The papal conclave from May 1, 1314 to August 7, 1316, held in the apostolic palace of Carpentras and then the Dominican house in Lyon

Lyon

Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....

, was one of the longest conclaves in the history of the Roman Catholic Church

History of the Roman Catholic Church

As the oldest branch of Christianity, along with Eastern Orthodoxy, the history of the Catholic Church plays an integral part of the History of Christianity as a whole. This article covers a period of just under 2,000 years....

 and the first conclave of the Avignon Papacy

Avignon Papacy

The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven Popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown....

. The length of the conclave was due to the division of the cardinals into three factions: Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

 (Orsini, Alberti, Stefaneschi, Caetani, Longhi, Fieschi, and both Colonna), Gascon

Gascon language

Gascon is usually considered as a dialect of Occitan, even though some specialists regularly consider it a separate language. Gascon is mostly spoken in Gascony and Béarn in southwestern France and in the Aran Valley of Spain...

 (de Pellegrue, de Fougères, Nouvel, Teste, de Farges, de Garve, Daux, du Four, Raymond, and Godin), and French/Provençal

Provence

Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...

 (both Fredol, de Bec, Caignet de Fréauville, de Mandagot, and d'Euse).

The Italian faction wished to return the papacy to Rome, the Gascon faction—mostly composed of the relatives of the previous pope, Clement V

Pope Clement V

Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...

, wished to retain the privileges and powers they had enjoyed during his rule, and the French/Provençal opposed these aims of the Italian and Gascon factions.

Cardinal electors

Among the cardinal electors there were an unusually high number of cardinal-nephew

Cardinal-nephew

A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...

s for two reasons: the previous pontiff, Clement V, had just set a record for the number of cardinal-nephews elevated by a single pontiff—soon to be surpassed by Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...

—and Clement V had reigned long enough that the only surviving Italian cardinals were those who were elevated at a younger age, who tended to be relatives of their elevator.

