Origins & Early Life

Robert of Geneva (French: Robert de Genève; 1342 – 16 September 1394) was elected to the papacy as Clement VII (French: Clément VII) by the cardinals who opposed Urban VI and was the first antipope residing in Avignon, France. His election led to the Western Schism. The son of Count Amadeus III of Geneva, Robert became archbishop of Cambrai and was made a cardinal in 1371. As legate, during the War of the Eight Saints, he is said to have authorized the massacre of over 2,000 civilians at Cesena in 1377.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was elected pope the following year by the cardinals who opposed Urban VI and established himself at Avignon. Robert was born in the Château d'Annecy in 1342, the son of Count Amadeus III of Geneva and Matilda of Boulogne, who were important within the House of Savoy. Guy de Boulogne was his maternal uncle. Robert studied at La Sorbonne in Paris. In 1359, he was appointed prothonotary apostolic, became bishop of Thérouanne in 1361, archbishop of Cambrai in 1368, and a cardinal on 30 May 1371.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

From 1373 he held the position of archdeacon of Dorset, and from 1374 also Prebend of All Saints Parish Church in Middle Woodford in Wiltshire, leaving both positions in 1378...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Charles I of Hungary — Contemporary (Died in 1342) (1342): King of Hungary and Croatia, establishing the Anjou dynasty's power.
• Julian of Norwich — Contemporary (Born in 1342) (1342): Pioneering English anchoress whose 'Revelations' shaped medieval theology.
• Tokhtamysh — Contemporary (Born in 1342) (1342): Khan of the Golden Horde, consolidating power and reasserting Mongol hegemony.
• James I of Scotland — Contemporary (Born in 1394) (1394): King of Scots from 1406 to 1437, navigating political turmoil and captivity.
• John Hawkwood — Contemporary (Died in 1394) (1394): English mercenary leader and condottiero whose exploits remain shrouded in myth.
• Prince Henry the Navigator — Contemporary (Born in 1394) (1394): Portuguese prince credited with initiating the Age of Discovery and maritime exploration.
• Albert Szent-Györgyi — Shared historical date (09-16 · Born) (1893): Pioneering Hungarian biochemist, Nobel laureate for Vitamin C and muscle research.
• Aleksandr Medved — Shared historical date (09-16 · Born) (1937): Legendary Soviet/Belarussian freestyle wrestler, celebrated for Olympic dominance.
• Ulugh Beg — Historical peer (Born in 1394) (1394): Timurid Sultan, renowned astronomer, and mathematician who fostered the Samarkand Renaissance.
• Mary, Queen of Hungary — Historical peer (Born in 1371) (1371): Queen of Hungary and Croatia, daughter of Louis the Great, ruling through complex dynastic struggles.
• 1342 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1342
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