1417

1417 was a year in the late Middle Ages notable for the resolution of the Western Schism within the Catholic Church. The Council of Constance, which began in 1414 and would continue until 1418, elected Martin V as the sole pope on November 11, 1417, effectively ending the schism that had divided Christendom for decades. This brought about the restoration of a single papal see and the reestablishment of centralized leadership in the Catholic Church, while the council continued to pursue reforms and address issues of church discipline and heresy.

Earlier in the council’s proceedings, the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus had been condemned and executed in 1415; his death contributed to the Hussite movement, which would influence religious and political life in Bohemia and nearby regions in the years that followed.

Outside ecclesiastical affairs, 1417 occurred within the broader political and military context of late medieval Europe, including ongoing conflicts and power struggles across various regions. The year thus stands as a turning point in the Catholic Church and a marker within the wider tapestry of 15th-century European affairs.