Page:The history of medieval Europe.djvu/624

 568 THE HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE French, Italians, English, and Germans, This recognition of different nationalities by a Church supposed to be catholic was indeed significant of the rise of new social groups and forces. The council also received the envoys of Gregory and Benedict as papal legates, and it became evident that the plan was to secure the resignation of all three popes. John at first agreed to resign if both the others should do the same, but then he fled from Constance and called his clergy to him. But the English, French, and German nations stood firm; the cardinals and other clergy who had joined John soon deserted him again; Frederick of Tyrol, who had given him protection, was defeated by Sigismund with the aid of the Swiss; and John himself was captured, deposed, and kept a prisoner until the council was over and the schism ended. Gregory resigned voluntarily, but although Sigismund went to Narbonne and Perpignan to interview Benedict, he could not persuade him to abdicate. Sigis- mund did, however, induce Benedict's Spanish and Scotch supporters to abandon him and to participate in the Council of Constance. Martin V, of the Roman family of Colonna, was elected pope in 141 7 and therewith the great schism was practically ended. While healing the schism, the council also considered the problem of a new heresy. The writings of Wyclif had by the John Huss end of the f° urteen th century reached Bohemia, and his views had been adopted and widely spread by John Huss, rector of the University of Prague, and a preacher of great influence among the people. As a re- sult he had already been excommunicated in 141 1. Jerome of Prague had further disseminated these ideas in Austria, Hungary, Poland, and even in Lithuania and Russia. Huss also had opposed a papal bull, which preached a crusade against the King of Naples and offered indulgences in order to raise money for this purpose. He had none the less be- come the idol of the Bohemian people, and all efforts to check the spread of Wyclifism in that country had thus far been unavailing. Huss willingly appeared before the coun- cil in the vain hope of winning over to his views some or