Switzerland · Religion / Roman Catholic Church. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
After Pope Gregory XI died the Romans rioted to ensure the election of a Roman for pope. On April 8, 1378 the cardinals elected a Neapolitan when no viable Roman candidates presented themselves. Urban VI the Archbishop of Bari, was elected.
Many of the cardinals who had elected removed themselves from Rome to Anagni, where, even though Urban was still reigning, they elected Robert of Geneva as a rival Pope. Robert took the name Clement VII and reestablished a papal court in Avignon.
The second election threw the Church into turmoil. There had been Popes before, but most of them had been appointed by rival factions; in this case, a single group of leaders of the Church had created both the Pope and the Pope
Urban had been a respected administrator in the papal chancery at Avignon, but as Pope he proved suspicious, reformist, and prone to violent outbursts of temper.
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