Arnold of Brescia (1100–1155)

Italian Augustinian monk. He attacked the holding of property by the Catholic Church, for which he was hanged and burned, and his ashes thrown into the River Tiber.

Born in Brescia of noble parents, Arnold was educated in Paris and may possibly have studied under Peter Abelard. On his return to Italy he became a canon regular, and was noted for his extreme asceticism. Accused by St Bernard of Clairvaux of being a follower of Abelard, he shared Abelard's condemnation 1140 and took refuge in Zürich.

Returning to Rome 1145, Arnold joined the republican movement and became its most prominent leader; he made continual attacks upon the clergy, vehemently denying their right to hold property. He was excommunicated 1148 by Pope Eugenius III. On the accession to the papacy of Adrian IV (Nicholas Breakspear) 1154, Arnold was forced to flee into Campagna. He was seized by the emperor Frederick Barbarossa and brought back to Rome 1155 where he was condemned and put to death.