cardinal previous_post predecessor successor death_date birth_place death_place image_size created_cardinal_by coat_of_arms name birth_date term_start image article_title term_end birth_name type
28 may 1244 cardinal-deacon 77 -rrb- archpriest of saint peter 's basilica -lrb- 1276 of -- 77 -rrb- san nicola in carcere -lrb- 1244 -- john xxi martin iv 22 august 1280 rome , papal states viterbo , papal states 220px innocent iv c o a niccolo iii.svg nicholas iii c. 1225 25 november 1277 popenicholasiiicameo.jpg pope nicholas iii
 22 august 1280 giovanni gaetano orsini pope
pope nicholas iii

pope nicholas iii -lrb- ; c. 1225 -- 22 august 1280 -rrb- , born giovanni gaetano orsini , was pope from 25 november 1277 to his death in 1280 .
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 -lrb- 1243 -- 54 -rrb- , protector of the franciscans by pope alexander iv -lrb- 1254 -- 61 -rrb- , inquisitor-general by pope urban iv -lrb- 1261 -- 64 -rrb- , and succeeded pope john xxi -lrb- 1276 -- 77 -rrb- after a six-month vacancy in the holy see resolved in the papal election of 1277 , largely through family influence .
