Desiderius (King of the Lombards 756–774)
Desiderius (c. 720–786) was the last king of the Lombards, from 756 until the Frankish conquest of Pavia in 774.
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Kings of the Lombards
The Kingdom of the Lombards played a major role in early Venetian history, as it was the Lombard invasion of Italy in 568 which started the formation of later Venice.
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The “Historia Langobardorum” by Paul the Deacon
The “Historia Langobardorum” is the oldest chronicle relevant to the history of Venice. It probably dates to the 780s or 790s.
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Invasions of Italy in Late Antiquity
In late Antiquity the north-east of the Italian peninsula suffered many invasions. The wars caused people to move to the safer lagoon areas, and hence to the foundation of Venice.