Alternate Papal Exiles

During the Conclave of 1268-71, a slight alteration in which Cardinals die causes the deadlock to be broken in favour of a French influenced Pope. In the following years, the seemingly undending domination of the Papacy by France led to increasing calls for the liberation of the Pope. However, the inability of military action to secure this led to the 'protest Popes' of Iberia, England and the Empire.

The first of these was England, where leading figures such as the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishop of London, and the Abbots of Westminster and Glastonbury gathered to elect a Pope who would be 'free of the tyranical French opression'. The English Pope, who was granted the newly created Archbishopic of Lichfield, would have his influence expanded greatly in accordance with the conquests of Edward I.

Soon afterwards, the Christian Kingdoms of Iberia established a rival papacy at Santiago de Compostela, a move designed to re-establish the crusading spirit of the Reconquista, which they claimed had been betrayed by the French Papacy.

It was in the Empire, however, that the most dramatic schism occured. After the establishment of the Regensburg Papacy, the various states of the Empire began what was virtually a state of war, with some declaring alleigence to Regensburg, some to Rome, some even to Santiago or Lichfield.

By the late 1300s, however, the Italians were able to regain the Papacy, causing the Pope to flee to Avignon with his French entourage, while a new Italian Pope was elected in Rome.

Over the next few decades the Reconciliazone was enacted and carried through, with first England, then Iberia, and finally the Empire regoining the alliegence of the Pope in Rome, an act which culminated in the end of the Avignon Papacy during the Heugenaut revolt in France of 1567.

The Papcy was diminished somewhat in its Temporal standing, but eventually pulled through, though it lost influence outside Italy. In the Empire, the many small states were acknowledged as virtually independent, the Church lands in particular. The Iberian states continued the zeal of the reconquista into North Africa, while the most enduring mark in England was the maintenence of the 3 Archbishopics of Canterbury, Lichfield and York.
 
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Some interesting ideas there.

I was most surprised by Lichfield - I know it's a former AB but I would have gone for Chester or London.
Is the Regensburg Pope the AB of Salzburg or a new creation?
 
I was most surprised by Lichfield - I know it's a former AB but I would have gone for Chester or London.

It does make sense. Historically there was some rivalry between the Archbishoprics of York and Canterbury. Creating an archbishopric in Chester or London would diminish the influence of York or Canterbury respectively. Litchfield is about on the border between the two older archbishoprics and so would be a good compromise location for a third archbishopric.

Cheers,
Nigel.
 
Some interesting ideas there.

I was most surprised by Lichfield - I know it's a former AB but I would have gone for Chester or London.
Is the Regensburg Pope the AB of Salzburg or a new creation?

Lichfield, as already stated, is on the border of the two Primates, and also happens to be slap bang in the middle of the country (the Primate of Lichfield would eventually be the East/West Midlands and Wales roughly).

Regensburg Pope is a new Creation, as many of the Church figures were against it, so there was a distinct lack of people who could be turned into a Pope. Not that those against were united really. There were some bloody wars in the Empire between supporters of the French, German, English, Spanish and later Italian Papacies.
 
It does make sense. Historically there was some rivalry between the Archbishoprics of York and Canterbury. Creating an archbishopric in Chester or London would diminish the influence of York or Canterbury respectively. Litchfield is about on the border between the two older archbishoprics and so would be a good compromise location for a third archbishopric.

Cheers,
Nigel.

Lichfield, as already stated, is on the border of the two Primates, and also happens to be slap bang in the middle of the country (the Primate of Lichfield would eventually be the East/West Midlands and Wales roughly).

Regensburg Pope is a new Creation, as many of the Church figures were against it, so there was a distinct lack of people who could be turned into a Pope. Not that those against were united really. There were some bloody wars in the Empire between supporters of the French, German, English, Spanish and later Italian Papacies.

Thanks. That's cleared that up :D

And *bumping* for more scenarios.
 
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