Editing Albigensian Crusade (section)

===Revolts and reverses 1216 to 1225===
Raymond VI, together with Raymond VII, returned to the region in April 1216 and soon raised a substantial force from disaffected towns. [[Beaucaire, Gard|Beaucaire]] was besieged in May. After three months, the occupants were running low on supplies, and reached an agreement with Raymond to surrender the castle in exchange for being allowed to leave with their arms.{{sfn|Peter of les Vaux de Cernay|1998|p=584}} The efforts of Montfort to relieve the town were repulsed.{{sfn|Meyer|1879|p=419}} Innocent III died suddenly in July 1216<ref>{{Catholic Encyclopedia |no-icon=1 |prescript= |wstitle=Pope Innocent III |last=Ott |first=Michael}}</ref> and the crusade was left in temporary disarray. The command passed to the more cautious Philip II of France, who was reluctant to vigorously prosecute the crusade.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=52}} At the time, he was still heavily involved in conflict with King John of England.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=98}}

Montfort then had to put down an uprising in Toulouse before heading west to capture [[Bigorre]], but he was repulsed at [[Lourdes]] in December 1216. On 12 September 1217, Raymond retook Toulouse without a fight while Montfort was occupied in the Foix region. Montfort hurried back, but his forces were insufficient to retake the town before campaigning halted.{{sfn|Meyer|1879|p=419}} Responding to a call from [[Pope Honorius III]] to renew the crusade,{{sfn|Nicholson|2004|p=63}} Montfort resumed the [[Siege of Toulouse (1217–18)|siege]] in the spring of 1218. On 25 June{{sfn|Meyer|1879|p=419}} or 29,{{sfn|Nicholson|2004|p=63}} while attempting to fend off a sally by the defenders, Montfort was struck and killed by a stone hurled from defensive siege equipment. Toulouse was held, and the Crusaders driven back. Popular accounts state that the city's artillery was operated by the women and girls of Toulouse.{{sfn|Meyer|1879|p=419}} In August, reacting to the crusade's recent failures, Honorius restored full crusading indulgences to those fighting against the Cathars.{{sfn|Tyerman|2006|p=600}}

The crusade continued with renewed vigour. Philip refused to command in person, but agreed to appoint his son,{{sfn|Costen|1997|pp=150–151}} the also reluctant{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=117}} Prince [[Louis VIII of France|Louis]], to lead an expedition.{{sfn|Costen|1997|pp=150–151}} His army marched south beginning in May 1219, passing through Poitou. In June, an army under [[Amaury VI of Montfort|Amaury de Montfort]],{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=117}} son of the late Simon,{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=175}} joined by Louis, besieged Marmande. The town fell{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=117}} in June 1219. Its occupants, excluding only the commander and his knights, were massacred.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=118}} After capturing Marmande, Louis attempted to retake Toulouse. Following a siege of six weeks, the army abandoned the mission and went home. Honorius III called the endeavour a "miserable setback". Without Louis's troops, Amaury was unable to hold on to the lands that he had taken, and the Cathars were able to retake much of their land.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=119}} Castelnaudary was retaken by troops under Raymond VII. Amaury again besieged the town from July 1220 to March 1221, but it withstood an eight-month assault. In 1221, the success of Raymond and his son continued: Montréal and Fanjeaux were retaken and many Catholics were forced to flee. By 1222, Raymond VII had reclaimed all the lands that had been lost. That same year, Raymond VI died and was succeeded by Raymond VII.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=120}} On 14 July 1223, Philip II died, and Louis VIII succeeded him as king.{{sfn|Costen|1997|p=151}} In 1224, Amaury de Montfort abandoned Carcassonne. Raymond VII returned from exile to reclaim the area.{{sfn|Strayer|1971|p=122}} That same year, Amaury ceded his remaining lands to Louis VIII.{{sfn|Lock|2006|p=165}}