LOMBARDS, a people of Germanic descent, who were called by the Latin writers Longobardi or, more correctly, Langobardi, a name which is differently derived by different authorities. The people so designated first appear in his tory as settled about the Lower Elbe, in Hanover and western Prussia, at the dawn of the Christian era. In the two centuries that followed they came more than once into conflict with the Romans. About 455 the Longobardi were settled in Moravia, and were tributary to the Herulians. The oppression of these masters stung them into revolt; they subdued the Herulians, and after them the Gepid, and established themselves as the ruling race in Pannonia. Under Albion, their king, they invaded Italy in 568, and possessed themselves of the greater part of northern and central Italy, Pavia being the last city to sub mit. They subsequently extended their power as far S. as Spoleto and Bene vento, both of which duchies were held by Lombard dukes. His second successor, Authari, assumed the Roman title of Flavius, and under the influence of his queen, Theodelinda, a Frankish princess the nation began to change its Arian faith fo.: the Catholic.
The Longobardi, though never a numer ous race, were distinguished for love of war, but in Italy they became more civil ized, adopted the Latin language, began to build churches and found monasteries, and gradually became assimilated with the Italians. King Rothari in 643, and his successors, embodied the legal cus toms of the Lombards in a code, "Leges Longobardorum." Liutprand, king from 712 to 744, made an unsuccessful attempt subdue all Italy. His strongest op ponent was the Pope, who summoned the Franks to his assistance. Charlemagne in 774 overthrew the Lombard dynasty, and had himself crowned King of the Franks and the Lombards; and hence forward the Lombards were entirely merged in the Italians. No traces of their .language remain. Their earliest historian whose works survive, Paul the Deacon, wrote in Latin.