The papal conclave from April 7 to 9, 1378 was the papal conclave

Papal conclave

A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...

 which was the immediate cause of 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...

 in the Catholic Church. The conclave was one of the shortest in the history of the Catholic Church. The conclave was also the first held in the Vatican

Vatican Hill

Vatican Hill is the name given, long before the founding of Christianity, to one of the hills on the side of the Tiber opposite the traditional seven hills of Rome...

 and in Old St. Peter's Basilica (the elections and conclaves in Rome prior to 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....

 having been held mostly in the Basilica of St. John Lateran

Basilica of St. John Lateran

The Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran , commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica and St. John Lateran's Basilica, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope...

) since 1159

Papal election, 1159

The Papal election of 4–7 September 1159 followed the death of Pope Adrian IV. It resulted in a double election. A majority of the cardinals elected Cardinal Rolando of Siena as Pope Alexander III, but a minority refused to recognize him and elected their own candidate Ottaviano de Monticelli, who...

.

Pope 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...

 died on March 26, 1378 in Rome, having returned from Avignon

Avignon

Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...

 to pursue his territorial interests 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:...

. Although the French cardinals constituted a majority 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...

 due to the preceding Avignon Papacy, they succumbed to the will of the Roman mob, which demanded the election of an Italian pontiff. The sixth and last non-cardinal to be elected pope, Bartolommeo Prignano took the name Pope Urban VI

Pope Urban VI

Pope Urban VI , born Bartolomeo Prignano, was Pope from 1378 to 1389.-Biography:Born in Itri, he was a devout monk and learned casuist, trained at Avignon. On March 21, 1364, he was consecrated Archbishop of Acerenza in the Kingdom of Naples...

.

Cardinal electors

Sixteen of the twenty-three active cardinals took part in the conclave. Two possible other cardinals—Piero Tornaquinci and Pietro Tartaro—were not accepted into the ranks of the College for the election. Six more cardinals remained in Avignon, and Jean de la Grange was absent as well.

Elector	Nationality	Cardinalatial order and title	Elevated	Elevator	Other ecclesiastical titles	Notes
Pietro Corsini	Florentine	Cardinal-bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina	1370, June 7	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...	Sub-dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals
Jean du Cros Jean du Cros Jean du Cros was a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was bishop of Limoges in France .He was made cardinal-priest of SS. Nereo e Achilleo on 30 May 1371 by his uncle, Pope Gregory XI. Then, he became grand penitentiary and cardinal-bishop of Palestrina...	French	Cardinal-bishop of Palestrina	1371, May 30	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...	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...
Guillaume d'Aigrefeuille, iuniore, O.S.B.	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Stefano al Monte Celio	1367, May 12	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...	Camerlengo of the 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...
Francesco Tebaldeschi	Roman	Cardinal-priest of S. Sabina	1368, September 22	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...
Bertrand Lagier Bertrand Lagier Bertrand Lagier O.Min. was a French Franciscan and cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was bishop of Assisi in 1357, and bishop of Glandèves in France, in 1368.... , O.F.M.	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Cecilia	1371, May 30	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...
Robert de Genève Antipope Clement VII Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...	French	Cardinal-priest of Ss. XII Apostoli	1371, May 30	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...		Future Antipope Clement VII Antipope Clement VII Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...
Simone Borsano	Milanese	Cardinal-priest of Ss. Giovanni e Paolo	1375, December 20	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...
Hugues de Montelais, le jeune	French	Cardinal-priest of Ss. IV Coronati	1375, December 20	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...
Gui de Maillesec	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Croce in Gerusalemme	1375, December 20	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...		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...
Pierre de Sortenac	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina	1375, December 20	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...
Gérard du Puy Gérard du Puy Gérard du Puy was a French cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and cardinal-nephew of Pope Gregory XI.-Papal legate:... , O.S.B.	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Clemente	1375, December 20	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...		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...
Giacomo Orsini	Roman	Cardinal-deacon of S. Giorgio in Velabro	1371, May 30	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...
Pierre Flandrin	French	Cardinal-deacon of S. Eustachio	1371, May 30	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...	Vicar of Rome
Guillaume Noellet	French	Cardinal-deacon of S. Angelo in Pescheria	1371, May 30	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...
Pierre de Vergne	French	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Via Lata	1371, May 30	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...
Pedro Martínez de Luna y Gotor Antipope Benedict XIII Benedict XIII, born Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor , known as in Spanish, was an Aragonese nobleman, who is officially considered by the Catholic Church to be an antipope....	Aragonese Kingdom of Aragon The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Cosmedin	1375, December 20	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...		Future Antipope Benedict XIII Antipope Benedict XIII Benedict XIII, born Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor , known as in Spanish, was an Aragonese nobleman, who is officially considered by the Catholic Church to be an antipope....

