# Pope Nicholas II

_Pope_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-nicholas-ii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope Nicholas II, otherwise known as Gerard of Burgundy, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 January 1059 until his death in 27 July 1061. At the time of his election, he was bishop of Florence. During his Papacy, Nicholas II successfully expanded the influence of the papacy in Milan and southern Italy. He was also responsible for passing papal election reforms, the most significant of which restricted the deliberation of candidates to the Cardinal Bishops, thus beginning the process of removing the lesser clergy, religious and nobility of the City from the process.

## Quick facts

- **Place of birth:** Château de Chevron ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P19))
- **Died:** 27 July 1061 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P570))
- **Place of death:** Florence ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Kingdom of Arles ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P27))
- **Occupation:** Catholic priest; writer; Catholic bishop ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P106))
- **Positions held:** Pope (30 January 1059 – 27 July 1061); Roman Catholic Bishop of Florence (since January 1045) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840#P39))

## Questions

**What positions has Pope Nicholas II held?**  
Positions held by Pope Nicholas II include: Pope (1059–1061); Roman Catholic Bishop of Florence (since January 1045).

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- [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)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Nicholas II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Nicholas_II) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q117840](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117840) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Robert Guiscard claimed as a Duke (Detail of Nicholas II).jpg by Unknown author Unknown author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robert_Guiscard_claimed_as_a_Duke_(Detail_of_Nicholas_II).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Nicholas II, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Robert Guiscard claimed as a Duke (Detail of Nicholas II).jpg — Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope Nicholas II". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-nicholas-ii. Retrieved 4 November 2026.