Arnold II van Hoorn

Who was Arnold II van Hoorn?

Arnold II van Horn was the son of William V van Horn and Elisabeth of Cleves. He was canon, provost, Bishop of Utrecht from 1371 to 1378, and Bishop of Liège from 1378 to 1389.

After the death of bishop Jan van Virneburg in 1371, the cathedral chapter nominated its provost Zweder Uterlo as candidate for the bishopric, but the rest of the chapters supported the papal candidate Arnold van Horne, who as a result become bishop. Arnold seems to have been a forceful bishop, though he endangered the financial state of the bishopric. He involved himself in the Guelders War of Succession in 1371–1372, which almost led to his capture, and from 1373 to 1375 he waged war against the County of Holland over the advantageously located trading town of Vreeswijk. These actions had little results however, while they cost a lot of money. While the western border of the Sticht was re-enforced and the Hollandic advance was halted, Holland still held the mouth of the rivers Vecht and Lek, which kept Utrecht isolated.