biography
| name: |
Urban VI
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originally Bartolomeo Prignano
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (c.1318–89)
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| biography:
| Pope (1378–89), born in Naples, SW Italy. He was Archbishop of Acerenza (1363), then of Bari (1377), and became papal chancellor for Pope Gregory XI, whom he was elected to succeed (Apr 1378). His choice appeased the Romans, who wanted an end to the French-dominated papacy at Avignon (begun 1309), but once pope he became hostile to the French cardinals, who declared his election null and void and elected the French cardinal Robert of Geneva (later antipope Clement VII (Sep 1378)). This action began the Western Schism that split the Roman church for almost 40 years (1378–1417). Urban may have died by poisoning. |
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