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Why did Otto III choose Gerbert of Aurillac to succeed Pope Gregory V?

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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.

Otto III chose Gerbert of Aurillac to succeed Pope Gregory V primarily because of their close personal and intellectual relationship and their shared political vision.12

Gerbert had previously served as a tutor to Otto III, and the two men maintained a deep mutual respect. Beyond their personal bond, Gerbert was a scholar who fully aligned with the Emperor’s theocratic concept of a renewed Christian Roman Empire—a vision in which the pope and emperor worked in harmony to govern a universal Christian state.12

By installing Gerbert as Pope Sylvester II in 999, Otto III secured a partner who supported his imperial policies and the administrative centralization of the empire from Rome. Their collaboration was characterized by a high degree of unanimity, with both figures actively participating in each other's councils and coordinating their efforts to strengthen the influence of the papacy and the empire.12