The Papal schism of 1130 was a contest over papal legitimacy: two different groups elected rival popes. In the account presented here, Bernard of Clairvaux’s campaign for Innocent II brought the dispute into the reforming church politics of the following years and culminated in Innocent’s recognition at the Second Lateran Council in 1139.

Rival Elections and the Dispute

The schism arose when separate groups elected two popes. The account does not identify the rival claimants or explain the factions behind their elections, but it makes the competing claims to the papacy the central problem Bernard sought to resolve. His involvement placed the dispute within a broader period, from 1130 to 1145, when he took an active role in church and state affairs.

Bernard’s Intervention

Bernard worked to establish Innocent II, whom the account describes as a reformer, as the legitimate pope. His intervention was part of an unusually public role: he wrote to European kings and princes about their responsibilities to their kingdoms and the Church, and influenced bishops and abbots interested in reform. The schism thus drew Bernard’s contemplative authority into institutional politics, where he sought to direct the choices of church leaders.

Recognition at the Council

The account identifies the Second Lateran Council in 1139 as the setting in which Bernard worked for Innocent II’s legitimacy. The council marks the stated culmination of his effort on the schism: rather than detailing the rival claimant’s fate or the negotiations themselves, the narrative emphasizes Bernard’s success in securing recognition for Innocent. The episode exemplifies the reach of Bernard’s influence during this period, before he later began to withdraw from public affairs.