1378-1417 · Rome, Italy / Avignon, France
Western Schism
For nearly forty years, two and then three men simultaneously claimed to be the legitimate Pope, throwing the Western Church into chaos.
In 1378, the cardinals elected Urban VI as Pope in Rome, then almost immediately regretted it. Urban was erratic and abusive, and within months a group of cardinals declared his election invalid, returned to France, and elected a rival pope, Clement VII, who set up court in Avignon. For the next thirty-nine years, Western Christendom was split between two, and eventually three, competing popes. Each had his own cardinals, his own curia, and his own claim to legitimacy. Nations lined up on different sides based on politics as much as principle. France backed Avignon; England and the Holy Roman Empire backed Rome. Saints were divided too. Catherine of Siena supported Rome; Vincent Ferrer initially backed Avignon. An attempt to fix the problem at the Council of Pisa in 1409 only made it worse by electing a third pope without removing the other two. The mess was finally resolved at the Council of Constance in 1417 with the election of Martin V. The Western Schism did not involve any doctrinal disagreement. It was a pure power struggle, and it damaged the papacy's credibility so badly that reform demands would echo for the next century.
Why it matters
Severely damaged papal credibility and demonstrated that the Church's governance structures could fail catastrophically without any heresy being involved.
What Happened
After the papacy returned to Rome from Avignon in 1377, the Roman crowd pressured cardinals to elect an Italian pope. They chose Urban VI, who quickly alienated nearly everyone with his volatile temper. French cardinals declared the election void and elected Clement VII, who returned to Avignon. Europe split along political lines. The Council of Pisa in 1409 added a third claimant. Only the Council of Constance in 1414-1418 resolved the crisis by securing the resignation or removal of all three claimants and electing Martin V.
Why It Still Matters
The Western Schism is a sharp reminder that the Church is a human institution capable of spectacular dysfunction. No doctrine was at stake; it was ambition, fear, and political calculation that tore the Church apart. The crisis also fueled the conciliarism movement, which argued that councils held authority over popes. While that position was eventually rejected, the underlying question of how to hold Church leaders accountable remains relevant.