Arnold Breshianskiy Italian religious and public figure. Country: Italy

Biography of Arnold of Brescia

Arnold of Brescia (c. 1100 — 1155) was an Italian religious and social activist. He was born in Brescia and spent several years in France during his youth, where he became a disciple of Peter Abelard. Upon returning to Brescia, Arnold, now a priest, led the citizens in their struggle against the feudal bishop. As a result, he was stripped of his position and exiled from Italy by the Second Lateran Council (1139).

Back in France, Arnold of Brescia joined forces with Abelard in a fierce battle against the higher hierarchy of the church, led by Bernard of Clairvaux. Arnold preached that spiritual leaders should not possess wealth and secular power. He accused the Pope, bishops, and abbots of luxury, debauchery, indulging in robbery and murder, and the purchase of church positions for money. Arnold's ideal was an early Christianity, a poor but pure church.

In 1140, the Pope condemned the views of Abelard and Arnold of Brescia as heretical and ordered both of them to be confined to a monastery and their books to be burned. Arnold of Brescia was forced to leave France and spent several years in Zurich, where he continued to preach his teachings. He was expelled from Zurich at the insistence of Bernard of Clairvaux.

In a desperate situation, Arnold of Brescia arrived in Rome in 1145 and sought forgiveness from Pope Eugene III, swearing loyalty to the church. This allowed Arnold of Brescia to stay in Rome, where the residents had rebelled against their pope and declared a republic in 1143. Arnold's previous sermons, which enjoyed immense popularity among the citizens, resonated in Rome. Although he did not hold any official positions in the leadership of the Roman Republic, Arnold became its de facto leader and ideologist, and thus the main enemy of the expelled pope.

In 1155, four days after the imposition of an interdict on Rome, the Roman Senate was forced to comply with the pope's demand and expel Arnold of Brescia from the city. Arnold fled to northern Italy, where he was captured by Frederick I Barbarossa, who was marching towards Rome at the request of the pope. Arnold of Brescia was handed over to Pope Adrian IV and on June 18, 1155, he was executed. He was hanged, his body burned, and the ashes thrown into the Tiber to prevent his many followers from venerating his remains.