The pontificates of the next two popes, together, lasted less than 17 months. The second, Lucius II. (1144-45), tried to withstand the revolution by seeking Norman aid and throwing himself into the arms of the feudal party, but this only precipitated the course of events. The people, after having excluded nearly all aristocrats from the senate, now placed at its head the noble Jordan Pier leoni, who had joined the revolutionary party. They named him patrician, and also conferred on him the judicial powers apper taining to the aristocratic and imperial office of prefect. The pope was requested to resign the temporal power, the regalia and every other possession and content himself with the tithes and offerings of the faithful. He indignantly refused, marched at the head of the nobles against the capitol, but was repulsed, and re ceived a blow on the head from a stone, which is supposed to have caused his speedy death, Feb. 15, 1145. Eugenius III. was then elected ("45-53), but soon had to flee to Viterbo in quest of armed assistance, in consequence of the senate's resolve to prevent by force his consecration until he recognized the new state of things in the Eternal City.
It was at this time that Arnold of Brescia (q.v.) was absolved by the pope and ordered to make a pilgrimage to Rome. An arch-revolutionist, he began to preach and his eloquence brought him fame. But his influence on events has been greatly exag gerated in most accounts. The people had already formed an equestrian order, which was probably a mounted force of the lesser nobility, and also were fortifying the capitol. The revolution spread beyond the walls, several cities of the state proclaimed their independence, and the barons of the Campagna profited by the opportunity to act as independent sovereigns. Thus the whole domain of the Church was threatened with dissolution. The pope marched towards Rome with an army, but hoped to come to terms. The Romans in fact recognized his authority, and he in his turn recognized the republic. The office of patrician was abolished, and the prefect was revived. The senators received investiture from the pope, who returned to Rome at Christmas "45.
councillors varied in number—at times nine, once as many as Their advice was taken but not necessarily followed by the senate. The parliament was an assemblage of all the citizens. In it there was no discussion of the matters brought before it by the senate, but each matter was accepted or rejected by the people. Senators held office for only one year. They were elected usually by the whole people ; but at times the pope was allowed to appoint an elector or electors to choose the senator or senators ; in this latter case, however, the choice apparently had to be submitted to the popular assembly for ratification. The pope also was compelled to pay salaries to the senators and their officials.
The senate had usurped the right of coinage; and although by a treaty of 1188 it agreed to restore this right to the pope on condition that one-third of the money coined should be given to the senate, the pope did not take advantage of the retrocession and all the money was coined by the senate ; Innocent III. even de creed that only senatorial coins should be used in the whole of the Campagna. The senate also seized for its own advantage the right of levying taxes on merchandise brought into the city. It also took over the appointment of judges, but in place of seven appointed a single Palatine judge for a term of three months. He was assisted by a judex dativus. Thus it is seen that while the pope still exercised certain rights he had actually lost control of the city.
The agreement with Pope Eugenius was of short duration. The revolution could not be checked ; the Romans desired inde pendence, and their spiritual lord fled to France, whence, in he proclaimed a new crusade, while the Romans were employed in demolishing Tivoli, banishing its inhabitants and waging war on other cities. Jordan Pierleoni was head of the republic, and Arnold, supported by the popular favour and the enthusiasm of the lower clergy, was preaching with even greater fervour than before. The new pope now re-entered Italy, proclaimed Arnold a schismatic, and advancing to Tusculum assembled an army in order to attack Rome. In this emergency the Romans applied to Conrad III., the first emperor of the house of Hohenstaufen ; and their letters are expressive of Arnold's theories and his medley of ancient and modern, sacred and profane, ideas. "Rome," so they said, "is the fountain of the empire confided to you by the Almighty, and we seek to restore to Rome the power possessed by her under Constantine and Justinian. For this end we con quered and destroyed the strongholds of the barons who, together with the pope and the Normans, sought to resist us. These are now attacking us on all sides. Haste to Rome, the capital of the world, thus to establish thy imperial sway over the Italian and German lands." After long delay the king of the Romans replied to these appeals, stating that he would come "to re-establish order, reward the faithful and punish the rebellious." These words promised ill. In fact, Conrad had already arranged terms with the pope; but his life came to an end on Feb. 15, 1152.