urban vi, who represented the "roman obedience" at the beginning of the great western schism (1378–1417), had been intriguing to set up a principality for his nephew butillo in the kingdom of naples. he helped charles of durazzo to overthrow queen johanna of naples, and then crowned him in rome in 1381. the pope's interference in neapolitan affairs, however, caused king charles and a number of urban's cardinals to create a plan to remove urban from power because of his incapacity, and institute a council of regency. in response urban imprisoned and tortured six cardinals, but charles responded by besieging the pope in the town of nocera (lucera). during the siege, on 12 january 1385, the pope had cardinal joannes de amelia executed.