The Great Papal Schism: The Day the Papacy Split in Three

You're about to witness a pivotal moment in Catholic Church history – the Great Papal Schism. It's 1378, and the papacy is on the brink of a monumental split. You see, the death of Pope Gregory XI sparked a contentious election, resulting in rival claims to the throne. Suddenly, you have three popes vying for authority: Pope Urban VI in Rome, Antipope Clement VII in Avignon, and later Antipope John XXIII. The stage is set for a decades-long struggle that will erode papal power and forever alter the Church's landscape. But what led to this drastic divide?

Key Takeaways

• The Great Papal Schism began in 1377 with Pope Gregory XI's return to Rome from Avignon, sparking tensions within the Church.
• Dissenting cardinals elected Clement VII in Avignon, while Urban VI in Rome, creating a papal divide with two rival popes.
• A failed Council of Pisa in 1409 resulted in the election of a third pope, Alexander V, further complicating the leadership crisis.
• The Council of Constance (1414-1418) deposed or accepted the resignation of the three popes, unifying the Church under Pope Martin V.

Historical Context of the Schism

You can trace the origins of the Great Papal Schism back to 1377, when Pope Gregory XI decided to return the papacy to Rome from Avignon. This move would rekindle tensions among the cardinals and set the stage for the conflict that followed.

As you explore the historical context of the schism, you'll find that the election of Urban VI in 1378 amid violent demands for a Roman pope only added fuel to the fire.

The dissenting cardinals' election of Clement VII in Avignon created a split, marking the beginning of the Great Western Schism.

The schism saw rival popes, with France and its allies backing Clement VII, while England and the Holy Roman Empire supported Urban VI. This ultimately led to the failed Council of Pisa and the election of a third pope.

Causes of the Papal Divide

As you explore the causes of the Papal Divide, you'll find that a struggle for papal power was a major contributor to the schism.

You'll also see how the church's leadership crisis, sparked by the election of multiple popes, led to widespread confusion and division among Catholics.

In addition, you'll examine how growing secular influence, as monarchs and nobles took sides with either Rome or Avignon, further fractured the church and exacerbated the conflict.

Papal Power Struggle

Tensions within the Catholic Church, fueled by power politics and national interests, ultimately sparked the papal power struggle that led to the divide between rival claimants to the papal throne.

The election of Urban VI in 1378 was a contentious one, with dissenting cardinals declaring it invalid and electing Clement VII in Avignon instead. This split marked the beginning of the Great Schism.

As national interests played a significant role, European loyalties were divided, with France backing Clement VII and England supporting Urban VI.

The failed attempts at reconciliation, like the Council of Pisa, only added to the mess, introducing a third pope and solidifying the divide.

Conciliarism eventually emerged, advocating for the supremacy of church councils over the pope.

Church Leadership Crisis

Frequently, the roots of the Church Leadership Crisis are traced back to the papal election of 1378, when Urban VI's harsh reforms sparked widespread dissent among cardinals, ultimately leading to the emergence of a rival pope. You see how this event started a chain reaction, deepening the schism.

Here are key factors that contributed to the crisis:

1. The Avignon Connection: The papacy's move to Avignon in 1309 created perceptions of corruption, diminishing papal authority and contributing to the schism.
2. Papal Election Controversy: The election of Clement VII as a rival pope in Avignon solidified the divide, with some nations supporting him while others recognized Urban VI as the legitimate pope.
3. Council of Pisa's Failure: The Council of Pisa's attempt to resolve the schism ultimately led to the election of a third pope, Alexander V, further complicating the crisis.

Secular Influence Grows

The growing distrust of the papacy during the 14th century created a power vacuum that allowed secular rulers to increasingly exert influence over church affairs, driving the divide between rival papal factions. As you explore this period, you'll see how the papacy's reputation was marred by perceptions of corruption and lack of independence from secular rulers.

Event	Papal Faction	Secular Influence
Avignon Papacy (1309-1377)	French-backed	Diminished papacy's reputation
Election of Urban VI (1378)	Roman-backed	Driven by mob's demand
Election of Clement VII (1378)	Avignon-backed	Supported by France and Castile
Schism (1378-1417)	Rival popes	Deepened church's division
Political Strife (1378-1417)	Monarchy-aligned	Increased secular influence

You'll notice how the rivalry between Urban VI and Clement VII created a politically charged environment, allowing secular influence to grow and erode papal credibility.

Three Popes Emerge

As the crisis deepened, opposing factions within the Catholic Church elected three separate popes, setting the stage for a period of unprecedented conflict and division.