Elector	Nationality	Faction	Cardinalatial order and title	Elevated	Elevator	Other ecclesiestical titles	Notes
Nicolò Albertini Nicolo Albertini Nicolò Albertini was an Italian Dominican, statesman, and Cardinal.-Life:He was born at Prato in Italy. His early education was directed by his parents, both of whom belonged to illustrious families of Tuscany... , O.P.	Prato Prato Prato is a city and comune in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city is situated at the foot of Monte Retaia , the last peak in the Calvana chain. The lowest altitude in the comune is 32 m, near the Cascine di Tavola, and the highest is the peak of Monte Cantagrillo...	Italian	Cardinal-bishop of Ostia e Velletri	1303, December 18	Benedict XI Pope Benedict XI Blessed Pope Benedict XI , born Nicola Boccasini, was Pope from 1303 to 1304.Born in Treviso, he succeeded Pope Boniface VIII , but was unable to carry out his policies...	Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals
Bérenger Frédol, seniore	French	"French"	Cardinal-bishop of Frascati	1305, December 15	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Grand penitentiary	Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Arnaud de Falguières	French	Gascon	Cardinal-bishop of Sabina	1310, December 19	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Guillaume de Mandagot, C.R.S.A.	French	"French"	Cardinal-bishop of Palestrina	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Arnaud d'Aux Arnaud d'Aux Arnaud d'Aux was relative of pope Clement V, who named him bishop of Poitiers , and then cardinal-bishop of Albano . He accompanied cardinal Arnaud Nouvel in England in 1312. He acted also as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church from 1311 until 1319...	French	Gascon	Cardinal-bishop of Albano	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church	Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Jacques d'Euse Pope John XXII Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...	French	"French"	Cardinal-bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...		Elected Pope John XXII Pope John XXII Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
Nicolas de Fréauville, O.P.	French	"French"	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Eusebio	1305, December 15	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Protopriest Protopriest Protopriest — in the College of Cardinals, is the first Cardinal-Priest in the order of precedence. This title is always attached to the most senior Cardinal Priest according to date of his creation. From the 17th century until the end of 19th century Protopriest usually opted for the titulus San...
Arnaud Nouvel, O.Cist.	French	Gascon	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Prisca	1310, December 19	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church
Bérenguer Frédol, iuniore	French	"French"	Cardinal-priest of the title of Ss. Nereo ed Achilleo	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals The Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals was the treasurer of that body.He administered all property, fees, funds and revenue belonging to the College of Cardinals, celebrated the requiem Mass for a deceased cardinal and was charged with the registry of the Acta Consistoralia.It is...	Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Michel du Bec-Crespin	French	"French"	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Stefano al Monte Celio	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Guillaume Teste	French	Gascon	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Ciriaco alle Terme	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Guillaume Pierre Godin Guillaume Pierre Godin Guillaume Pierre Godin was a French Dominican theologian, and Cardinal.-Life:He was born in Bayonne and spent his early years in south-west France. He was an early opponent of Duns Scotus at Paris, where he was briefly in 1292.He was master of the Sacred Palace from 1306... , O.P.	French	Gascon	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Cecilia	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Vital du Four Vital du Four Vital du Four was a French Franciscan theologian and scholastic philosopher.He became Cardinal in 1312 and bishop of Albano in 1321.-Books:... , O.F.M.	French	Gascon	Cardinal-priest of the title of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Raymond, O.S.B.	French	Gascon	Cardinal-priest of the title of S. Pudenziana	1312, December 23	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
Giacomo Colonna	Roman	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata	1278, March 12	Nicholas III Pope Nicholas III Pope Nicholas III , born Giovanni Gaetano Orsini, Pope from November 25, 1277 to his death in 1280, was a Roman nobleman who had served under eight Popes, been made cardinal-deacon of St...	Protodeacon Protodeacon Protodeacon derives from the Greek proto- meaning 'first' and diakonos, which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." The word in English may refer to various clergymen, depending upon the usage of the particular church in question.-Eastern... ; archpriest of the Liberian Basilica	Uncle of Cardinal Pietro Colonna
Napoleone Orsini Napoleone Orsini Napoleone Orsini was an Italian condottiero.The son of Orso Orsini of Bracciano, he fought for Pope Eugene IV against Francesco Sforza in 1443. Later, in the 1450s, he flanked Ferdinand of Aragon in the struggle between the Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Milan...	Roman	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Adriano	1288, May 16	Nicholas IV Pope Nicholas IV Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...	Archpriest of the Vatican Basilica
Pietro Colonna Pietro Colonna Pietro Colonna was an Italian condottiero.A member of the Colonna family, line of Palestrina, he fought for the Papal States in the 1480s. In August 1501 he was excommunicated by Pope Alexander VI....	Roman	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria	1288, May 16	Nicholas IV Pope Nicholas IV Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...	Archpriest of the Lateran Basilica; abbot of Subiaco Subiaco, Italy Subiaco is a town and comune in the Province of Rome, in Lazio, Italy, from Tivoli alongside the river Aniene. It is mainly renowned as a tourist and religious resort for its sacred grotto , in the St. Benedict's Abbey, and the other Abbey of St. Scholastica...	Nephew of Cardinal Giacomo Colonna
Guglielmo de Longhi	Bergamo Bergamo Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Nicola in Carcere Tulliano	1294, September 18	Celestine V Pope Celestine V Pope Saint Celestine V, born Pietro Angelerio , also known as Pietro da Morrone was elected pope in the year 1294, by the papal election of 1292–1294, the last non-conclave in the history of the Roman Catholic Church...
Giacomo Gaetani Stefaneschi Giacomo Gaetani Stefaneschi Giacomo Gaetani Stefaneschi was an Italian cardinal deacon.-Life:Born in Rome, He was the son of the senator Pietro Stefaneschi and his wife, Perna Orsini. He received his early education at Rome, and was sent to the University of Paris to pursue higher studies...	Rome	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro	1295, December 17	Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...		Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Francesco Caetani	Rome	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin	1295, December 17	Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...		Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Luc Fieschi	Genoese Genoa Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....	Italian	Cardinal-deacon of Ss. Cosma e Damiano	1300, March 2	Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII , born Benedetto Gaetani, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1294 to 1303. Today, Boniface VIII is probably best remembered for his feuds with Dante, who placed him in the Eighth circle of Hell in his Divina Commedia, among the Simonists.- Biography :Gaetani was born in 1235 in...		Nephew of Pope Adrian V Pope Adrian V Pope Adrian V , born Ottobuono de' Fieschi, was pope in 1276.-Biography:Ottobuono belonged to a feudal family of Liguria, the Fieschi, Counts of Lavagna....
Arnaud de Pellegrue Arnaud de Pellegrue Arnaud de Pellegrue was a cardinal-nephew of Pope Clement V, the first pope of the Avignon Papacy.He was born in Château Lamothe, Ancient Diocese of Bazas to the "ancient and noble" house of de la Mothe Pellegrue, a relative of Clement V...	French	Gascon	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Portico	1305, December 15	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...	Protector of the Order of Franciscans	Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Raymond Guillaume des Forges	French	Gascon	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria Nuova	1310, December 19	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...		Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...
Bernard de Garves	French	Gascon	Cardinal-deacon of S. Eusebio	1310, December 19	Clement V Pope Clement V Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...		Cardinal-nephew Cardinal-nephew A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...

