The Avignon Papacy and the 14th-century shift in Catholic leadership

During the 14th century, the seat of the Roman Catholic Church underwent a significant shift known as the “Avignon Papacy” or the “captivity of Avignon.” In 1309, Pope Clement V moved the papal residence from Rome to Avignon, a city in southern France.

For nearly seventy years, Popes resided in Avignon, leading to perceptions that the papacy was under the influence of the French monarchy. While Pope Gregory XI attempted to return the seat to Rome in 1377, his death shortly thereafter triggered a period of instability. This era was marked by intense pressure from Romans on the cardinals to prevent the papacy from returning to France, eventually resulting in a period where multiple claimants to the papacy existed simultaneously.