Peter of Vaux de Cernay

Peter of Vaux de Cernay ("floruit" c.1215) was a Cistercian monk of Vaux de Cernay Abbey, in what is now Seine-et-Oise, northern France, and a chronicler of the Albigensian Crusade. His "Historia Albigensis" is one of the primary sources for the events of the Crusade.

The chronicle is thought to have been written from 1212 to 1218, recounting events which were principally those 1203 to 1208, but also later events, at some of which Peter himself was present as eye-witness [http://www.midi-france.info/121205_historiaalbigensis.htm Peter of les Vaux de Cernay, History of the Albigensian Crusade(Pierre des Vaux de Cernay, Historia albigensis or Hystoria albigensis) ] ] . His uncle Guy of Vaux-de-Cernay was his abbot, bishop of Carcassonne for some years from 1212, and a preacher brought in earlier to preach against Catharism by Simon IV de Montfort.

Peter had also followed the early Fourth Crusade [ [http://www.cosmovisions.com/PierreVauxCernay.htm Imago Mundi - Pierre des Vaux de Cernay ] ] , with Guy, as far as Zara, Dalmatia. They joined Simon perhaps in 1210. [André Vauchez, Richard Barrie Dobson, Michael Lapidge, "Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages" (2001), pp. 1123-4.] .

Peter knew Simon personally. His writing is generally considered partisan, taking the Catholic side; but also to be more objective in reporting Cathar beliefs and actions than some of the hunters of heresy [E.g. Edward Peters, "Heresy and Authority in Medieval Europe: Documents in Translation" (1980), p. 123.] . Steven Runciman ["The Medieval Manichee" (1947)] gives examples in which Peter discussing Cathar theology is presumed fairly accurate [Runciman, p. 166.] , or exaggerating for propaganda effect [Runciman, p. 177.] . The chronicle was not written after 1218, and it is suggested that Peter’s death shortly after that year may be the reason.

References

*Pascal Guébin and Ernest Lyon (1939), "Petri Vallium Sarnaii monachi Hystoria albigensis"
*Pascal Guébin and Henri Maisonneuve (1951), "Histoire albigeoise" (three volumes)
*W. A. Sibly and M. D. Sibly, "History of the Albigensian Crusade"
*C. M. Kurpiewski, "Writing beneath the shadow of heresy: the Historia Albigensis of Brother Pierre des Vaux-de-Cernay", Journal of Medieval History 31 (2005), 1, pp. 1-27,

Notes

External links

* [http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/historiaalbigensis.htm "Siege of Termes", online translation]
* [http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/30_10_1209-1218-_Petrus_Vallis_Caernaii.html Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia latina with analytical indexes]