Legitimisation of Violence against Heretics in 11th and 12th-Century Catholic Narratives

The article explores 11th-12th-century anti-heretical polemics, aimed at justifying violence against heretics before it was legally sanctioned. Mediaeval authors argued that condemned heretics deliberately chose damnation, likening their actions to suicide, the gravest sin. The clergy viewed unrepentant heretics not as martyrs but as suicides, tainted with pride and vainglory. Ordeals and miracles were cited to affirm guilt, particularly in cases of burning the accused. Other fates did not demand any additional legitimisation. These narratives aimed to assert the righteousness of the Church and the inevitability of apostate retribution, helping to delineate the Church-heretic boundary and restore societal equilibrium.