The Cathars were especially numerous in southern France, in the
region of Languedoc, then part of the Catalan-Aragonese
Confederation or Kingdom of Aragon. They were termed
Albigensians because of the movement's presence in and around
the city of Albi. Political control in Languedoc was split
amongst many local lords and town councils, the area was
relatively lightly oppressed and reasonably advanced. The
crusading efforts can be divided into a number of periods, the
first from 1209 to 1215 was a series of great success for the
crusaders in Languedoc. The captured lands however were largely
lost between 1215 and 1225 in a series of revolts and reverses.
The situation turned again following the intervention of the
French king, Louis VIII, in 1226. He died in November of that
year, but the efforts continued under Louis IX; the area was
reconquered by 1229 and main protagonists made peace. From 1233
the efforts of the Inquisition to crush Catharism were key,
there was resistance and revolts with the military act