'History of the Papacy from the Great Schism to the Sack of Rome, Volume II' Summary

Mandell Creighton's *History of the Papacy*, Volume II, commences with the Council of Constance (1414-1418). The Council, seeking to end the Great Schism that had plagued the Church for decades, condemned Jan Hus, a Bohemian reformer, for his heretical teachings. Hus's execution ignited civil war in Bohemia. The Council also elected Pope Martin V, ending the schism, but not without further challenges. The second Antipope, John XXIII, was eventually forced to resign, but Benedict XIII, a wily and stubborn figure, refused to abdicate and fled to Spain, where he died in 1423. The narrative shifts to the Council of Basel, convened to address heresy and reform the Church. However, Pope Eugenius IV, contesting its authority, undermined its efforts. Creighton then focuses on the Council of Florence (1438-1445), a council convened by Pope Eugenius IV. The Council was notable for the participation of the Greek Emperor and his prelates, with the aim of uniting the Eastern and Western churches under the Papacy. However, the Emperor's primary motive was to secure military aid from the West against the Ottoman threat to Constantinople. This volume details the complex political landscape, religious controversies, and international power struggles that marked the early 15th century, culminating in the Council of Florence, a pivotal event in the history of the Papacy and the relationship between the Eastern and Western churches. The book meticulously documents the events and figures of this pivotal period, offering a detailed and insightful account of the Papacy in the wake of the Great Schism.