Pope Urban VI

Pope Urban VI, born Bartolomeo Prignano in 1318, became pope in 1378 during a time of political turmoil. His papacy marked the beginning of the Western Schism, a split within the Catholic Church where multiple claimants to the papacy arose. Urban VI's insistence on reforms and his harsh leadership style alienated many cardinals, leading to the election of an antipope, Clement VII, in 1378. This division created rival popes in Rome and Avignon, complicating Church politics for decades. Urban VI's reign is often associated with the struggles and disputes over papal authority during this turbulent period.