You see the Great Papal Schism unfolding before your eyes. The conflicting desires for Church reform led to this point.

Here are the three popes vying for power:

1. Pope Urban VI in Rome, the original pope whose election was contested by a faction of cardinals.
2. Clement VII, elected by the dissenting cardinals and established in Avignon, France.
3. John XXIII, chosen by the Council of Pisa in an attempt to resolve the schism, but ultimately adding to the chaos.

These three popes eroded papal authority, sparking calls for reform and ultimately, the Council of Constance in 1414.

Consequences of Church Division

You're now exploring the severe repercussions of the church division triggered by the papal schism.

As you examine the consequences, you see that the rift leads to a significant erosion of papal authority, raising questions about the legitimacy of the church's leadership.

You'll discover how this crisis led to the emergence of Conciliarism, a movement that challenges papal power and seeks governance reforms within the Church.

Decline of Papal Authority

Rival claims to the papacy during the Western Schism (1378-1417) severely diminished papal authority, allowing national and factional interests to supplant the Church's unified power base across Europe. As a result, you see the Church's influence waning, and the rise of competing interests taking its place.

Here are three ways the schism affected the papacy's authority:

1. Intense partisanship: Factions aligned with either Urban VI or Clement VII, weakening the Church's unified power base across Europe.
2. Rise of secular influence: Political leaders began to exert greater influence over ecclesiastical matters, further undermining papal authority.
3. National allegiances: Support for either of the competing popes shifted based on national allegiances, contributing to the decline of papal legitimacy and paving the way for the Protestant Reformation.

Rise of Conciliarism

In the aftermath of the Western Schism, the rise of Conciliarism emerged as a powerful response to the Church's division, advocating for the supremacy of church councils over papal authority in resolving disputes and reforming the Church.

You see the Council of Constance (1414-1418) as a turning point, where it asserted the council's authority over the popes, leading to the deposition of John XXIII and the resignation of Gregory XII.

Conciliarism's impact continued to shape Church governance, influencing the Protestant Reformation and altering perceptions of papal power.

A key effort to resolve the Papal Schism was the Council of Pisa, convened in 1409, which sought to depose both Urban VI and Clement VII and elect a new pope. You see the complication – two popes were already too many, and now a third, Alexander V, was added to the mix.

Here's what you need to know about this attempt:

1. Council of Pisa's goal: End the schism by choosing a new pope.
2. Outcome: The election of Alexander V created a three-pope problem instead of resolving the crisis.
3. Challenge to papal supremacy: The existence of multiple popes defied the idea of papal authority, setting the stage for the Council of Constance to assert the power of a general council over the papacy.

This effort ultimately failed to end the schism.

The Council of Constance

Convening from 1414 to 1418, the Council of Constance takes center stage as the pivotal effort that ultimately resolves the Western Schism by tackling the thorny issue of multiple, competing popes.

The council successfully facilitates the resignation of Pope Gregory XII and the deposition of Antipope John XXIII, while also excommunicating Antipope Benedict XIII.

On November 11, 1417, the council elects Pope Martin V, effectively restoring unity to the Roman Catholic Church and marking the end of the schism. Pope Martin V’s election brought much-needed stability to the Church after decades of division marked by competing papacies. His leadership focused on reforming the Church and healing the rifts that had formed during the schism, allowing for a renewed sense of purpose among the clergy and laity. Over the following years, he would address pressing issues such as the influence of the calendar months named after emperors on the Church’s liturgical calendar, seeking to align ecclesiastical practices with a more unified vision of faith and governance.

Through the decree Haec sancta, the council asserts its authority over the papacy, claiming a general council holds greater authority than individual popes.

This move considerably influences church governance, setting a precedent for future councils to address church matters and establishing legitimacy.

Legacy of the Papal Schism

The aftermath of the Western Schism leaves the papacy reeling, its authority and credibility severely damaged in the eyes of the faithful. You see the far-reaching consequences of this tumultuous period. The Council of Constance resolved the schism with the election of Martin V, but the damage had been done.

Here are three key ways the schism impacted the Church:

1. Rise of Conciliarism: The schism highlighted the need for reform, and Conciliarism emerged as a movement advocating for the authority of church councils over the pope.
2. Lasting political tensions: The rival popes and national divisions fueled by the schism contributed to ongoing political tensions across Europe.
3. Paving the way for reform and the Protestant Reformation: The schism set the stage for the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, as Church authority and the need for reform continued to be questioned.