Editing Pope Gregory XII (section)

==Pontificate==
{{Main|1406 papal conclave}}
Gregory XII was chosen at Rome on 30 November 1406 by a [[1406 papal conclave|conclave]] consisting of only fifteen cardinals under the express condition that, should [[Antipope Benedict XIII]] (1394–1423), the rival papal claimant at [[Avignon]], renounce all claim to the [[papacy]], he would also renounce his, so that a fresh election might be made and the [[Western Schism]] (1378–1417) ended.<ref name=ott/>

===Negotiations to end the schism===
The two claimants opened wary negotiations to meet on neutral turf at [[Savona]] in Liguria, but soon began to waver in their resolve. The Corraro relatives of Gregory XII in [[Venice]] and King [[Ladislaus of Naples]], a supporter of Gregory XII and his predecessor for political reasons, used all their influence to prevent the meeting, and each claimant of the papal title feared being captured by partisans of his rival.<ref name=ott/>

The cardinals of Gregory XII openly showed their dissatisfaction at this manoeuvring and gave signs of their intention to abandon him. On 4 May 1408, Gregory XII convened his [[Cardinal (Catholic Church)|cardinals]] at [[Lucca]] and ordered them not to leave the city under any pretext. He tried to supplement his following by creating four of his Corraro nephews cardinals – including the future [[Pope Eugene IV]], despite his promise in the conclave that he would create no new cardinals. Seven of the cardinals secretly left Lucca and negotiated with the cardinals of Benedict XIII concerning the convocation of a general council by them, at which both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII should be declared deposed and a new pope elected. Consequently, they convoked the [[Council of Pisa]] and invited both claimants to be present. Neither Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII appeared.

Meanwhile, Gregory XII stayed in [[Rimini]] with the family of his loyal and powerful protector, the [[condottiero]] [[Carlo I Malatesta]].<ref>Creighton, Mandell (1907). ''A History of the Papacy from the Great Schism to the Sack of Rome''. Volume I. London: Longmans, Green, and Company. p. 223 {{ISBN?}}</ref> Malatesta went to Pisa in person during the process of the council to support Gregory XII. At the fifteenth session, 5 June 1409, the Council of Pisa declared that it deposed both Gregory and Benedict as schismatical, heretical, perjured, and scandalous; they pronounced that they had elected [[Antipope Alexander V|Alexander V]] (1409–10) later that month.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/pope-gregory-xii-pope-resign-article-1.1260755 | last=Caulfield | first=Philip | title=Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign, stepped down amid the Great Western Schism in 1415 | newspaper=Daily News | date=11 February 2013 | access-date=23 April 2017 }}</ref> Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created ten more cardinals, had convoked a [[Council of Aquileia, 1409|rival council]] at [[Cividale del Friuli]], near [[Aquileia]]; but only a few bishops appeared. Gregory XII's cardinals pronounced Benedict XIII and Alexander V schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the Church, but their pronouncement went unheeded. Gregory XII was very saddened by the way he was treated; he also had some adventures while barely escaping from enemies and former friends.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riccoboni|first=Bartolomea|title=Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=0-226-71788-7|location=Chicago & London|pages=57, 59}}</ref>

===Resolution of the schism===
The [[Council of Constance]] finally resolved the situation. Gregory XII appointed Carlo Malatesta and Cardinal [[Giovanni Dominici]] of [[Ragusa, Sicily|Ragusa]] as his proxies. The cardinal then convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts, thus preserving the formulas of [[papal supremacy]].

Thereupon on 4 July 1415, Gregory XII's resignation was pronounced in his name by Malatesta and accepted by the cardinals. As they had agreed previously, they retained all the cardinals created by Gregory XII, thus satisfying the Corraro clan, and appointed Gregory XII [[Bishop of Frascati]], [[Dean of the College of Cardinals]] and perpetual legate at [[Ancona]]. The Council then set aside [[Antipope John XXIII]] (1410–15), the successor of Alexander V. After the former follower of Benedict XIII appeared, the council declared him deposed, ending the Western Schism. A new Roman pontiff, [[Martin V]], was elected ''after'' the death of Gregory XII, which many took as an indication that Gregory had been the true pope.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Riccoboni|first=Bartolomea|title=Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436|publisher=The University of Chicago Press|year=2000|isbn=0-226-71788-7|location=Chicago & London|pages=63}}</ref> Therefore, [[sede vacante|the papacy was vacant]] for two years.