Why were there three popes in 1414 AD?

Answer 1

Catholic AnswerThere were never three popes, there was a time, near the end of the Great Schism, when there were three claimants to the papal tiara, although only one of them was the true pope. The situation was very confusing, and mostly occurred due to politics. The Great Schism, otherwise known as the Western Schism is not to be confused with the Schism of the East. The Schism of the East was when the Eastern Church broke into two factions, half staying with Rome, and half formed what is now called the Orthodox Church. Many contemporary, particularly protestant scholars seem to confuse the two. What is called the Great Schism in the Catholic Church was the Western Schism, which, even more confusing, was not really a schism in the sense that the Schism of the East was, but a time when the Church had more than one claimant to the Papal Throne, finally resulted in three, one pope and two antipopes.

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from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957The Great Schism, otherwise know as the Schism of the West was not strictly a schism at all but a conflict between the two parties within the Church each claiming to support the true pope. Three months after the election of Urban VI, in 1378, the fifteen electing cardinals declared that they had appointed him only as a temporary vicar and that in any case the election was invalid as made under fear of violence from the Roman mob. Urban retorted by naming twenty-eight new cardinals, and the others at once proceeded to elect Cardinal Robert of Geneva as Pope Clement VII, who went to reside at Avignon. The quarrel was in its origin not a theological or religious one, but was caused by the ambition and jealousy of French influence, which was supported to some extent for political reasons by Spain, Naples, Provence, and Scotland; England, Germany, Scandinavia, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Flanders and Hungary stood by what they believe to be the true pope at Rome. The Church was torn from top to bottom by the schism, both sides in good faith (it was impossible to know to whom allegiance was due), which lasted with its two lines of popes (and at one time three) till the election of Martin V in 1417. It is now regarded as practically certain that the Urbanist popes were the true ones and their names are included in semi-official lists; moreover, the ordinal numbers of the Clementine claimants (who, however, are not called anti-popes,) were adopted by subsequent popes of the same name.

from

Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

The Great Schism, otherwise known as the Western Schism, 1378-1417, when there was controversy over the true succession to the papacy. It began with the writings of Marsilius of Padua c. 1275- 1342), who claimed that a pope is subject to a council of bishops, priests, and laymen. Urban VI was elected Pope on April 8, 1378, following the seventy-year Avignon residence of the papacy. He was a stern reformer and also harsh. The French cardinals in retaliation declared that Urban had not been validly elected and proceeded to elect Robert of Geneva as the antipope Clement VII (1378-94). Clement withdrew to Avignon and the Great Schism was in full swing. France, Scotland, and Spain gave their allegiance to Clement; England, Italy, Flanders, Hungary, Poland, and most of Germany followed Urban, who died in 1389. There followed a succession of lawful popes at Rome and antipopes at Avignon. The universities of Paris, Oxford, and Prague disputed how the impasse should be resolved. Finally pope and antipope were invited to a council at Pisa (1409); both decline and were declared deposed by the council, which proceeded to elect yet another antipope, Alexander V (1409-10). In desperation, Emperor Sigismund of Germany appealed to the antipope John XXIII of Pisa, to call a general council at Constance, a German city on the Rhine. John agreed, and the council, later legitimized, was convened in 1414. It lasted four years and finally resolved the schism. The Pisan antipope John XXIII abdicated. Gregory XII, the true Roman Pontiff, having formally convoked the Council of Constance, sent his representatives, and then, for the good of the Church, freely resigned his office. The claim of Benedict XIII of Avignon was no longer worthy of serious consideration. The chair of Peter, vacant at last was filled by the election, November 11, 1417, of Pope Martin V. The Great Schism was ended.

Answer 2

In 1059, Pope Nicholas II (1059-1061) decreed that a council of high church officials and advisors known as the College of Cardinals (Curia) would choose new Popes. This practice has continued to this day.

In 1309 the papacy moved to Avignon, France. The French began to have a substantial influence in the College of Cardinals.

In 1377, Pope Gregory XI (r. 1370-1378) moved the papacy from Avignon, France (where it had been located for 68 years) back to Rome.

In 1378, Pope Gregory XI died. The College of Cardinals in Rome elected an Italian archbishop as Pope. This was Pope Urban VI (r. 1378-1389).

Immediately upon being elected, Pope Urban VI announced that he was going to reform the College of Cardinals. Most of them were French and they were very unhappy with this plan. Thirteen of these Cardinals formed their own conclave and elected a second Pope. This was Pope Clement VII who was a false Pope and was the cousin of the French king. There were now supposedly "two Popes," but in reality Pope Urban VI was still the real Pope and Pope Clement VII was an imposter. This is called the "Great Schism."

Answer 3

Strictly speaking this is not true. at some time in the blurred historical past- probably before the council of Trent, there was a Western Schism ( different from that of the Eastern Orthodox)- There was what was called the Babylonian Captivity of the Popes. Actually there were two independent Popes- for Rome and Avignon. The Brothers in the Sunday school like to gloss over this period but those who do discuss it see it as an excess of a worked-up French Nationalism called, logically Gallicanism. ( within my lifetime, recall the Lefevbre crisis- He being a French Prelate essentially opposed to Vatican II. France is a major Catholic Power- but somewhat independent and at times, schism-oriented. The term Babylonian captivity of the Popes referred to the Bishop or Archbishop of Babylon ( In France, not the Middle East!) About the only positive feed-back was the still popular folk song about the Bridge of Avignon where everybody was dancing.( except, one presumes the Clergy!

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Catholic AnswerAs noted above, the Church never had three popes, they had three claimants to the papal tiara. It was a result of nationalism and the sin of individuals and countries, for a more complete explanation, see the extract below.

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from Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The Great Schism, otherwise know as the Schism of the West was not strictly a schism at all but a conflict between the two parties within the Church each claiming to support the true pope. Three months after the election of Urban VI, in 1378, the fifteen electing cardinals declared that they had appointed him only as a temporary vicar and that in any case the election was invalid as made under fear of violence from the Roman mob. Urban retorted by naming twenty-eight new cardinals, and the others at once proceeded to elect Cardinal Robert of Geneva as Pope Clement VII, who went to reside at Avignon. The quarrel was in its origin not a theological or religious one, but was caused by the ambition and jealousy of French influence, which was supported to some extent for political reasons by Spain, Naples, Provence, and Scotland; England, Germany, Scandinavia, Wales, Ireland, Portugal, Flanders and Hungary stood by what they believe to be the true pope at Rome. The Church was torn from top to bottom by the schism, both sides in good faith (it was impossible to know to whom allegiance was due), which lasted with its two lines of popes (and at one time three) till the election of Martin V in 1417. It is now regarded as practically certain that the Urbanist popes were the true ones and their names are included in semi-official lists; moreover, the ordinal numbers of the Clementine claimants (who, however, are not called anti-popes,) were adopted by subsequent popes of the same name.

Answer 4

Roman Catholic AnswerGregory XII was pope from 1406 to 1415. During his reign there were three antipopes. This was a terrible time in the Church known as the Western Schism when the papacy had moved from Rome to Avignon. Rivals were elected "pope" by different groups of Cardinals. Please see the links below for a fuller explanation:

Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417)
Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415),
Pietro Philarghi ("Alexander V") (1409-1410)

Answer 5

There is only 1 Pope at any given time . . . . .

Answer 6

There was only one legitimate pope in 1414 - Pope Gregory XII

Answer 7

There was only one pope. The other two were anti-popes.