29 Absolutely Ridiculous But True History Facts
18.
“At one point in history, there was not only a pope and an antipope, but also a counter-antipope.”
VERDICT: TRUE ✅
During the Western Schism (1378–1417), three men simultaneously claimed the papacy. The crisis began in 1378 when cardinals who had elected Pope Urban VI in Rome later declared his election invalid and elected Clement VII, who established a rival papal court in Avignon. In 1409, the Council of Pisa attempted to resolve this schism between Pope Gregory XII (Rome) and Antipope Benedict XIII (Avignon) by deposing both and electing a third pope, Alexander V.
However, neither Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII accepted their deposition and refused to step down. Eventually, Gregory XII resigned, Benedict XIII was deposed, and the council’s third claimant, John XXIII (who had succeeded Alexander V), was tried for various crimes and imprisoned. Martin V was then elected as the sole pope in 1417.
Sources: Britannica (1); Britannica (2), Britannica (3), Britannica (4)
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