LOMBARDS (OF. Lombard, Lombart, Fr. Lombard, Lat. Lanyobardus. Langobardus, AS. Langbearda, probably Long-beards: less likely, Long-axes). A Germanic people of the age of migrations. About the second century A.D. they seem to have begun to leave their original seats on the Lower Elbe, where the Romans probably first came in contact with them about the begin ning of the Christian Era, and to have fought their way southward and eastward till they came into close contact with the Eastern Roman Empire on the Danube. They adopted an Arian form of Christianity, and after having been for some time tributary to the Heruli, rose to in• dependent power shortly after the middle of the sixth century, becoming masters of Pannonia, and one of the most wealthy and powerful na tions in that part of the world. Under their King, Alboin (q.v.), they invaded and conquered the north and centre of Italy (56S-572.). The more complete triumph of the Lombards was pro moted by the accession of strength which they re ceived from other tribes following them over the Alps—Bulgarians, Sarmatians, Pannonians. No rich Alcmanni. Suevi, Gepidm, and Saxons—for the numbers of the Lombards themselves were never very great.
Except where there was immediate need of united action the Lombards were generally di vided info little hands, each under a so-called duke, who endeavored to secure an independent principality for himself. The various dukes overran almost all of Italy except a few forti fied towns. Alboin was succeeded about 573 by Cleph, whose reign was a period of unbroken anarchy, and who was followed by Annan (584-590), who assumed the title of Elavius, which had been borne by sonic of the later Ro man emperors, and asserted the usual claims of a Boman ruler. The administration of the Lombard Kingdom was soon so superior to that which then prevailed in other parts of Italy that to many the change of master was a positive re lief from unjust and severe exactions. While the higher nobility, however, in general retained some portion of their former wealth and great ness, the possessors of small properties became fewer in number, and sank into the class of mere cultivators. The rights of the municipal cor porations, although acknowledged, were grad ually abridged, partly through the encroachment of the Lombard dukes and partly through those of the higher clergy, till few relies of their an cient self-government remained. These few, how ever, were the germs from which, at a subsequent period, the liberties of the independent Italian cities were developed.
The conversion of the Arian Lombards to the orthodox faith was brought about by the policy of Gregory the Great and by the zeal of Theude Hilda, wife of Authari. and subsequently of his successor, Agilulf (590-fi15). Theudelinda per suaded Agilulf to restore a portion of their prop erty and dignities to the Catholic clergy, and to have his own son baptized according to the Cath olic rites. She also built the magnificent Ba silica of Saint John the Baptist at :Monza, near Milan, in which in subsequent times was kept the Lombard crown, called the Iron Crown. The
Lombards were ere long fully united to the Roman Catholic Church. The contests of the dukes prevented the firm consolidation of the Kingdom, or any very considerable extension of its boundaries. The edict of the Lombard King, Rothari (06-652). declaring the laws of the Lombards, promulgated in 643. is memorable. It was revised and extended by subsequent Lombard kings and remained in force for several centuries after the Lombard Kingdom had passed away. The Lombards gradually became assimilated with the former inhabitants of the land, their rude customs began to assume something of refinement, and the Latin language prevailed over the Ger man. Of this original Lombard language little is known, nothing remaining to attest its Ger man character except a few words and names, the very ballads in which the stories of Lombard heroes were recorded having come down to us in Latin versions.
Liutprand (112-744) raised the Lombard King dom to its highest prosperity. He quelled with a strong hand the turbulence of the nobles, and sought to extend his dominion over all Italy. King Aistulf (749-756) gave a finishing blow to the Exarehate of Ravenna. (See Ex ARCIIATE OF.) But the efforts of the popes to in crease their temporal power, and the disputes which arose concerning the succession to the Lombard throne, led to the downfall of the Lombard King dont within a short time after. The pope.: allied themselves with the Frankish kings, and Pepin the Short, in gratitude for the Pope's sanction of Ins net in dethroning the Merovingian King. and making himself absolute ruler, invaded Italy in 754-755, and compelled King Aistulf to refrain from further conquests. and even to give up some of the cities which had already yielded to his arms; these Pepin bestowed upon the Church.
New causes of hostility between the Frankish and the Lombard monarchs arose when Charles the Great sent back his wife, the daughter of the Lombard King De.siderins (756-774), to her father, whereupon Desiderius embraced the cause of the children of Carlomat!, Charles's brother, against the King. In the autumn of 773 Charles invaded Italy; and in Slay of the billowing year Pavia was conquered and the Lombard Kingibilll was overthrown. In 776 an insurrection of smile of the Lombard dukes brought Charles again into Italy, and the dukedoms were brokcn up into counties, and the Lombard system, as far as possible, was supplanted by that of the Pranks. Tn S03 a treaty between Charles and Nieephonis. the Eastern Emperor, confirmed the right of the former to the Lombard territory, with lone, the Exarehate, Istria, etc. The independent Lom bard duchy of Benevento survived the overthrow of the Lombard Kingdom. Consult llodgkin, Italy and Her Inradcrs, vole. (Oxford, ISSN, where many references to sources and secondary works arc given.