Lombards

The Lombards, also known as the Longobards or Langobards, were a Germanic people who were important in the history of Europe. They started near what is now Hamburg and later lived along the Lower Elbe river. By the 5th century, they moved to the Middle Danube region, close to present-day Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary.

In the mid-6th century, the Lombards, led by Alboin, entered northeastern Italy. Italy was weak from wars, so the Lombards were able to take control. By 569 AD, they had taken most of northern Italy and set up what is called the Lombard Kingdom. Their rule lasted until 774 AD when the Frankish king Charlemagne took over, but Lombard nobles kept power in some southern areas for a long time. Today, the name Lombardy in northern Italy reminds us of their influence.

Name

The name "Lombards" comes from old words that mean "long-beards." People long ago thought the Lombards were called this because they never cut their beards. Their name might also come from a clever trick their ancestors did.

Some later writers used a shorter name, "Bardi." Places in northern Germany, like Bardengau and Bardowick, might be linked to this name.

Legendary origins

Old stories say the Lombards were first called Winnili. They were led by two brothers named Ibor and Aio. Their mother, Gambara, was important in their history. These stories say they lived far north, near the Elbe River.

One story tells how the Winnili women tied their hair in front of their faces. When the god Odin saw them, he asked, "Who are these long-beards?" After that, they were called the Langobardi, or Lombards, because of their long beards. Different writings have different versions of this story, but they all say the Lombards had a special link to their looks and their gods.

Wodan (Godan) and Frigg looking out of a window in the heavens...

Main article: Goths written by Jordanes

Main article: Gaul

Main article: Vandals

Main article: Baltic

Main article: Bardengau

Main article: Elbe

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Main article: Paderborn

Main article: Catholic

Main article: Christian

Main article: pagan

Main article: name of Odin

Main article: fertility cult

History

The Lombards were a Germanic people. They first lived near the lower Elbe River in the early 1st century AD. Roman writers said they were part of the Suebian peoples. They were not very many but were strong in battle.

By the 5th century, the Lombards moved to the Middle Danube region, close to where Austria and Hungary are today. Later, they moved to Italy. There, they made a kingdom from 568 to 774 AD. They settled in places like Pavia, their first capital, and later went to areas such as Tuscany and southern Italy. They made duchies called Spoleto and Benevento. The Lombards met many empires, such as the Byzantines and Franks. They were important in Italy until the Normans came in the 11th century.

Genetics

A genetic study from 2018 showed that Lombards in Italy shared strong genetic ties with Lombards from Central Europe. Most Lombard men had genetic markers common in Germanic peoples, suggesting they came from Central or Northern Europe.

Another study from 2018 looked at the remains of a Lombard man and found he was closely related to people from Northern Europe, especially areas like Lithuania and Iceland. These findings suggest that Lombards migrated from the north to Italy.

Culture

The Lombards had their own language, called Lombardic, which is no longer spoken. Only a few small pieces of it remain, mostly single words found in old Latin texts. Because there are no full Lombardic texts, it is hard to know much about its grammar or how sentences were built. We do know that Lombardic was part of a group of German languages.

Lombardic words survived in old inscriptions and legal documents. Some of these words made their way into Italian, such as guerra (war) and ricco (rich). The Lombards lived in different areas and met other groups, which influenced their social structure. They developed a strict class system. Their kings traced their lineage back to around 380 AD, and kingship became important as a way to unite their military forces.

Lombard society was divided into nobles, freemen, serfs, and slaves. The nobles were often urban. Freemen made up a large part of the population and could serve in the army when needed. The Lombards built cities that were often small and scattered, with patches of open land between them.

The Lombards initially practiced ancient Germanic religions but later converted to Christianity. Over time, most Lombards became Catholic, especially after the influence of queens and kings who supported the Church. In southern Italy, the Lombards developed their own special Christian traditions and styles of church music and writing.

The Lombards created art and architecture that blended their Germanic roots with influences from the Byzantine Empire and Christian traditions. They made beautiful jewellery, weapons, and later built churches and monasteries. Some of their most famous buildings are still standing today, showing a mix of early medieval and Romanesque styles.

List of rulers

Main article: List of kings of the Lombards

The Lombards were a Germanic people with many kings and leaders. These rulers helped guide the Lombards as they moved from near modern-day Hamburg to the Middle Danube, and finally to the Italian Peninsula. They played important roles in the Lombards' history during their travels and settlements in Europe.

Notes and sources

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