In the 13th century, a heretical movement called the Cathars thrived in the independent city-states of what is now southern France. Rejecting the sacraments, Hell, and the subjugation of women, they enjoyed the support of local aristocrats -- but incurred the wrath of the Church, ensuring their downfall. Pope Innocent III recruited the French, always eager to expand their territory, and unleashed a powerful new force: the Inquisition.