Some stories refuse to be buried. Some names, no matter how hard history tries to erase them, rise again and again—unbroken, undeniable. Blanche of Laurac is one of those names.
You won’t find her in the grand historical narratives, at least not in the way she should be. She was not a queen, nor a noblewoman draped in jewels and luxury. She was something far greater. Blanche was a protector, a strategist, a mother—not just to her children, but to an entire people facing annihilation.
In the 13th century, when the brutal machinery of the Catholic Church turned against the Cathars, Blanche stood at the heart of the resistance. She risked everything to shield her daughters, her people, and their way of life.
Unsplash. Lastours Medieval Castle, France.
In a world where women were expected to be silent, she refused to bow. She built safe havens for herself and her people, wove alliances, and fought not with a sword, but with an unshakable will.
So, why is it so important that we remember her story now?
Because the world needs her story. Because we are, once again, standing at the edge of something vast and uncertain. And because the fire she carried did not die. It waits.
This is her story. Yours, mine - ours.
A House of Women, A Fortress of Fire
Blanche of Laurac was born into a world where power belonged to men—where women were traded in political marriages, expected to fade into the background. But Laurac was different.
She came from a long line of strong women, women who were not simply wives or daughters, but forces of their own. Laurac was a stronghold of Cathar faith, and in Cathar belief, women were (spiritual) equals to men. They could teach, heal, lead. And lead, Blanche did.
When the Catholic Church declared the Cathars heretics and launched the Albigensian Crusade in 1209, everything changed. This was no ordinary war. It was a war of total extermination. A holy genocide (conveniently forgotten.) The Crusaders burned entire cities to the ground, slaughtering and torturing men, women, and children alike. And in the midst of this horror, Blanche took her stand.
She turned Laurac into a sanctuary, opening her doors to fleeing Cathars, offering shelter and protection. But more than that, she built a network—an underground resistance that stretched across the land, linking safe houses, smuggling people to safety, passing messages through whispers and shadows.
She was not a warrior in the traditional sense, but make no mistake—this was war. And she was on the front lines.
Photo © Louise Sommer. The dove is the symbol of Escarmonde the Great of Fox. This is most likely where the 'Dove of Peace' symbol comes from. The scupture in this photo can be found in Minerve.
Motherhood as Resistance
Blanche had five daughters. That fact alone should have sealed their fate. The Crusaders made it clear; There would be no mercy for the daughters of Cathar leaders. If caught, they would be executed or forced into lives of servitude.
But Blanche refused to surrender them.
She fought not just for her people, but for her daughters’ right to live, to believe, to choose their own path in their own right. She arranged their escape, scattering them across the land, ensuring that at least some part of her bloodline, her knowledge, and her spirit would survive.
One of her daughters, Esclarmonde de Pereille, would go on to become a Cathar Perfecta—a high initiate of the faith—continuing her mother’s legacy even as the walls of Montségur closed in.
Blanche could have fled. She could have saved herself. But she stayed. She remained in the heart of the fight, knowing what it would cost her.
Laurac fell. And Blanche, along with so many others, was taken.
We don’t know exactly how her life ended. Some say she was burned with the 225 Cathar martyrs at Montségur in 1244, choosing death over submission. Others believe she died earlier, perhaps in captivity.
But this much is certain—she never surrendered.
The Fire That Did Not Die
Blanche’s story is not just a tale of the past. It is a lesson in resistance. In courage. In the power of women who refuse to be erased and silenced!
We live in a world that often tells us we are powerless. That our voices don’t matter. That we must conform, obey, accept the stories and identites we are given. But Blanche of Laurac did not accept!
She built something unbreakable; a network of knowledge, of sanctuary, of defiance. She understood that even when faced with overwhelming force, there are ways to fight back. Through creativity. Through connection. Through refusing to let the flame go out.
And that is what we must do today.
Translating Her Legacy Into Creative Action
So how do we take Blanche’s story and make it real in our own lives?
We do what she did.
We create spaces of safety. Whether through writing, teaching, activism, or simply holding space for those who need it, we build sanctuaries in a world that still seeks to silence, violate and oppress.
