It lasted from 1378 to 1417 and was caused by political gamesmanship between cardinal factions. At the time, the Church was plagued by extreme corruption, nepotism, and chaos. Because of this, the French-speaking popes resided in Avignon instead of Rome from 1309.
This situation did not please the Italian clergymen, who in a conclave in 1378 elected Roman Pope Urban VI. Surprised and dissatisfied, the cardinals decided to call a second conclave, during which they elected Clement VII to the throne in Avignon. The disputes between the parties lasted so long that in 1408, during the two pontificates (Benedict XIII of Avignon and Gregory XII of Rome), a third pope, Alexander V and, after his death, John XXIII, were elected in Pisa.
