True History - Veritas Card #21 (Orange Card) - The Great Papal Schism

The Great Papal Schism - 1376-1417

     When we think of popes, we usually think of the Vatican, or Rome, but did you know that there was a time when the French cardinals selected the popes, and the popes that they selected were French? They built a special place for the popes in Avignon, France, but in 1377, Gregory XI succeeded in bringing the papacy back to Rome. It was in France for almost 70 years now. The Romans however were afraid of the papacy going back to the French, once Gregory XI died. There was a violent man named Urban VI, who was elected as pope. He was rejected, and replaced by Clement VII. Clement VII marched on to Rome, because Urban VI refused to give up the throne! So there were two popes now, because Clement VII failed to capture Rome and ended up in Avignon, France.
   So now two men were ruling as popes in Avignon. And their successors also ruled this way. This created a great schism. There was no way to work this problem out. Down the road, they thought they might have a solution though. The most promising attempt brought about a third line of claimants.
   Now a council was being called by John XXIII. This was the Council of Constance. Both John XXIII and Benedict XXIII were promptly deposed at the council. Also, Gregory XII of Rome resigned. martin V was elected as pope by the council, and he was the first pope in forty years to rule the entire Latin Church. Now the schism ended.
   A pope was now considered as a constitutional ruler with delegated authority instead of an absolute monarch.