The consequence was, that popes, such as Nicolas III., enriched their families through plunder acquired by this tribunal.

Inquisitors did the same habitually.
The struggle between the French and Italians for the possession of the papacy inevitably led to the schism of the fourteenth century.

For more than forty years two rival popes were now anathematizing each other, two rival Curias were squeezing the nations for money.

Eventually, there were three obediences, and triple revenues to be extorted.

Nobody, now, could guarantee the validity of the sacraments, for nobody could be sure which was the true pope.