# Pope Nicholas III

_Pope from 1277 to 1280_

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

> Pope Nicholas III (Latin: Nicolaus III; c. 1225 – 22 August 1280), born Giovanni Gaetano Orsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 25 November 1277 to his death on 22 August 1280.

## Quick facts

- **Place of birth:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P19))
- **Died:** 22 August 1280 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P570))
- **Place of death:** Viterbo ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Papal States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P27))
- **Occupation:** Catholic priest; Catholic bishop ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P106))
- **Positions held:** Pope (2 December 1277 – 22 August 1280); Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859#P39))

## About

He was a Roman nobleman who had served under eight popes, been made Cardinal-Deacon of St. Nicola in Carcere Tulliano by Pope Innocent IV (1243–1254), protector of the Franciscans by Pope Alexander IV (1254–1261), inquisitor-general by Pope Urban IV (1261–64), and succeeded Pope John XXI (1276–1277) after a six-month vacancy in the Holy See resolved in the papal election of 1277, largely through family influence.

## Questions

**What positions has Pope Nicholas III held?**  
Positions held by Pope Nicholas III include: Pope (1277–1280); Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City.

## 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 Paul II](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-paul-ii)
- [Pope Pius XII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-xii)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope Nicholas III](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Nicholas_III) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q170859](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170859) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Scuola romana, affreschi del sancta sanctorum, 1280 ca., Niccolò III dona la chiesa ai ss. pietro e paolo 03 (cropped) (cropped).jpg by Sailko (CC BY 3.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Scuola_romana,_affreschi_del_sancta_sanctorum,_1280_ca.,_Niccol%C3%B2_III_dona_la_chiesa_ai_ss._pietro_e_paolo_03_(cropped)_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope Nicholas III, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Scuola romana, affreschi del sancta sanctorum, 1280 ca., Niccolò III dona la chiesa ai ss. pietro e paolo 03 (cropped) (cropped).jpg — Sailko, CC BY 3.0.

## Cite this page

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