The fate of over 200 Cathars at Montségur occurred after the fortress fell to French royal forces. The Cathars were members of a Christian sect that emerged in the 12th century in the Languedoc region of France, advocating for a dualistic worldview and leading a lifestyle that rejected the materialism of the Catholic Church. Following years of rising tensions, the Albigensian Crusade was launched in 1209, aimed at eradicating heretical beliefs. After a long siege in 1243-1244, Montségur, the last stronghold of the Cathars, surrendered. The leaders of the siege, including Simon de Montfort's descendants, had long sought to eliminate the Cathars as a threat to church doctrine.In the aftermath of the siege, captured Cathars were given the opportunity to recant their beliefs to save their lives. The steadfast refusal of over 200 individuals, known as 'Perfects,' to renounce their faith led to their execution by burning at the stake, a grim spectacle that highlighted both the resolve of the Cathar community and the lengths to which the Catholic Church would go to assert its authority. The pyre on the grassy slopes of Montségur became a symbol of Catharism and a poignant memorial to their uncompromising stance against persecution. The event illustrated the fierce conflict between differing interpretations of Christianity and foreshadowed the later Reformation.