Western Schism

A long time ago, the Church had a big split.

Some leaders lived in Rome. Other leaders lived in Avignon. They both said they were the true leader.

This lasted for many years. It was caused by fights between different lands. At one point, there were even three leaders at once!

Many people felt very strongly about this. Some kings helped the leaders in Avignon. Other kings helped the leaders in Rome.

To fix the problem, leaders met at a big meeting. This meeting was called the Council of Constance. They worked to bring the Church back together.

They chose a new leader named Martin V. This finally ended the long split. Now, the Church had only one leader again.

A long time ago, the Catholic Church had a big split. This was called the Western Schism. It lasted from 1378 to 1417.

The split started because of a fight over who was the true pope. The pope is the leader of the Church. In 1378, two different men claimed the title. One lived in Rome. The other lived in Avignon, a city in France.

Many kings and lands took sides. Some helped the leader in Rome. Others helped the leader in Avignon. This made the split last for a long time. Later, a third group tried to pick a new pope in Pisa. Now there were three leaders at once!

To fix this, leaders held a big meeting. It was called the Council of Constance. This meeting helped end the fight. The leaders asked the claimants to step down. They chose a new pope named Martin V. This brought the Church back together under one leader.

The Western Schism was a major split within the Catholic Church. It lasted from September 1378 to November 1417. This event is also known as the Great Divide or the Schism of 1378.

During this time, different leaders claimed to be the true pope. This caused great confusion for people across Europe. It was not just a religious fight. It was also tied to big political rivalries between different lands.

The trouble began because the papacy had moved to Avignon, France, in 1309. Pope Gregory XI finally moved the seat back to Rome in 1377. However, Gregory XI died in March 1378 before he could return to Avignon. After his death, a group of cardinals elected Urban VI in Rome. Some French cardinals soon said this election was not valid. They claimed the Roman crowds used violence to force the choice. These cardinals then elected a different pope, Clement VII, who moved to Avignon.

History shows that many kings and countries picked sides. The French monarchy supported the Avignon popes. Other lands like Castile, Aragon, and Scotland also supported Avignon. On the other side, many others stayed loyal to the Roman popes. This division grew even more complicated in 1409. A group met at the Council of Pisa to fix the split. Instead of fixing it, they elected a third pope named Alexander V. Now, there were three different men all claiming to be the true leader.

To end the chaos, leaders called the Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418. This meeting was a huge effort to bring unity back. The council helped the Roman pope, Gregory XII, step down. They also removed the Pisan claimant, John XXIII. The Avignon claimant, Benedict XIII, refused to leave but lost all his supporters. Eventually, the council elected Pope Martin V in 1417. This election finally ended the long period of division.

This period changed how people thought about church power. A new idea called Conciliarism began to grow. This idea suggested that a church council could be more powerful than a pope. Some thinkers argued that the church should be able to correct its leaders. This loss of unity had long-lasting effects on Western history. Many scholars believe these divisions eventually led to the Protestant Reformation in the 1500s.

The Western Schism was a major period of division within the Catholic Church. It lasted from September 20, 1378, to November 11, 1417. This era is known by several names. Some call it the Great Divide or the Great Occidental Schism. Others refer to it as the Schism of 1378.

During this time, multiple leaders claimed to be the true pope. This split was not just about religion. It was driven by international rivalries and political allegiances. Many kings and nations picked sides based on their own interests. This division created deep confusion across Western Christendom.

The crisis began because of the location of the papacy. Since 1309, the popes had resided in Avignon, France. This area was a papal enclave surrounded by French territory. The Avignon Papacy faced many criticisms. Many people believed it was too closely tied to the French monarchy. Some also accused the papal curia of corruption. They felt the church was focused too much on patronage and increasing revenues. Pope Gregory XI eventually decided to return the seat to Rome. He moved there in 1377. However, Gregory XI died in March 1378 before he could return to Avignon.

The actual split occurred during the election following Gregory XI's death. Roman citizens wanted a Roman pope to stay in the city. They used intimidation and violence to influence the process. On April 8, 1378, the cardinals elected Bartolomeo Prignano. He became Pope Urban VI. Soon after, a group of French cardinals regretted their choice. They claimed the election was invalid because of the Roman riots. These cardinals moved to Fondi. There, thirteen cardinals elected a new pope, Clement VII.

Clement VII established his court in Avignon. This created two competing lines of popes: the Roman line and the Avignon line.

Political alliances shaped how the schism developed over many years. The French monarchy became the greatest protector of the Avignon popes. Other territories like Castile, Aragon, and Scotland also supported Avignon. Even the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in Wales recognized the Avignon claimant, Benedict XIII. Meanwhile, other nations supported the Roman line. For example, John I of Portugal sided with the Roman pope. The Angevin kings of Hungary also supported Rome. This division meant that Europe was split by both faith and politics.

In 1409, the situation became even more complicated. A group of leaders called the Council of Pisa to resolve the dispute. They attempted to depose both the Roman and Avignon popes. They declared both leaders to be heretical and schismatic. However, the council did not fix the problem. Instead, they elected a third pope, Alexander V. This meant there were now three different men claiming to be the true pope. This new Pisan line added a third layer of conflict to the existing divide.

The schism was finally resolved through the Council of Constance. This council met from 1414 to 1418. It was called by the Pisan pope, John XXIII. The Roman pope, Gregory XII, also endorsed the council. This gave the meeting more legitimacy. The council issued a decree called *Haec sancta*. This document stated that a council is the highest governing body of the Church. It claimed the council had the authority to remove popes.

Under the guidance of theologians, the council secured the resignation of Gregory XII. They also removed John XXIII. The Avignon claimant, Benedict XIII, was excommunicated after refusing to step down. Finally, the council elected Pope Martin V in 1417. This election ended the long period of division.

The Western Schism had lasting effects on the Church and Europe. It led to the rise of Conciliarism. This was a reformist movement. It held that a general council was superior to a pope. Thinkers like Jean Gerson argued that the church should be able to correct its leaders. The schism also caused a decline in religious discipline. Many scholars believe this loss of unity helped lead to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. The event fundamentally changed how people viewed papal authority and church governance.