Procedure

Had the conclave taken place according to the rules prescribed by Clement V in Ne Romani (1312) and Pope Gregory X

Pope Gregory X

Pope Blessed Gregory X , born Tebaldo Visconti, was Pope from 1271 to 1276. He was elected by the papal election, 1268–1271, the longest papal election in the history of the Roman Catholic Church....

 in Ubi periculum

Ubi periculum

Ubi periculum was a document promulgated by Pope Gregory X during the Second Council of Lyon in 1274 that established the papal conclave as the method of selection for a pope...

(1274), the cardinal electors would have had to meet in the diocese where the Curia

Curia

A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...

 was in residence (the place where letters and apostolic causes were heard), and the local magistrates would have had the authority to compel the departing cardinals to stay. Indeed, the election did begin in that location, the episcopal palace of Carpentras

Carpentras

Carpentras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It stands on the banks of the Auzon...

 (north-east of Avignon), with 23 of the 24 eligible cardinals present (Fieschi was still in Italy).

The Italian cardinals opened by conclave by attempting to gain the support of the Provençal cardinals, proposing the candidacy of Languedoc

Languedoc

Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...

ian jurist and fellow cardinal Guillaume de Mandagot (who had promised to restore the papacy to Rome and end the Gascon domination), whom the Gascons were able to defeat because of the personal opposition of Languedocian cardinal Berenguer Fredol, seniore. An impasse thereafter formed quickly and disputes between the servants of the Italian and Gascon cardinals broke out in the streets, aggravated by mercenary bands hired by the Gascon cardinal-nephew

Cardinal-nephew

A cardinal-nephew is a cardinal elevated by a Pope who is that cardinal's uncle, or, more generally, his relative. The practice of creating cardinal-nephews originated in the Middle Ages, and reached its apex during the 16th and 17th centuries. The word nepotism originally referred specifically to...

s of Clement V and by the body of Clement V, still laying in the town square. Once the mercenaries openly besieged the conclave and the home in which the Italian cardinals were living, the Italian cardinals fled on July 24, 1314, and the rest of the College of Cardinals

College of Cardinals

The College of Cardinals is the body of all cardinals of the Catholic Church.A function of the college is to advise the pope about church matters when he summons them to an ordinary consistory. It also convenes on the death or abdication of a pope as a papal conclave to elect a successor...

 dispersed to Avignon, Orange

Orange, Vaucluse

Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...

, and Valence

Valence, Drôme

Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...

.

With both the Gascon and Italian cardinals threatening to hold their own elections (and thus begin another schism

Schism (religion)

A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...

), Philip IV of France

Philip IV of France

Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...

 ("the Fair") convened a group of jurists to decide the matter, only to die on November 24, 1314. His son, Louis X of France

Louis X of France

Louis X of France, , called the Quarreler, the Headstrong, or the Stubborn was the King of Navarre from 1305 and King of France from 1314 until his death...

 sent a mission to disperse the Gascon cardinals and arranged for the cardinals to meet again in Lyon, through the emissary of his brother, Philip, Count of Poitiers

Philip V of France

Philip the Tall was King of France as Philip V and, as Philip II, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne. He reigned from 1316 to his death and was the penultimate monarch of the House of Capet. Considered a wise and politically astute ruler, Philip took the throne under questionable...

 (future Philip V of France), in March 1316. However, Louis X died, and Philip—forced to return to Paris to pursue his own interests—locked the cardinals in the Dominican convent of Lyon, leaving the Count of Forez to guard the conclave, on June 28, 1316 (previously, to get the cardinals to assemble, Philip had promised the cardinals that he would not lock them in, but he declared that the threat of schism annulled this promise).

At this point, the Gascon faction put forward the candidacy of a moderate member of their ranks, Arnaud Fournier, who was vetoed by the Count, on the instructions of Philip. The conclave proceeded to deadlock around the nominations of Pellegrue, Mondagout, and Fredol. The impetus for the break of the deadlock was a falling out between Napoleone Orsini and Pietro Colonna, after which the latter threw his support behind the Gascons. According to Prof. Toman, this conclave saw the last appearance of a compromise committee tasked with the selection of a suitable candidate. Jacques d'Euse was elected on August 7, taking the name John XXII

Pope John XXII

Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...

 as a compromise candidate with the votes of some of the Italian faction (who had begun to fear the influence of the Colonna) and some of the Gascons; d'Euse was also supported by the Count and by Robert of Naples

Robert of Naples

Robert of Anjou , known as Robert the Wise was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the third but eldest surviving son of King Charles II of Naples the Lame and Maria of Hungary...