Absentee cardinals

Elector	Nationality	Cardinalatial order and title	Elevated	Elevator	Other ecclesiastical titles	Notes
Pierre de Monteruc	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Anastasia	1356, December 23	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...	Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church; 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...	Remained in Avignon; 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...
Jean de Blandiac	French	Cardinal-bishop of Sabina	1361, September 17	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...		Remained in Avignon
Gilles Aycelin de Montaigu Gilles Aycelin de Montaigu Gilles Aycelin de Montaigu or Montaigut, Montagu, was a French religious and diplomat who became Lord Chancellor of France, Cardinal from 1361 and bishop of Frascati from 1368. He was the chief negotiator for Jean II of France with the English, in the aftermath of the battle of Poitiers. Towards...	French	Cardinal-bishop of Frascati	1361, September 17	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...		Remained in Avignon
Hugues de Saint-Martial	French	Cardinal-deacon of S. Maria in Portico	1361, September 17	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...	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 Vatican Basilica	Remained in Avignon
Ange de Grimoard Ange de Grimoard Angelic de Grimoard was a French Cardinal, and the younger brother of Pope Urban V.He joined the Order of Canon Regulars of Saint Augustine at Saint-Ruf. In 1358 he became prior of St.-Pierre-de-Dieu. In 1362 his older brother Guillaume was elected Pope Urban V and named him bishop of Avignon in... , C.R.S.A.	French	Cardinal-bishop of Albano	1366, September 18	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...	Dean of the College of Cardinals Dean of the College of Cardinals The Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals is the president of the College of Cardinals in the Roman Catholic Church, and as such always holds the rank of Cardinal Bishop. The Dean is not necessarily the longest-serving member of the whole College... ; archpriest of the Lateran Basilica	Remained in Avignon; 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...
Guillaume de Chanac Guillaume de Chanac Guillaume de Chanac was a French Benedictine who became a Cardinal.He was abbot at Beze, and then was abbot at Saint-Florent from 1354 to 1368. He was Bishop of Chartres and then Bishop of Mende, for brief periods up to 1371.... , O.S.B.	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Vitale	1371, May 30	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...		Remained in Avignon
Jean de la Grange Jean de la Grange Jean de La Grange was a French prelate and politician, active during the reigns of Charles V and Charles VI, and an important member of the papal curia at Avignon, at the time of the Western Schism... , O.S.B.	French	Cardinal-priest of S. Marcello	1375, December 20	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...		Papal legate in Tuscany

Proceedings

Before his death, Gregory XI substantially loosened the laws of the conclave: he instructed the cardinals to begin immediately after his death (rather than waiting the nine days prescribed by the Ordo Romanis) to prevent "factional coercion", he gave the cardinals permission to hold the conclave outside of Rome and move it as many times as necessary, and also seemingly suspended the two-thirds requirement, replacing it with "the greater part" (an ambiguous statement, in the original).

The cardinals were divided into three factions: the first constituting the four Italian cardinals (two Romans, one Florentine, and one Milanese), the second constituting the seven "Limoges

Limoges

Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....

