Arnold II of Isenburg

A long-time member of the cathedral chapter in Trier, he held several provostships before being elected as archbishop, succeeding his uncle Theoderich von Wied.

The election was controversial, and king Conrad IV of Germany granted the regalia to Rudolf de Ponte, the opposing candidate, instead.

A short military conflict ensued, and the dispute ended after Rudolf's death when Arnold was confirmed as archbishop by Pope Innocent IV and consecrated in 1245.

Arnold opposed Conrad and the Hohenstaufen claim to the throne, and elected Henry Raspe and later William II of Holland as German anti-kings.

Arnold obtained leading positions in the Electorate of Trier: he became archdeacon of St. Lubentius in Dietkirchen in 1217 and cathedral provost in 1228.

At this time, the archbishops of Mainz and Cologne were no longer loyal to the Hohenstaufen dynasty, but Theoderich of Wied still supported the Emperor.

[3][8] A significant minority of parties opposed to Arnold chose the St Paulin provost, Rudolf de Ponte, as the new archbishop.

[3][2] Arnold supported Henry Raspe as anti-king of Germany, who was elected on 22 May 1246 by the archbishops of Mainz and of Cologne.

[1] Arnold's methods for financing his activities, which included tolls and credits,[1] but also withheld money from other clerics, as well as the lack of diocesanal synods under his reign led to criticism by the cathedral chapter and other influential Trier clerics, who wrote an open letter on 10 February 1257 mentioning admonitions that had been publicly read in the cathedral.