Lombards

a Germanic people. In the sixth century they shifted from the valley of the Elbe and established themselves in northern Italy, giving their name to the kingdom of Lombardy. At one time the Lombards overran nearly all Italy. Charlemagne overthrew their kingdom and caused the "iron crown" of their kings to be set on his own head. Lombardy was later parceled out into duchies and republics of varying fortunes, chiefly under Austrian or other foreign domination, until, in 1860, the last of them was consolidated with the kingdom of modern Italy. The percentage of Teutonic blood is small. It is probable that the Lombards never formed a large percentage of the population. They were soon absorbed. In London, the foreign merchants, especially those from Italy, were known as Lombards. See Lombard Street Our Lombardy poplar derives its name from the Kingdom of the Lombards. The "iron crown" of the Lombards was a broad band of gold set with jewels. It took its name from a fillet or strip of iron running around with the golden band. This iron was reputed to have been wrought from a nail of the cross. The crown is now preserved in the church of Monza, a small town of northern Italy.