" cardinals (referred to individually as "Limousins"), and the third constituting the five remaining French cardinals. The conclave was delayed one day because of a violent storm, and thereafter the seven Limoges cardinals wishing to leave Rome as Gregory XI had authorized them to were persuaded by the others that such an act would place the College in even more danger. It was midnight on the second day before the servants of the cardinals succeeded in clearing the Old Basilica of those not permitted to remain in the conclave.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia

Catholic Encyclopedia

The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...

, even Robert of Geneva (future Antipope Clement VII

Antipope Clement VII

Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...

) and Pedro Martínez de Luna y Gotor (future Antipope Benedict XIII

Antipope Benedict XIII

Benedict XIII, born Pedro Martínez de Luna y Pérez de Gotor , known as in Spanish, was an Aragonese nobleman, who is officially considered by the Catholic Church to be an antipope....

)—the two claimants of the Avignon line during the ensuing Schsim—were among those who voted for Prignano. Prignano had previously lived in France, which may have softened the blow of his election to many of his French electors. The selection was supposedly "unanimous

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 exception of Giacomo Orsini, who claimed that he was not "free" enough to vote.

Prignano was accompanied by several other prelates (to conceal the identity of the selected candidate) to the Vatican to accept his election. To further the confusion, Orsini gave the Habemus Papam

Habemus Papam

Habemus Papam! is the announcement given in Latin by the senior Cardinal Deacon upon the election of a new pope.The announcement is given from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican...

without identifying Prignano.

Upon the conclusion of the election, the Roman mob entered the site of the conclave, under the impression that an aged Roman cardinal Tebaldeschi (who had been left in possession of the papal insignia) had been elected, an impression that the remaining cardinals did not disavow them of as they fled to their personal quarters. The remaining cardinal informed the crowd of the election of Prignano who was hiding in the "most secret room" until his election could be announced.

Aftermath

The following September, the French cardinals reunited in Avignon, moved to Fondi

Fondi

Fondi is a city and comune in the province of Latina, Lazio, central Italy, halfway between Rome and Naples. Before the construction of the highway between the latter cities in the late 1950s, Fondi had been an important settlement on the Roman Via Appia, which was the main connection from Rome to...

, and elected Antipope Clement VII

Antipope Clement VII

Robert of Geneva was elected to the papacy as Pope Clement VII by the French cardinals who opposed Urban VI, and was the first Avignon antipope of the Western Schism.-Biography:...

, who gained the support of all thirteen of his electors (at the time the entire College numbered twenty-two due to the death of Francesco Tebaldeschi).

Sources

Inquisitor Nicholas Eymerich

Nicholas Eymerich

Nicholas Eymerich was a Roman Catholic theologian and Inquisitor General of the Inquisition of the Crown of Aragon in the later half of the 14th century. He is best known for authoring the Directorium Inquisitorum....

 witnesses the conclave, and then went on to write one of the first tracts against Urban VI, Tractatus de potestate papali (1383), which argued in favor of the legitimacy of the Avignon line of papal claimants. Several other eye-witnesses record the chant of the Roman crowd: "We want a Roman or at least an Italian" . The contemporary curial document Factum Urbani attests to the general atmosphere of confusion, fear, and panic. For example, canonist Gilles Bellemère recounts removing his clerical garb for fear of the mob and the constant ringing of bells.

Pro-Urbanist sources—such as Alfonso de Jaén, the confessor of Bridget of Sweden

Bridget of Sweden

Bridget of Sweden Bridget of Sweden Bridget of Sweden (1303 – 23 July 1373; also Birgitta of Vadstena, Saint Birgitta , was a mystic and saint, and founder of the Bridgettines nuns and monks after the death of her husband of twenty years...

, her daughter Catharine, and Dietrich of Nieheim

Dietrich of Nieheim

Dietrich of Nieheim , medieval historian, was born at Nieheim, a small town subject to the see of Paderborn.-Life:...

—claim that the situation in Rome was less restless. The marked discrepancy between the classes of sources can be explained by the fact that the alleged duress of the mob became the primary argument in favor of the legitimacy of the Avignon claimants.

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