page_title: Western Schism
hierarchical_section_title: Western Schism
context_page_description: The Western Schism, also called Papal Schism, Great Occidental Schism and Schism of 1378, was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 1378 to 1417 in which two men simultaneously claimed to be the true pope, and each excommunicated the other. Driven by authoritative politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance. For a time these rival claims to the papal throne damaged the reputation of the office.
  The affair is sometimes referred to as the Great Schism, although this term is also used for the East–West Schism of 1054 between the Western Churches answering to the See of Rome and the Greek Orthodox Churches of the East.
context_section_description: The Western Schism, also called Papal Schism, Great Occidental Schism and Schism of 1378 (Latin: Magnum schisma occidentale, Ecclesiae occidentalis schisma), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 1378 to 1417 in which two men (by 1410 three) simultaneously claimed to be the true pope, and each excommunicated the other. Driven by authoritative politics rather than any theological disagreement, the schism was ended by the Council of Constance (1414–1418). For a time these rival claims to the papal throne damaged the reputation of the office.
  The affair is sometimes referred to as the Great Schism, although this term is also used for the East–West Schism of 1054 between the Western Churches answering to the See of Rome and the Greek Orthodox Churches of the East.
caption: Map showing support for Avignon (red) and Rome (blue) during the Western Schism; this breakdown is accurate until the Council of Pisa (1409), which created a third line of claimants.