pope in favor of Raymond de Toulouse. From this starting point the author establishes an inextricable conflict between the will of divine Providence, the will of the Church and the will of Simon de Montfort, elevating the latter to the role of tragic hero.