What is the “Western Schism” (1378–1417)?

The story behind the answer

After the Avignon Papacy, a disputed election in 1378 produced competing pontiffs in Rome (Urban VI) and Avignon (Clement VII), each with their own colleges of cardinals and networks of secular allies. The confusion escalated when the Council of Pisa (1409) tried to fix things but instead created a third claimant. This fractured Christendom as kingdoms took sides, turning spiritual leadership into a geopolitical contest.

The turmoil fueled the rise of conciliarism—the idea that church councils could have authority over popes. Stability returned only when the Council of Constance (1414–1418) deposed or accepted resignations of the rivals and elected Martin V in 1417. The episode damaged the papacy’s prestige and revealed how deeply late medieval politics and religion were intertwined.