The Diocese of Pisa was elevated to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese by Pope Urban II, an important ecclesiastical development marking the consolidation of power within the Church during the late 11th century. The elevation enabled Pisa to oversee and administer several suffragan dioceses, granting its bishop significant authority and responsibility within the ecclesiastical hierarchy. This elevation was particularly strategic as it aligned with the pope's objectives to re-establish and strengthen the feudal relationship between the church and the city-states of Italy, which were becoming increasingly autonomous and politically complex at the time.

Pope Urban II, known for initiating the First Crusade, recognized the importance of fostering strong urban centers like Pisa, which was situated on the vital trade routes of the Mediterranean. By granting metropolitan status to the Diocese of Pisa, Urban II aimed to secure both spiritual and temporal power for the Catholic Church in a region experiencing numerous challenges from rival factions and the spread of heretical movements. This decision facilitated cooperation among local leaders and the papacy, with the archdiocese emerging as a central player in the political landscape of Tuscany.

Additionally, this elevation not only impacted the diocesan governance but also reinforced the Church’s presence in the region as a stabilizing force amid the mounting conflicts associated with the investiture controversy. The acknowledgment of Pisa as a metropolitan archdiocese encouraged further ecclesiastical growth and development in the area, leading to subsequent architectural and cultural developments such as the construction of grand churches and institutions that would dot the Italian landscape in the following centuries.