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Why did Gerbert of Aurillac flee Bobbio after Otto II died?
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Sylvester II
Sylvester II, detail from the ivory vessel used at the consecration of Otto III, 996; in the Domschatzkammer des Aachener Domes, Aachen, Ger.
Gerbert of Aurillac fled the monastery of Bobbio following the death of Emperor Otto II in December 983 because a rebellion broke out against him.1
During his time as abbot, Gerbert had faced intense hostility from local monks, clerics, and nobles. These groups held much of the abbey’s property through long-term land leases and refused to fulfill contractual payments or provide the troops demanded by the Emperor. Furthermore, Gerbert was unfamiliar with regional land laws and lacked administrative experience, which exacerbated these tensions. Following Otto II's death, the political instability allowed these factions to openly rebel, forcing Gerbert to flee to Reims.1