Minerve, Hérault

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Minerve

Minerve, Hérault is a medieval fortified village in the région of Languedoc-Roussillon, France. In 1210 a group of Cathars sought refuge in the village after the massacre of Béziers during the Albigensian Crusade. The village was besieged by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester. The attacking army beseiged the village for six weeks before it capitulated. They set up four catapults around the fortification: three to attack the village, and the largest, Malevoisine, to attack the town's water supply. Eventually the commander of the 200-strong garrison, Viscount Guilhem of Minerve, gave in and negotiated a surrender which saved the villagers and himself after the destruction of the town's main well. However, 140 Cathars refused to give up their faith and were burned to death at the stake on 22 July.

At the start of the Cathar siege, Simon De Montfort took a group of prisoners to the base of the castle, cutting off their tongues, noses, ears and gouging out all of their eyes, except one eye of the last man. All the men were then chained to one another and with the half blind man leading them were paraded around the base of the valley and local villages, demonstrating De Montforts power and cause.^{[citation needed]}

The village is situated on top of the gorge of the River Cesse in a naturally strong defensive position. Near the village the river disappears underground in a large, naturally-carved tunnel.

Minerve has been selected as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The Most Beautiful Villages Of France"). Historically, the village has been the capital of the Minervois wine region.