It started when Philip the Fair of France pressured Pope Clement V to settle and live in Avignon (in southeastern France), and due to Clements illness, he was too weak to resist the demand. ... Unanimously, a distinguished administrator, the archbishop of Bari took power as Pope Urban VI (1378-1389). ... The Roman cardinals, suffering from severe criticism and opposition of Pope Urban held a meeting in Anagni where they proceeded to elect Cardinal Robert of Geneva as Antipope Clement VII. ...

• Word Count: 534
• Approx Pages: 2

The man chosen, Urban VI, was not a Roman nor Italian, but a Neapolitan with no experience in policy making. ... They then elected one of their own as Pope Clement VII. For the next three decades the church was divided along national, political, and religious lines between the papal claimants - the Roman line of Urban VI, Boniface IX, Innocent VII, and Gregory XII, and the Avignon line of Clement VII and Benedict XIII. ...

• Word Count: 1164
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School