Papal Election of Clement VII and Schism Begins

Cardinal Robert of Geneva was elected Pope Clement VII, marking the beginning of the Western Schism. This election was held in Rome amid great social and political upheaval in the church, as rival factions vied for control over the papacy. The election led to a significant split within Christianity, with multiple claimants to the papacy emerging, each supported by different political entities across Europe. Clement VII's election represented a climax of tensions that had been brewing for decades, exacerbated by the Avignon Papacy and the dissatisfaction with the papal authority.