We tell the stories that must be told. Blanche did not fight with weapons; she fought with knowledge, with networks, with keeping the truth alive. We do the same when we reclaim history, when we write, speak, create.
We resist in the ways that matter. Resistance does not always look like battle. Sometimes, it is choosing to live authentically, to refuse to bend to systems that seek to control and breake us.
Blanche’s fire did not die in the ashes of Laurac or Montségur. It burns in every act of defiance, every moment of courage, and every choice to create rather than be destroyed. If Blanche had been a man, she would be remembered as one of history’s greatest and most inspiring freedom fighters and leaders. Let’s remember her that way.
The world needs women like Blanche. And it needs us to remember them.
This is why I write. This is why I share these stories. Because they are not over.
And neither are we.
The Legacy Continues as this is just the beginning. And this is your invitation to walk with me. On the first of every month during 2025, I will bring you more stories of Cathar women—their wisdom, their courage, their fire and all the things we can learn from them.
Next Blog: The Last Stand at Montségur—Women of Fire, Women of Light.
The resistance did not end with Blanche. It burned until the last moment, until the final step into the flames.
Until then—remember her. Speak her name. Carry her fire.
And let it guide you forward.
Loved this article? Knowledge grows when shared! Send it to a friend, drop a comment, and let’s shape the future of communication together.
Academic Books & Historical Works to inspire your journey of learning
Malcolm Lambert – The Cathars
One of the most comprehensive books on Catharism. Lambert examines the movement’s theology, political impact, and the Church’s response.
Zoé Oldenbourg – Massacre at Montségur: A History of the Albigensian Crusade
A deep and moving account of the crusade that sought to eliminate the Cathars, including the events that shaped Esclarmonde’s world.
Mark Gregory Pegg – A Most Holy War: The Albigensian Crusade and the Battle for Christendom
A well-researched historical account of the war waged against the Cathars, focusing on how religious power intersected with politics.
Sean Martin – The Cathars: The Rise and Fall of the Great Heresy
A solid introduction to Cathar beliefs, their connection to earlier spiritual movements, and why they were seen as such a threat to the Church.
Graham Robb – The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography from the Revolution to the Present Day
While not specifically about the Cathars, this book beautifully maps out the lost histories of France’s regions, including Languedoc.
Michel Roquebert – The Epic of the Cathars
Roquebert is one of the leading scholars on Cathar history, and this book reconstructs the movement’s rise and fall using historical documents.
Anne Brenon – The Good Christians: The Cathars in Languedoc in the 13th Century
Brenon is a foremost expert on Catharism, and this book provides deep insight into the daily lives of the Cathars, including the role of women.
Fiction & Creative Retellings Based on Historical Research
Glen Craney – The Fire and the Light: A Novel of the Cathars
A gripping historical novel inspired by Cathar history, featuring Esclarmonde as one of its central figures. (My favourite!)
Kate Mosse – The Languedoc Trilogy (Labyrinth, Sepulchre, Citadel)
A historical fiction series interwoven with the Cathar past and present-day mysteries in the Languedoc region.
Marion Meade – Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Biography
Not directly about Esclarmonde but provides vital context on powerful women of the 12th century, including those connected to the Cathars. (Great read!)
Academic Articles & Papers
Brenon, Anne. "Women and Catharism: The Role of Female Leadership in a Suppressed Faith"(Published in various historical journals on medieval heresy)
Pegg, Mark. "The Cathar Apocalypse: How a Medieval Heresy Became a Crusade"(Journal of Religious History, 2001)
Dossat, Yves. "The Inquisition and Cathar Women: A Lost History of Spiritual Leadership"(Published in the Revue Historique, 1998)
Louise Sommer, an Educational Psychology Consultant (MA) and Communication Consultant, specialising in cultural psychology, creativity, and storytelling. She is the author of the bestseller The Hidden Camino, a captivating exploration of historical and cultural narratives. Since the 1990s, Louise has traveled both on and off the beaten track across Europe, exploring history and cultural narratives through the lens of social constructionism. As a professional blogger and writer, she delves into the connections between cultural wisdom, identity, and creativity, offering unique insights that foster curiosity and inclusivity in a multicultural world. Discover more about her work and writings at LouiseSommer.co
Comments