View source for Antipope

An '''antipope''' may be defined as
* a [[pope]] elected by irregular means or methods
* a pope (or ''claimant''-pope) who holds irregular views
* a pope elected at a time when another [[pope]] was already in office.

The main criterion is that of history -- an '''antipope''' is the candidate who ''fails'' to maintain his claim to the office over the longer term.

Within [[period]], the main antipopes were those of the Great Schism (1378-1415), the period during which the [[France|French]] [[King]]s supported a pope in Avignon, whilst another line of popes sat in [[Rome]].  The Schism was ended by the Council of Constance, but not until after a ''third'' line of popes had risen, centred on Pisa, in [[Italy]].
[[category:religion]]