Pope Urban VI

Pope from 1378 to 1389, born Bartolomeo Prignano. His contested election triggered the Western Schism, which divided Latin Christianity between rival papal claimants.

Papal conclave of 1378: The conclave that elected Bartolomeo Prignano as Pope Urban VI in April 1378. Its election of Urban VI became the immediate source of the disputed papal succession.
Clement VII (antipope): The claimant elected pope at Fondi in 1378 by cardinals who repudiated Urban VI. Clement’s rival claim turned a disputed election into a lasting division.
Catherine of Siena: An Italian Dominican tertiary and mystic who urged Gregory XI to return the papacy to Rome. She supported the Roman papacy and defended Urban’s legitimacy after the schism began.
Papal obedience: The allegiance a ruler, institution, or community gave to one claimant during the Western Schism. Urban’s supporters formed the Roman obedience, opposed by the Avignon obedience.
Roman obedience: The papal faction that recognized the Roman line of popes during the Western Schism. It treated Urban and his successors as legitimate against the Avignon claimants.
Western Schism: The division of Western Christianity between rival papal claimants from 1378 to 1417. Urban’s election began the schism when cardinals rejected his authority and elected a rival.
Council of Pisa: A 1409 church council that deposed the Roman and Avignon claimants and elected Alexander V. Its attempted settlement deepened the schism by creating a third papal claimant.
Charles III of Naples: King of Naples from 1382 to 1386 and a central rival in the kingdom’s succession struggles. Urban crowned Charles, then later opposed him amid disputes over Neapolitan power.
Avignon: A city in southeastern France that housed the papal court and later an Avignon papal claimant. Clement VII established his rival court there, giving the schism a durable geographic center.
Avignon obedience: The papal faction that recognized the Avignon line of claimants during the Western Schism. It rejected Urban’s legitimacy and followed Clement VII and his successors.

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