The Lombards, also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin. By the 5th century the Lombards settled in the valley of the Danube where they subdued the Germanic Heruls and the Gepids.
From the Danube region they conquered the Byzantine Italy in 568 under the leadership of Alboin. They established a Lombard Kingdom in Italy, later named Kingdom of Italy, which lasted until 774, when it was conquered by the Franks, although Lombard nobles would continue to rule parts of the Italian peninsula well into the 11th century. Their legacy is apparent in the regional appellation Lombardy and the term Lombard banking, after the many Lombard bankers, money-lenders, and pawn-brokers who operated in Western Europe during the Middle Ages.
This edition of Italy and her Invaders: The Lombard Kingdom includes 24 chapters of over 270 full length pages on the chronological history of the Lombards and their culture, way of law, and more. A table of contents is included for easier navigation.
