Late Middle Ages

An age filled with calamities for both Europe and the Church:  a war between England and France over English claims to French territory lasted for a century; the papacy, which had been strong and reform-minded under Pope Innocent III, stumbled into corruption and chaos; at one time, three men claimed the title of pope

Black Death

A horrible plague that affected all of Europe  

1347 _C.E.

The arrival of the Bubonic Plague in Europe 

Hundred Years’ War

A war between England and France (which lasted from 1338 _C.E. to 1453 _C.E.)

Clement V

A pope who was completely under the sway of the king of France and the nationalized French Church; the first pope of the Avignon Papacy     

1309 _C.E.

The pope moved the papal headquarters to the south of France, to the town of Avignon 

Avignon Papacy

An event where the papal headquarters was moved to the south of France, to the town of Avignon 

Gregory XI

The seventh Avignon pope

1376 _C.E.

Catherine of Siena visits Gregory XI

Catherine of Siena

A thirty-year-old member of a Dominican lay order; she pleads, “pope, come home”

1378 _C.E.

Urban VI took office

Urban VI

The pope who succeeded Gregory XI; an Italian who was a compromise candidate: the cardinals probably would have elected another Frenchman, but the people of Rome were rioting in demand of an Italian or a Roman

Great Papal Schism

A time in the papacy where three popes existed concurrently

Martin V

The pope elected to end the Great Papal Schism

1417 _C.E.

The Great Papal Schism ended 

Conciliarism

A movement which proposed that general church councils had more authority over the Church than the pope