ARNOLFO, king of GERMANIA. - Natural son of Carlomanno, he was elected duke of Carinthia in 887, and in the following year, having led the rebellion that deposed Carlo il Grosso, he was made king of Germany. He defeated the Normans in the celebrated battle of Lovanio (1 Nov. 891) and also fought against the Moravians and Slavs. In 894 he came to Italy, where Guido, duke of Spoleto, had not only had himself made emperor in 891, but had also wished to associate his son Lamberto with the empire (892). This first expedition of A., which represented the first intervention of Germany in the history of Italy, was marked by many devastations. Guido was preparing to resist with arms when he died (894).
His son Lamberto took advantage of A.'s return to Germany to strengthen as much as possible, in Rome, the Spoleto party. But in 895 A. returned to Italy and in February 896 had himself crowned emperor in Rome. Stricken with paralysis while advancing toward Spoleto, he was compelled to return to Germany, where he died in 899.