The Western Schism Events

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A schism represents a split within the Catholic Church where multiple popes hold office simultaneously.
The longest of these began in 1378, when the papal see was moved back to Rome from Avignon, where it had been forcibly relocated for 70 years by the King of France due to disagreements with Roman church officials. However, the new Pope of Rome, Urban VI, refused to share power with the cardinals who had elected him. They therefore declared the election invalid and installed a new, second pope Clement VII, once again based in Avignon.
Clement VII was recognised by Scotland, Castile, Aragon, Navarre and Portugal. Germany, Bohemia, England and Ireland, Flanders, Poland, Hungary and Italy sided with Pope Urban VI. After their deaths, Boniface IX took office in Rome and antipope Benedict XIII in Avignon.
All attempts to restore the unity of the Catholic Church were unsuccessful. The crisis of faith strongly affected society at the time, and voices of Church critics (such as John Wycliffe and Jan Hus) grew stronger.
In 1409, there was even a move by the cardinals to declare both popes invalid and elect a third, John XXIII. However, neither pope was relegated.
Only after The Council of Constance (1414-1418), convened by Sigismund of Luxembourg and John XXIII, were there to be reforms in the Church. It resulted in the deposition of all three popes and, in 1417, the election of a new pope, who was based in Rome. The schism was thus brought to an end.

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