Henry II invaded Italy again in 1014 and was proclaimed emperor in Rome, at which point Arduin was finally forced to relinquish his crown.

[citation needed] These caused older scholarship to overrate his importance after Henry's first expedition in 1004, but it is now clear that Arduin's sphere of influence was restricted to a small part of Italy after that.

In the subsequent years, the political situation in Northern Italy was marked by the struggle between the bishops (who at the time were high-ranking nobles appointed by the emperor himself to rule the largest fiefs, and who thus owed their fortune to their personal relationship with him) and the minor nobles, whose only source of livelihood were small, rural fiefs, and who were threatened by the expansionism of the bishops.

During his rule in Ivrea, Arduin backed the claims of the monastic orders and of the minor nobles, a policy that inevitably led to clashes with the imperially appointed bishops.

The hostility turned into open conflict in the year 997, when the Emperor Otto III granted to Pietro, Bishop of Vercelli, the fief of Caresana.

At that point a clash with the Emperor seemed inevitable, but Otto III suddenly died near Rome on 23 January 1002 without leaving a direct heir, throwing the empire into a succession crisis.

[4] However, while Arduin had the loyalty of the minor nobles, that of the bigger landlords, more tied to the imperial power, was much more questionable, and opposition to his rule was instigated by the bishops, led by Frederick, Archbishop of Ravenna.

Henry personally invaded Italy with a large force that left Germany in March 1004 and arrived at Trento on 9 April 1004.

Henry entered Pavia, the traditional Lombard capital, and had himself crowned king of Italy on 14 May in San Michele in the face of a disapproving crowd.

Arduin had withdrawn to his stronghold in the Orco Valley, and Henry chose not to pursue him with the main body of his army.

Some imperial forces besieged the valley until the winter 1004–1005 but then withdrew; afterwards, Arduin rapidly regained control of all of his previous possessions.

Arduin's rule lasted until 1014, when Henry descended into Italy again, this time to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome by Pope Benedict VIII.

It is not clear if the latter is simply a holdover from Otto III's coinage or represents Arduin's anticipation of a future imperial coronation.

The second type reads AR∂O IN GRACIA DI REX (Arduin in the grace of God king) and PAPIA CIVITAS +GLORIO (Pavia glorious city).