Massacre at Béziers
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The Massacre at Béziers refers to the slaughter of the inhabitants during the sack of Béziers, an event that took place on 22 July 1209, and was the first major military action of the Albigensian Crusade.
It is possible that Amalric's account of the death of 20,000 is exaggerated, just like Peter of Vaux de Cernay's report that 7,000 were slain in the Church of St Magdalene. The town's population at the time is estimated at less than 14,500, and an unknown number (contemporary reports put the number at 30) may have escaped the massacre.
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