136 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517,
were increased by the wavering course of Charles VI., 1380- 1412, a man of feeble mind, and twice afflicted with insanity, wliose brothers and uncles divided the rule of the kingdom amongst themselves. French councils attempted to decide upon a course for the nation to pursue, and a third council, meeting in Paris, 1398, and consisting of 11 archbishops and 60 bishops, all theretofore supporters of the Avignon pope, decided upon the so-called subtraction of obedience from Benedict. In spite of these discouragements, Benedict continued loyal to himself. He was forsaken by his cardinals and besieged by French troops in his palace and wounded. The spectacle of his isolation touched the heart and conscience of the French people, and the decree ordering the subtraction of obedience was annulled by the national parliament of 1403, which professed allegiance anew, and received from him full absolution.
When Gi;egory XII. was elected in 1400, the controversy over the schism was at white heat. England, Castile, and the German king, Wenzil, had agreed to unite with France in bringing it to an end._^ Pushed by the universal clamor, by the agitation of the University of Paris, and especially by the feeling which prevailed in France, Gregory and Benedict saw that the" situation was in danger of being controlled by other hands than their own, and agreed to meet at Savona on the GiiJi of _Genoa to discuss their diffeiiences. In October, 1407, Benedict, attended by a military guard, went as far as Porto Venere and Savona. Gregory got as far as Lucca, when he declined to go farther, on the plea that Savona was in territory controlled by the French and on other pretexts. Nieheim represents the Roman pontiff as dissimulating during the whole course of the proceedings and as completely under the influence of his nephews and other favorites, who imposed upon the weakness of the old man, and by his doting generosity were enabled to live in luxury. At Lucca they sjjent their time in dancing and merry-making. This writer goes on to say that Gregory put every obstacle in the way of union. ^ He is
1 Nieheim, pp, 237, 242, 274, etc., manifeste impedire 7nodis omnibris conahantur.
§ 14. FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE SCHISM. 137
represented by another writer as having spent more in bonbons than his predecessors did for their wardrobes and tables, and as being only a shadow with bones and skin.^
Benedict's support was much weakened by the death of the king's brother, the duke of Orleans, .jgho had been liis constant supporter. France threatened neutralit}^ and Benedict, fearing seizure by the French commander at Genoa, beat a retreat to Perpignan, a fortress at the foot of the Pyrenees, six miles from the Mediterranean. In May of the same year France again decreed " subtraction," and a national French assembly in 1408 ajjproved the calling of a council. The last stages of the contest were approaching.
Seven of Gregory's cardinals broke away from him, and, leaving him at Lucca, went to Pisa, where they issued a manifesto appealing from a poorly informed pope to a better informed one, from Christ's vicar to Christ himself, and to the decision of a general council. Two more followed. Gregory further injured his cause by breaking his solemji engagement and appointing four cardinals, May, 1408, two of them his nephews, and a few months later he added ten more. Cardinals_of the Avignon obedience joined the Roman cardijials at Pisa and brought the number up to thirteen. Retiring to Livorno on the beautiful Italian lake of that name, and acting as if the popes were deposed, they as rulers of the Church appointed a general council to meet at Pisa, March 25, 1409.
As an offset, Gregory summoned a council of his own to meet in the territory either of Ravenna or Aquileja. Many of his closest followers had forsaken him, and even his native city of Venice withdrew from him its support. In the meantime Ladislaus had entered Rome and been hailed as king. It is, however, probable that this was with the consent of Gregory j^imself, who hoped thereby to gain sympathy for his cause. Benedict also exercised_hi^overeign^ower as pontiff and summoned T" cotta&iT to mee^-at~ Perpignan, Nov. 1, 1408^
* The word " council," now that the bold initiative was taken,
was hailed as pregnant with the promise of sure relief from
1 Vita, Muratori, III., II., 838, sohim spiritus cum ossihus etpelle.