Clement V, who ruled from 1305 to 1314, moved the papal see from Rome to Avignon*. At the time, the church was divided into two main bickering parties, Italian and French. Clement, whose real name was Bertrand de Goth, came from Aquitaine.

This move to Avignon was a big deal, mostly because it seemed to give the French party an edge. The Avignon papacy lasted until 1377, but we'll learn more about it later.


*At the time Avignon was not an official part of France - it was an independent fiefdom, ruled by the King of Sicily. Go figure!