550-569 Hungarian Lombards Seize Milan & Po Valley

In this twenty year period, the eastern emperor Justinian (pictured) was succeeded in 565 by Maurice who was faced with the invasion of Italy by a Germanic tribe known as the the Lombards or Longobards (Longbeards).

Previously, in 553 Justinian had defeated the Visigoths in Italy and the Germanic-supported Arian kingdoms of Italy and Africa returned to imperial rule -- only Visigoth Spain held out.

The Lombards were a Germanic arian tribe that had fought with the Romans as mercenaries. In their Lombard homeland of Pannonia (Hungary) they had established amicable relations with the Byzantines due to the guidance and leadership of a former Lombard King Wacho (c. 510-540).

When Pannonia was threatened by another Germanic tribe, the Avars, they remembered their tours of duty in Italy as well as the agricultural wealth that lay within the Po River Valley, and decided to migrate to Italy in 568.

They called it a migration, but the Italians called it an invasion.

Lead by King Alboin, many other Germanic tribes joined the Lombards in the march to the Po River Valley -- the Gepids, Sarmatians, Hunnic Bulgars, Saxons, Bavarians, and Taifali.

Once inside Italy, Alboin seized Aquileia and within a year, the Lombards ruled Milan as well as a large portion of the Po Valley.