Sylvester II (pope)
946 – 1003 French Pope (999-1003)
Scholar pope, Gerbert of Aurillac, who brought Arabic learning and the abacus to the West.
- Religion
- Catholic; Bishop of Rome
- Affiliations
- The papacy
Sylvester II, born Gerbert of Aurillac, was the leading scholar of his age and the first French pope. He studied mathematics and astronomy from Arabic sources in Spain and reintroduced the abacus and the armillary sphere to Europe. His learning was so far ahead of his time that later legend accused him of sorcery. He worked closely with the young emperor Otto III to reform church and empire.