1139–1155

Arnold of Brescia: preaching apostolic poverty and the Roman commune (1139–1155)

Shelley: Arnold, abbot of Brescia, was among the first to raise his voice against the Church’s attachment to the world: in sermons he held that the vices of the clergy resulted from the Church’s wish to dominate the world, and he called for a return to the poverty and simplicity of the early Church. By 1139 he had turned the people against their bishop, and Pope Innocent II expelled him from Italy; in Paris he studied under Abelard and aroused the wrath of Bernard of Clairvaux. Five years later in Rome he headed the purely secular government of the Romans who had seized power and denounced the College of Cardinals as a “den of thieves.” After about ten years of the experiment Adrian IV laid Rome under an interdict, with the help of Frederick Barbarossa seized Arnold, and in 1155 he was burned and his ashes thrown into the Tiber.

Key points

• Shelley: Arnold insisted clerical vices came from the Church’s desire to dominate the world; let it give up property and secular power. By 1139 Arnold had turned Brescia’s people against their bishop, and Innocent II expelled him from Italy; Arnold fled to Paris, studied under Abelard and, like him, roused Bernard of Clairvaux, who called him a “ravening wolf in sheep’s clothing”. Five years later in Rome, seized by republic-dreaming Romans, Arnold headed the new secular government; he taught that clergy should live in apostolic poverty and denounced the College of Cardinals as a “den of thieves”. The experiment lasted about ten years; Adrian IV laid Rome under interdict and with Barbarossa’s help seized Arnold. In 1155 he was burned at the stake and his ashes thrown into the Tiber

People

• Arnold of Brescia
• Bernard of Clairvaux
• Peter Abelard
• Adrian IV
• Frederick Barbarossa

Place

Brescia, Rome