Lombards

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Lombards Germanic peoples who inhabited the area e of the lower River Elbe until driven w by the Romans in ad 9. In 568, they invaded n Italy under Alboin and conquered much of the country, adopting Catholicism and Latin customs. The Lombard kingdom reached its peak under Liutprand (d.744). It went into decline after defeat by the Franks under Charlemagne (775).

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