The line, "What secret that they took to their grave" probably relates to the night of the 15th to 16th (just before the surrender), when 4 Cathares escaped the castle (by climbing down the very steep rock face on one side of the castle, which was not guarded) to bring a treasure into a safe place. The nature of the treasure is still unknown - some believe that it might have been the Graal.
Montsegur
Iron Maiden Lyrics
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In death, they are truly alive
Massacred innocence, evil took place
The angels were burning inside
Centuries later I wonder why
What secret they took to their grave
Still burning heretics under our skies
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
As we kill them all, so God will know his own
The innocents died for the Pope on his throne
Catholic greed and its paranoid zeal
Curse of the grail and the blood of the cross
Templar believers with blood on their hands
Joined in the chorus to kill on demand
Burned at the stake for their soul's liberty
To stand with the Cathars, to die and be free
The book of Old Testament, crippled and black
Satan, his weapon is lust
Leaving this evil damnation of flesh
Back to the torture of lies
The perfect ones willingly died at the stake
And all of their followers slain
As for the knowledge of God they had claimed
Religion's still burning inside
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
As we kill them all, so God will know his own
The innocents died for the Pope on his throne
Catholic greed and its paranoid zeal
Curse of the grail and the blood of the cross
Templar believers with blood on their hands
Joined in the chorus to kill on command
Burned at the stake for their soul's liberty
Still running heretics under our skies
As we kill them all, so God will know his own
Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust
The eye in the triangle smiling with sin
No Passover feast for the cursed within
Facing the sun as they went to their grave
Burn like a dog or you live like a slave
Death is the price for your soul's liberty
To stand with the Cathars and to die and be free
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
Blood on the stones of the citadel
The lyrics of Iron Maiden's "Montsegur" vividly depict the historical battle of the Cathars against the Catholic Church in the 13th century. The singer, possibly in character as a Cathar, stands alone in a desolate space reflecting on the massacre of the Cathars who were brutally murdered by the Catholics for their heretical beliefs. The irony in these lines lies in the fact that while the Cathars were killed for their heresy, the singer believes that they are the ones who truly live on in death. The Angels, representative of innocent Cathar believers, were burning inside and their secrets taken to the grave.
The chorus of the song speaks about the gates and walls of Montségur, where the Cathars were cornered and ultimately killed, and blood on the stones of the citadel, emphasizing the brutal massacre that took place. The lyrics further detail the ruthless tactics employed by the Catholic Church, including killing innocents on the throne of the Pope in order to demonstrate piety to God.
The lyrics also touch upon the brutal torture and killings of the Templars, who believed in the same heretical beliefs as the Cathars. There is mention of the "curse of the grail and the blood of the cross," possibly referring to the belief held by these groups that Jesus Christ's bloodline carried on through the Cathars and the Templars. The closing lyrics of the song encourage the listener to stand with the Cathars and to be willing to die for their beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
I stand alone in this desolate space
The singer expresses solitude and loneliness in an empty place, perhaps a reflection of the world he is witnessing.
In death, they are truly alive
The singer reflects on the idea of dying for a cause being a greater achievement than living without purpose.
Massacred innocence, evil took place
The singer describes an event where innocent people were killed by an evil force or entity.
The angels were burning inside
Metaphorically, the angels' purity was being destroyed by the evil that was taking place.
Centuries later I wonder why
The singer reflects on a past event that still has an impact on the world today and wonders why it happened.
What secret they took to their grave
The singer wonders what knowledge or truth died with the victims of the past event and remains unknown to the world.
Still burning heretics under our skies
The singer comments on the fact that religious persecution and violence still occur in the present day.
Religion's still burning inside
The singer suggests that religion is the root cause of the violence and persecution that is still taking place in the world.
At the gates and the walls of Montségur
The singer refers to a specific location in France where a massacre took place.
Blood on the stones of the citadel
The singer describes the aftermath of the massacre with the imagery of blood on the stones of the citadel.
As we kill them all, so God will know his own
The singer alludes to the idea that killing those who are different from us is justified because God will only accept those who are like us.
The innocents died for the Pope on his throne
The singer comments on the fact that even innocent people were killed in the name of religion and power.
Catholic greed and its paranoid zeal
The singer accuses the Catholic church of being motivated by greed and paranoia, leading to violent actions.
Curse of the grail and the blood of the cross
The singer suggests that the pursuit of holy relics such as the Holy Grail and the blood of Christ led to the violence and bloodshed of the past.
Templar believers with blood on their hands
The singer identifies the Knights Templar as those who committed violent acts in the name of religion.
Joined in the chorus to kill on demand
The singer suggests that those who committed violent acts did so not of their own free will, but because they were commanded to.
Burned at the stake for their soul's liberty
The singer acknowledges the sacrifice of those who were burned at the stake for standing up for what they believed in.
To stand with the Cathars, to die and be free
The singer salutes the courage of the Cathars who were willing to die for their beliefs and values.
The book of Old Testament, crippled and black
The singer critiques the Old Testament of the Bible, alluding to its flaws and imperfections.
Satan, his weapon is lust
The singer alludes to the idea that sexual desire is a tool of the devil and leads to immoral behavior.
Leaving this evil damnation of flesh
The singer describes the material world and its temptations as an evil force that separates us from spiritual purity.
The perfect ones willingly died at the stake
The singer acknowledges the fact that those who were burned at the stake were often seen as pure and holy beings.
And all of their followers slain
The singer notes that those who followed the burned individuals were also killed, leading to a significant loss of life.
As for the knowledge of God they had claimed
The singer acknowledges that those who were killed claimed to have knowledge of God and that their beliefs and values were valid.
Laugh at the darkness and in god we trust
The singer alludes to the idea of finding humor in dark times and reaffirms a belief in God despite the violent actions of religious institutions.
The eye in the triangle smiling with sin
The singer alludes to the symbol of the Illuminati and suggests that it is a symbol of sinful behavior.
No Passover feast for the cursed within
The singer alludes to the Biblical story of Passover but suggests that those who are cursed or victims of injustice will not be able to celebrate.
Facing the sun as they went to their grave
The singer describes the courage of those who faced death with bravery and dignity.
Burn like a dog or you live like a slave
The singer suggests that it is better to die with honor than to live a life of slavery and subjugation.
Death is the price for your soul's liberty
The singer acknowledges that sometimes the price of standing up for what you believe in is death.
To stand with the Cathars and to die and be free
The singer alludes to the idea that dying for a just cause can be a way to achieve true freedom.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Bruce Dickinson, Janick Gers, Stephen Percy Harris
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Dill
on The Number of the Beast
kicking it