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Abstract
In 1420 an anonymous follower of Pope Benedict XIII (r. 1394—1423) compiled a group of forty prophecies regarding his belief in the imminent arrival of the Antichrist entitled Las señales que serán quando el Anticristo verná a reynar. Although most scholars of apocalyptic literature during the Great Western Schism (1378—1417) conclude their studies with the Council of Constance and the election of Pope Martin V in 1417, this study demonstrates that apocalyptic thought evolved quickly among the dwindling supporters of Pope Benedict XIII. By examining the social, historical and literary context of Las señales, this dissertation sheds light on the previously unexplored connection between apocalyptic thought, the persecutions suffered by Benedict and his followers following Constance, and their continued resistance to Martin V. This study demonstrates that Benedict's followers not only modified contemporary apocalyptic traditions, but they also adapted contemporary literary texts, such as Vida de Jesucrist written by the Francesc Eiximenis. This seminal research opens up a new understanding in the development of apocalyptic literature of the Great Western Schism and provides scholars the opportunity to examine the text through the various editions provided here.
