Many people have never heard of it, for medieval Occitania was never a country: it was a linguistic and cultural region with shared customs and traditions. It differed from the traditional rigid feudal system where people remained in whichever class they were born into until their death, with no growth or exploration outside their immediate social circle.
Occitania was open, tolerant, and progressive. Some scholars believe that the Renaissance would have started here had it not been for the Albigensian Crusade. It was the time of the troubadours; it was the time of the Cathars; it was the time of the rising merchant class—and the first elected city officials. Its language, Occitan, was spoken in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Monaco, and the Holy Land, and it was the only language besides Latin that was used for legal documents.
We will explore the different aspects which made this culture so exceptional—its history, its politics, its architecture, music, and its religion. Join me on a journey to this brilliant civilization.
Study Leader will provide digital slides.