alike, and, as a help in the struggle, had invited a saintly heretic, Arnold of Brescia. * His heresy
was very grave: he maintained that "clerks who have estates, bishops who hold fiefs, monks
who possess property, cannot be saved." He held this view because he thought that the clergy
ought to devote themselves entirely to spiritual matters. No one questioned his sincere austerity,
although he was accounted wicked on account of his heresy. Saint Bernard, who vehemently
opposed him, said, "He neither eats nor drinks, but only, like the Devil, hungers and thirsts for
the blood of souls." Hadrian's predecessor in the papacy had written to Barbarossa to complain
that Arnold supported the popular faction, which wished to elect one hundred senators and two
consuls, and to have an Emperor of their own. Frederick, who was setting out for Italy, was
naturally scandalized. The Roman demand for communal liberty, which was encouraged by
Arnold, led to a riot in which a cardinal was killed. The newly-elected Pope Hadrian thereupon
placed Rome under an interdict. It was Holy Week, and superstition got the better of the
Romans; they submitted, and promised to banish Arnold. He hid, but was captured by the
Emperor's troops. He was burnt, and his ashes were thrown into the Tiber, for fear of their being
preserved as holy relics. After a delay caused by Frederick's unwillingness to hold the Pope's
bridle and stirrup while he dismounted, the Pope crowned the Emperor in 1155 amid the
resistance of the populace, which was quelled with great slaughter.
The honest man being disposed of, the practical politicians were free to resume their quarrel.
The Pope, having made peace with the Normans, ventured in 1157 to break with the Emperor.
For twenty years there was almost continuous war between the Emperor on the one side, and the
Pope with the Lombard cities on the other. The Normans mostly supported the Pope. The bulk
of the fighting against the Emperor was done by the Lombard League, which spoke of "liberty"
and was inspired by intense popular feeling. The Emperor besieged various cities, and in 1162
even captured Milan, which he razed to the ground, compelling its citizens to live elsewhere.
But five years later the League rebuilt Milan and the former inhabitants returned. In this same
year, the
* He was said to be a pupil of Abélard, but this is doubtful.