Council of Constance (jan 9, 1414 – aug 30, 1418)

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The council ended the Western Schism by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining papal claimants and by electing Pope Martin V.

The council also condemned Jan Hus as a heretic and facilitated his execution by the civil authority. It also ruled on issues of national sovereignty, the rights of pagans and just war, in response to a conflict between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Kingdom of Poland and the Order of the Teutonic Knights. The council is important for its relationship to ecclesial conciliarism and Papal supremacy.

based on the belief that the Church’s ultimate power rests in the body of all believers, not in the papacy; this council elected Martin V (1417-1431) as the true pope and deposed the other popes.

The council ended the Great Schism and united the Christian community. As a result of the Great Schism and the decisions that followed, the papacy lost much of its power and was unable to exert considerable political influence beyond Italy. Pope Martin V attempted to continue efforts to reform the Church; however, Martin’s successor, Eugene IV, halted these efforts as he reasserted papal supremacy over the church councils.