peter was a strong supporter of the interests of barbarossa, both paying numerous lengthy visits to the imperial court and himself playing host in toul to the emperor twice, in 1171 and at pentecost of 1187. when hillin's pro-staufen successor, arnold i of vaucourt, died in may 1183, and the succession came into dispute between folmar of karden, the candidate of the pro-papal party, and rudolf of wied, the imperial candidate, peter supported the latter, refusing to receive folmar in toul when the latter returned from rome in 1186 as a papal legate armed with the judgment of pope urban iii. shortly thereafter, peter was excommunicated by folmar at a hastily assembled provincial synod in mouzon.