Page:A History of the Knights of Malta, or the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.djvu/222

196 which was destined to have a most pernicious effect upon the Order of St. John. At the death of Gregory, in 1378, the populace of Rome, fearful lest the cardinals, then assembled for the election of his successor, should choose a pontiff who would restore the seat of government to Avignon, compelled them, by the most open and glaring intimidation, to nominate an Italian, the Neapolitan archbishop of Bara. This prelate ascended the papal throne under the title of Urban VI. In spite of the protests which poured in from all quarters against the validity of the election, he at once assumed the reins of government and the exercise of his office. The cardinals, on the other hand, had no sooner escaped from their thraldom at Rome than they reassembled in a secure spot from which they decreed their former appointment invalid, on the score of intimidation. They further proceeded to a new election, and nominated Robert, brother of the count of Geneva, to the pontificate under the title of Clement VII. The rival popes fulminated their ecclesiastical thunders, each against the adherents of his opponent, and the schism rapidly spread throughout the whole of Europe. Heredia, upon his release from captivity, at once declared for Clement, in which he was supported by the convent at Rhodes and the langues of France, Provence, Auvergne, and Spain. The Italian, German, and English langues, on the other hand, joined the party of Urban, and thus the dispute found its way into the heart of the Order. As a further complication, Pope Urban, in revenge for the Grand-Master’s declaration in favour of his rival, formally deposed him, and on his own authority nominated Richard Carracciolo, grand-prior of Capua, as his successor. It has been a disputed point how far Carracciolo can be considered a legitimate Grand-Master, some writers having recognised his claim to the dignity, whilst others ignore him altogether. As the deposition of Heredia and the election of Carracciolo never emanated from the council of the Order, nor were afterwards ratified by them, but were simply the arbitrary acts of a pontiff whose own title was not recognized by the majority of the fraternity, there can be but little doubt that the nomination was invalid, and that Heredia still remained the legitimate Grand-Master. This view of the case is materially strengthened