Council of Basel

The Council of Basel was a council of bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church that was held at Basel, Switzerland, away from territories of the Papacy, the Holy Roman Emperor or the kings of Aragon or France, whose influences the council hoped to avoid.

Related Topics:
Roman Catholic Church - Basel, Switzerland

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:Main article: Conciliar movement.

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In the pressure for reform within the Church, a decree of the Council of Constance (9 October 1417), sanctioned by Pope Martin V, obliged the papacy to summon general councils periodically. At the expiration of the first term fixed by this decree, Martin V did, in fact, call together at Pavia a council, but due to an epidemic it transferred almost at once to Siena (see Council of Siena) and disbanded owing to circumstances still imperfectly known, just as it had begun to discuss the subject of reform (1424).

Related Topics:
Council of Constance - 9 October - 1417 - Pope Martin V - Papacy - Pavia - Council of Siena - 1424

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The next council fell due at the expiration of seven years in 1431; with his usual punctuality, Martin V duly convoked it for this date to the town of Basel, and selected to preside over it the cardinal Julian Cesarini, a well-respected prelate. Martin himself, however, died before the opening of the synod.

Related Topics:
1431 - Basel - Julian Cesarini

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