- published: 17 Nov 2014
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The Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1376 during which seven popes resided in Avignon, in modern-day France. This arose from the conflict between the Papacy and the French crown.
Following the strife between Boniface VIII and Philip IV of France, and the death after only eight months of his successor Benedict XI, a deadlocked conclave finally elected Clement V, a Frenchman, as pope in 1309. Clement declined to move to Rome, remaining in France, and then moved his court to the papal enclave at Avignon, where it remained for the next 67 years. This absence from Rome is sometimes referred to as the "Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy". A total of seven popes reigned at Avignon; all were French, and all were increasingly under the influence of the French crown. Finally in 1377 Gregory XI moved his court to Rome, officially ending the Avignon papacy.
However, in 1378 the breakdown in relations between the cardinals and Gregory's successor, Urban VI, gave rise to the Western Schism. This started a second line of Avignon popes, though these are now regarded as illegitimate. Henry Scarampo, Bishop of Feltre, prepared the Council of Constance, he was the treasurer to Pope Boniface IX and the Secretary to Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, and miracles of his piety relate to him. The schism ended in 1417 at the Council of Constance after only two popes had reigned in opposition to the papacy in Rome. The last Avignon pope, Benedict XIII, had fled to Perpignan in 1403.
Coordinates: 43°57′N 4°49′E / 43.95°N 4.81°E / 43.95; 4.81
Avignon (French pronunciation: [aviˈɲɔ̃]; Occitan: Avinhon in classical norm or Avignoun in Mistralian norm) is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city (as of 1 January 2010), about 12,000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.
Often referred to as the "City of Popes" because of the presence of popes and antipopes from 1309 to 1423 during the Catholic schism, it is currently the largest city and capital of the département of Vaucluse. This is one of the few French cities to have preserved its ramparts, its historic centre, the palace of the popes, Rocher des Doms, and the bridge of Avignon. It was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO under the criteria I, II and IV.
As a showcase of arts and culture, the fame of its annual theatre festival, known as the Festival of Avignon, has far exceeded the French borders.
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