it is believed that he studied at the university of paris in 1278. after returning to sweden, he became deacon in uppsala in 1286 and was elected archbishop in 1292. at this time, the cathedral chapter in uppsala was in a dispute with the archbishop of lund, denmark, who had primate status over the archbishop of uppsala. they did not approve of nils allesson and appealed the election to the pope in rome. the pope did after a while accept nils as archbishop, but explained that the primate status still was to be upheld. nils travelled to rome to get ordained in 1295.