The Avignon Papacy was a period of time when there was a Pope in France instead of in Rome. The chosen pope was French and since there was strife between Rome and France, he decided to stay in Avignon and be a pope from there. After a few popes, they decided to go back to Rome but there were also people who wanted to be in Avignon, so the religion had an official pope in Rome, and an illegal one in Avignon. It was important because it showed that even kings can't interfere into religious affairs and that the Pope has the final word, or at least had at that time.