It becomes increasingly obvious by this stage of the war that rooting out Catharism was secondary to taking territory and eradicating those who defied the chief crusader. The coming year enhanced Simon of Montfort's reputation as a clever soldier but not as a Christian prince. Militarily, not only did Montfort regain territory the crusade had lost the previous fall and winter, but he also went on the offensive in two areas that had never been part of the original mandate for the destruction of heresy: the Agenais and Gascony. To get there, however, he had to strengthen his position in the viscounty of Albi.

Continuing the campaign of 1211 into January 1212, the truncated winter army rode north to attack the small village of Touelles in the Albi region, partly because it belonged to the traitor Giraud of Pépieux's father. Montfort seized the town quickly and executed many of its defenders but took Giraud's father prisoner, exchanging him for Dreux of Compans, a crusader noble captured not long before in a supply train ambush. After this the army besieged Cahuzac, also in the Albi region. Montfort intended to isolate the larger castrum of Gaillac, some of whose citizens had participated in the assassination of Pons of Beaumont, the garrison commander at Lagrave, the previous fall. Because of the severe weather, after a short blockade of two days Montfort had his men assault Cahuzac rather than continue to besiege it.