AR'NOLD OF BRESCIA, bresh'A (c.] 100 55). An Italian cleric, born at Brescia, celebrated in connection with the movement for ec clesiastical reform in the Twelfth Century. He studied at Paris under Al)Mard (q.v.), and at tempted to apply the philosophical teachings of the latter to political conditions. Arnold of Brescia was possessed with the idea that he was destined to reform his age, and argued that the Church must revert to its apostolic poverty in order again to be virtuous. On returning to Brescia. he preached vigorously that the Chureh ought neither to own property nor to exercise temporal power. By his preaching the people of Brescia were exasperated against their bishop, and the revolutionary spirit spread widely. Con sequently, Arnold was cited before the second Lateran Council, in 1139, and banished from Italy. He retired to France, but, experiencing the bitter hostility of Saint Bernard. who de nounced him as an enemy to the Church. he took refuge in Switzerland. There he remained for about five years. in the meantime the people at
Rome revolted, in 1143, against the Papal rule and established a commune. Arnold proceeded thither and soon became leader of the populace. For ten years the city was in a state of disorder. Pope Lucius II. was killed in the insurrection of 1145, and Eugenius Ill. was obliged to flee from the city. These commotions were subdued by Adrian IV., who, feeling the weakness of his temporal author ity, made use of the spiritual, and resorted to the extreme measure of laying the city under an in terdict. The revolutionary party became discour aged and disintegrated. Arnold was obliged to take refuge with friends in Campania. On the arrival of the Emperor Frederick 1., in 1155. Arnold was arrester and brought to Rome, hanged. his body burned. and the ashes thrown into the Tiber. Consult: Gregorovius. history of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages (London, 1894) ; Castro, Arnoldo da Brescia c la rivolu eone del XII. sceolo (Leghorn. 1875).