; the vote was made unanimous after an accessus

Accessus

Accessus is a term applied to the voting in conclave for the election of a pope, by which a cardinal changes his vote and accedes to some other candidate. Accessus voting was first used in the papal conclave, 1455...

, with the remaining cardinals relenting due to d'Euse's advanced age (72).

Aftermath

With Pope John XXII

Pope John XXII

Pope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...

 reopening the disputed cases before the curia on October 1 in Avignon, the location of the papacy within France appeared to be secured permanently, as the percentage of Italians within the College was only expected to decline further. Whereas, John XXII had been expected to die quickly, he lived until 1334, reaching the age of 90. John XXII's early disputes with the Franciscan

Franciscan

Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....

s (whom he persecuted due to their views on poverty) and Ludwig of Bavaria

Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor

Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....

 (whose claim to the Holy Roman Empire

Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...

 he disputed) merged together when Louis proclaimed John XXII deposed in Rome and, with the assistance of an electorate of thirteen Roman clergy, chose a Franciscan Pietro da Corbara as Antipope Nicholas V

Antipope Nicholas V

Nicholas V, born Pietro Rainalducci was an antipope in Italy from 12 May 1328 to 25 July 1330 during the pontificate of Pope John XXII at Avignon. He was the last Imperial antipope, that is, set up by a Holy Roman Emperor.-Life:Rainalducci was born at Corvaro, an ancient stronghold near Rieti in...

 on April 18, 1328. John XXII's standing in the Curia further diminished late in his papacy when he promoted the unpopular theological view that Saint

Saint

A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...

s would not meet God until the Last Judgment

Last Judgment

The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...

.

Whereas Clement V had lived as a guest in the Dominican

Dominican Order

The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...

 monastery of Avignon, John XXII began the construction of the Palais des Papes

Palais des Papes

The Palais des Papes is a historical palace in Avignon, southern France, one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe....

 on the bank of the Rhone

Rhône

Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...

 in the Comtat Venaissin

Comtat Venaissin

The Comtat Venaissin, often called the Comtat for short , is the former name of the region around the city of Avignon in what is now the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. It comprised roughly the area between the Rhône, the Durance and Mont Ventoux, with a small exclave located to the...

. Five more French popes were elected in succession—Benedict XII

Pope Benedict XII

Pope Benedict XII , born Jacques Fournier, the third of the Avignon Popes, was Pope from 1334 to 1342.-Early life:...

 (1334–1342), Clement VI

Pope Clement VI

Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...

 (1342–1352), Innocent VI

Pope Innocent VI

Pope Innocent VI , born Étienne Aubert; his father was Adhemar Aubert seigneur de Montel-De-Gelas in Limousin province. His niece was Catherine Aubert, Dame de Boutheon, also the wife of Randon II baron de Joyeuse; she is La Fayette's ancestor...

 (1352–1362), Urban V

Pope Urban V

Pope Urban V , born Guillaume Grimoard, was Pope from 1362 to 1370.-Biography:Grimoard was a native of Grizac in Languedoc . He became a Benedictine and a doctor in Canon Law, teaching at Montpellier and Avignon...

 (1362–1370), and Gregory XI

Pope Gregory XI

Gregory XI was pope from 1370 until his death.-Biography:He was born Pierre Roger de Beaufort, in Maumont, in the modern commune of Rosiers-d'Égletons, Limousin around 1336. He succeeded Pope Urban V in 1370, and was pope until 1378...

 (1370–1378)—remaining in Avignon and growing the French super-majority within the College. When the papacy did return to Rome after the return of Gregory XI to Italy to pursue his property claims in the Papal States

Papal States

The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...

 during the War of the Eight Saints

War of the Eight Saints

The War of the Eight Saints was a war between Pope Gregory XI and a coalition of Italian city-states led by Florence, which contributed to the end of the Avignon Papacy.-Causes:...

, the result was the Western Schism

Western Schism

The Western Schism or Papal Schism was a split within the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417. Two men simultaneously claimed to be the true pope. Driven by politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance . The simultaneous claims to the papal chair...

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