Crusade Against the Grail: The Struggle Between the Cathars, the Templars, and the Church of Rome

By Otto Rahn

The first English translation of the book that reveals the Cathar stronghold at Monts gur to be the repository of the Holy Grail - Presents the history of the Papal persecution of the Cathars that lies hidden in the medieval epic Parzival and in the poetry of the troubadours - Provides new insights into the life and death of this gifted and controversial author Crusade Against the Grail is the daring book that popularized the legend of the Cathars and the Holy Grail. The first edition appeared in Germany in 1933 and drew upon Rahn's account of his explorations of the Pyrenean caves where the heretical Cathar sect sought refuge during the 13th century. Over the years the book has been translated into many languages and exerted a large influence on such authors as Trevor Ravenscroft and Jean-Michel Angebert, but it has never appeared in English until now. Much as German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann used Homer's Iliad to locate ancient Troy, Rahn believed that Wolfram von Eschenbach's medieval epic Parzival held the keys to the mysteries of the Cathars and the secret location of the Holy Grail. Rahn saw Parzival not as a work of fiction, but as a historical account of the Cathars and the Knights Templar and their guardianship of the Grail, a "stone from the stars." The Crusade that the Vatican led against the Cathars became a war pitting Roma (Rome) against Amor (love), in which the Church triumphed with flame and sword over the pure faith of the Cathars.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1594771359
• ISBN13: 9781594771354
• Release Date: September 2006
• Publisher: Inner Traditions International
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.74 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Would give more stars than 5 if possible

A must have for Cathar, Templar and Crusade students. Covers the era and all aspects of the grail legends. Written by the actual man who inspired Indiana Jones, this book does not dissapoint! Highly recommended!

The Power and the Glory

Otto Rahn is remembered for his Nazi sponsorship and the strange circumstances of his demise. Almost certainly he knew that he had to conceal what he discovered from his masters. This landmark book serves -- not to discuss these matters except in a short preface-- but as an informed and readable introduction to the subject; astonishingly it was published way back in 1933 but has taken 75 years for an English translation in the current climate of interest in the subject.This book is authoritative, informative and at times brilliant. Even the title serves to clarify the issue of Church against Grail -- the Grail being pre-Christian in origin. We owe the translator and publishers much thanks.

Generally good...

In spite of it's rather winding way of getting to a point, this is a good solid book on the heretical view of the Cathars that the Roman Catholic Church held of it. I did have a problem with certain inconsistensies. The chapter on the Cathar doctrine, begins by saying that not one Cathar book was saved from the fires. Then the author begins telling you of their doctrine and beliefs. There is only one place to gather any data from, and that is archelogical findings, or the writings used to condemn them by the Church. Other than this, and other misnomers that in the the years since it was written have had new light shed on them, this is a very helpful book.

Cathar religious beliefs and practices, and war against them by popes and kings

The heretical Cathars of southwestern France regarded the legend of the Holy Grail--not the actual chalice reputed to have captured blood of the crucified Jesus--as symbolism for the survival of the human soul. This belief which conflicted with Roman Catholic teachings about the symbolism of the cross aroused the enmity of the Roman Catholic Church in the early Middle Ages in its determination to be the unrivaled, unquestioned authority in spiritual and even many political matters. The Knights Templar were another group seen by popes and many secular rulers too as potential threats to their power and position. The German author-scholar Rahn of this work originally published in 1933 (this is the first edition in English) sees in early, suppressed versions of the medieval poem "Parzival" references to this Cathar belief along with recountings of its practices. A central topic is the importance of the many caves in the region to this spirituality. This connection between the caves and the spirituality is found in parts of "Parzival"--e. g., "[The hermit] led young Parsifal to the second cave in which an uncovered 'altar' was located." The Cathars also hid in caves to escape the Church's forces and Inquisitors. Rahn made extensive explorations of the region's caves to better appreciate the quality of the Cathar spirituality and its differences from that of the prevailing Catholicism promulgated by the popes and their secular allies. A better study of the Cathar spirituality could not be found. And beyond delving into it uniquely and sympathetically, Rahn uses it like a prism to bring out the religious conflicts of the time.

Make No Mistake, Says Rahn, The Grail Is A Stone

I give this first English translation of Rahn's book only four stars as opposed to five due to it's beginning, 'Parcifal'. A long, convoluted histriography of English and French noblemen is given that in short, to me, is bordering on the incomprehensible. The text moves along, though, to the Cathars at the turn of the thirteenth century in the south of France. The 'pure ones' profess God is Love, and a Spirit, and that the Heaven we long for is beyond the stars. Flesh is separated from Spirit in man, resulting in a radical dualism that did not sit well with the Holy Mother Church. Gnosticism is present in their worldview as they look at the Old Testament God as evil, the one who enclosed the pure souls of men in foul matter. There is too much misery in the world, at the turn of their century to accept an all god Creator, benevolent and all knowing. A little sophistication is required to explain the harsh realities of day to day life. And theirs is the longing. The longing for something 'other', something greater than flesh and blood and ultimately transcendent. The Grail, a stone that fell from the sky, presumably this version being it was a jewel stone in the crown of Lucifer when he fell, is destined for the bowels of Mt. Tabor, home of the last Cathar castle in Montseg'ur. Troubadors, steeped in Catharism and protectors of their near holy Minnes, are keepers of the oral tradition concerning the Grail. Specifically, Wolfram Von Eschenbach, in his version of Parcifal, is the real deal according to Rahn. As in other Grail romances, the stone just appears, and is pre-christian. It's main miraculous power is to fill the serving bowls and goblets with food and wine. The crusade spoken of in the title is the Catholic Church, and specifically Pope Innocent III, swearing to stamp out the hideous heresy fulminating in the south of France. Politically, Paris wants a unified France, and is the secular arm to the holy crusade against Catharism. Much time is spent revealing the horrible methods of torture and killing in the name of stamping out the heresy. The Church certainly is not depicted as either 'Holy' or as a 'Mother', but rather a vehicle through which corrupt Popes realize their full capacity in obtaining every earthly power possible. Heartbreaking. Rahn's language, here translated, is lyrical and poetic in it's own right, highly reminiscent to me of Goethe with his Faust at times. A very good read for those interested in history, mysticism, esotericism, or Gnosticism.