# Pope John XIII

_Head of the Catholic Church from 965 to 972_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-john-xiii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope John XIII was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 1 October 965 to his death. His pontificate was caught up in the continuing conflict between the Holy Roman emperor, Otto I, and the Roman nobility. After long and arduous negotiations, he succeeded in arranging a Byzantine marriage for Otto II, in an effort to legitimize the Ottonian claim to imperial dignity. He also established church hierarchy in Poland and Bohemia.

## Quick facts

- **Place of birth:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952#P19))
- **Died:** 6 September 972 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952#P20))
- **Occupation:** Catholic priest; writer; Catholic bishop ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952#P106))
- **Positions held:** Pope (6 October 965 – 6 September 972); cardinal (0964–0965); diocesan bishop (since 962) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952#P39))

## Questions

**What positions has Pope John XIII held?**  
Positions held by Pope John XIII include: Pope (0965–0972); cardinal (0964–0965); diocesan bishop (since 962).

## Related

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- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)
- [Pope Hormisdas](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-hormisdas)
- [Pope Innocent VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-viii)
- [Pope Alexander VIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-alexander-viii)
- [Pope Innocent X](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-x)
- [Pope Innocent XI](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-innocent-xi)
- [Pope Benedict XII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-benedict-xii)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope John XIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_XIII) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q181952](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q181952) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Johannes XIII – Nuremberg chronicles (f 178v 1).jpg by Hartmann Schedel (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Johannes_XIII_%E2%80%93_Nuremberg_chronicles_(f_178v_1).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope John XIII, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Johannes XIII – Nuremberg chronicles (f 178v 1).jpg — Hartmann Schedel, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope John XIII". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-john-xiii. Retrieved 5 November 2026.