High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Pope Pius II, born Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Latin Aeneas Sylvius; October 18, 1405 August 14, 1464) was Pope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464. Pius II, "whose character reflects almost every tendency of the age in which he lived", was born at Corsignano in the Sienese territory of a noble but decayed family. His longest and most enduring work is the story of his life, Commentaries, which is the only autobiography ever written by a reigning Pope. After studying at the universities of Siena and Florence, he settled in the former city as a teacher, but in 1431 accepted the post of secretary to Domenico Capranica, bishop of Fermo, then on his way to the Council of Basel (1431 39). Capranica was protesting against the new Pope Eugene IV's (1431 1447) refusing him the cardinalate for which he had been designated by Pope Martin V (1417 1431). Arriving at Basel after enduring a stormy voyage to Genoa and then a trip across the Alps,he successively served Capranica, who ran short of money, and then other masters.