Event

Western Schism

1378–1417 · 14th century · Also known as Great Western Schism, Papal Schism

The Western Schism was a split in the Catholic Church from 1378 to 1417, when rival popes in Rome and Avignon, and from 1409 a third line from Pisa, each claimed the papacy with the backing of different kingdoms. The Council of Constance ended it by deposing or accepting the resignation of the claimants and electing Pope Martin V in 1417.

Western Schism
Image: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 2 state histories

Prince-Bishopric of ConstanceFree Imperial City of Constance

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Western Schism. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/western-schism
MLA
“Western Schism.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/western-schism. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Western Schism.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/western-schism.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Western Schism’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/western-schism (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