Crusade Against the Grail - Rennes-le-Chateau Research and ...

130 PART THREE
The Vatican called up all loyal Christians to defeat the heresy: "Forward,
brave soldiers of Jesus Christ! Fight the agents of the Antichrist. Until now, you
have fought for mundane glory; from these moments on, fight for celestial glory. I
call upon you to serve God, not for an Earthly reward; I call upon you so that you
can win the kingdom of the heavens. For your prowess as warriors I promise you
this reward with a tranquil conscience and with the most absolute conviction!"
The imminence of the storm shook the Count of Toulouse. He earnestly
implored the Archabbot of Citeaux to give him absolution. Arnaud refused him on
the pretext that he did not have the power to lift his excommunication and referred
him to the Pope.
Raimundo's nephew, the young Raimon-Roger from the House of Trencavel,
recommended that Raimundo begin preparations for strong resistance. But the
Count was completely demoralized. He sent emissaries to the Vatican with the
news that he wanted to submit himself to the sovereign decision of the Church.
Innocent demanded that Raimundo hand over his strongest castles as a
demonstration of his good will. Once done, the Pope would be willing to listen to
him and lift his excommunication—if he could prove his innocence. Raimundo
accepted these conditions. He didn't suspect that the Pope would trick him with a
fictitious indulgence until the moment for his complete destruction had arrived.
Raimundo handed over seven of his most important fortresses to the Papal
legate, Milo, who in turn entrusted them to abbots and bishops, and Raimundo
swore unconditional submission to the Pope and his legates.
Stripped to the waist, in the atrium of the Church of Saint Gilles he swore
again to put himself henceforth in the Church's service, eradicate the heresy,
dismiss all Jews from their positions, and personally participate in the crusade.
Then the legate whipped the Count's back with a cane and led the penitent to the
altar where, in the name of the Pope, his excommunication was lifted. From this
moment on, the Count of Toulouse took up the cross against his own vassals.
In July 1209, Innocent III sent him a letter, congratulating him for his
submission and penitence, and let him guess the nature of his salvation in this
world and the next. What Raimundo did not know, however, was that the same
Papal courier brought another letter for the legate Milo with the order to continue
chastising the Count.