Heretics and Lovers: D-L Nelson

Title:	Heretics & Lovers
Type:	Literary/historical novel
Theme:	The uses of power
Location:	Medieval France
Word Count:	80,000
Awards:	Finalist, 1994 Hemingway Days Festival
Synopsis: In the 1300's Bishop Jacques Fournier discovers Cathar heretics are converting his parish near Toulouse, France. He holds an inquisition. Years later when he is Pope Benedict XII, he writes his autobiography, frequently referring to the first person testimony of Bernard Clergue, who brother, priest, was a double agent between the church and Cathars and Beatrice, a noblewoman, who was the priest's lover. Loosely based on a true story, the book would appeal to those who liked The Name of the Rose.

	The view that the priest Pierre Clergue had of the mountains.
	The fountains have fresh water trickling down from the water. Fresh water was never a problem for the families of Montaillou.
	The main street of Montaillou. This has been the main street for as long as the village has existed. The church was where Mengarde Clergue was buried in the early 1300s. The other villagers said as a heretic she shouldn't be buried there. Her son, Pierre, the spy against the Cathars and the Catholics both, insisted.
	Another view of the church. The exact date of construction is before 1250 but no one knows for sure how old it is.
	Many of these houses are built on sites where the domuses existed in the 1300s.
	Construction techniques have not changed greatly. Although this is modern wall, stones were used in much the same way when they built domuses (homes) for the residents in the 1300s. A house at the time could cost a couple of sheep.
	There is always a smell of wood smoke in the village as it must have been in the time of the Clergues.
	All that is left of Beatrice de Plannisole's chāteau. It is 17 giant steps across.
	It is easy to understand why the Clergues so loved the area. There is a tremendous, savage beauty that is unchanged from the middle ages.