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AlboinAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

Alboin

byJoshuaJ.Mark
publishedon15December2014

Alboin(reigned560-572CE)wasakingoftheLombardswholedhispeopleintoItalyand
foundedtheKingdomoftheLombardswhichlastedfrom568-774CE.HisfatherwasAudoin,King
oftheLombards,andhismothertheQueenRodelinda.Hewasmostlikelybornc.530CEin
Pannonia,grewupwithmilitarytraining,andfoughtagainsttheAvarandGepidtribesbefore
leadinghispeopletoItaly.Afterhisfirstwife,Chlothsind,died,hemarriedRosamund,thedaughter
oftheGepidkingCunimundwhomAlboinkilledinbattle.Inspiteofhismilitaryvictoriesand
successfulreign,hecametobeknowntolatergenerationsprimarilythroughhisassassinationbyhis
wife,whichformedthebasisofpaintingsbyanumberofartistsandworkssuchastheopera
RosamundabyGiovanniRucellai(1525CE)andtheversedramaRosamundbyAlgernonCharles
Swinburne(1860CE).BothoftheseartistsdrewheavilyfromtheprimaryworkonAlboin:Paulthe
Deacon's8thcenturyCEHistoryoftheLombards.Paulrecordsthat,in572CE,afterAlboinhadruled
Italyforalmostfouryears,Rosamundhadhimassassinatedtoavengeherfather'smurder.The
dramaticnatureoftheassassination,andAlboin'streatmentofRosamundintheirmarriage,hasleant
itselftoimaginativeworksinwhicheitherAlboinorRosamundisdepictedasatragicfigurewho
suffersunjustly.Accordingtotheprimarysources,however(especiallythatofPaultheDeacon),
Alboinwasatribalwarlordwhoestablishedahomelandforhispeopleandtreatedhiscaptivewife
ashewouldanyotherwarprize;hepaidforsuchunkindtreatmentwithhislife.

MILITARYVICTORIES&REIGNINPANNONIA
NothingisknownofAlboin'searlyyearsorupbringing.Hislaterexploitssuggestthathehadmilitary
trainingand,asthesonoftheking,wasmostlikelyinstructedinpolitics.PaultheDeaconfirst
recordsthathesucceededhisfather,Audoin,in560CE.Audoinhadalliedhimselfwiththe
ByzantineEmpire,buteitherheorAlboindecidedtobroadentheirpowerbasebyalsoallying
themselveswiththeFranks,whowerethengrowinginpower.Inc.560CE,therefore,Alboin
marriedthedaughteroftheFrankishkingChlothar,Chlothsind,tosecurethisalliance.Thehistorian
FrancescoBorriwrites:
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Alboinmusthavebeenaverypowerfulman,evenifcontemporarysources
describinghispoliticalandmilitaryactivitiesarescanty...ThefactthatAlboin
wasabletomarryaFrankishprincess,whichnoLombardkingafterhimwas
abletodo,confirmshisimportanceinthescenariooflateRomanEurope
(223224).

TheLombardsmayhavebeeninvitedintoPannoniabytheByzantineEmpiretodealwiththe
threatoftheGepidtribesintheregionormayhavecomeontheirown.Eitherway,conflicts
betweentheLombardsandtheGepidswereroutine,andtheLombardsalliedthemselveswith
anothertribe,theAvars,tofinallycrushtheGepids.TheAvarshadalsocometoPannoniaeitherby
theinvitationofEmperorJustinIIorontheirowninitiative.TheAvarkingBayanI(reigned
562/565-602CE)brokeredadealwithAlboinagreeingthat,iftheiralliancedefeatedtheGepids,
theAvarswouldbegiventheGepid'slands.AccordingtoPaultheDeacon,in567CEtheGepids,
nowundertheruleoftheirkingCunimund,attackedtheLombards(thoughothersourcesclaim
AlboinandBayanIinstigatedhostilities).TheprecisedatesofthealliancesbetweentheByzantine
Empire,theLombards,theAvars,andtheGepidsareconfusedowingtoconstantcontradictionsin
theprimarysources,butitappearsthat,atthistime,theLombardsandAvarswerecloselyallied
againsttheGepidswiththesupportoftheByzantineEmpire.ThealliancecrushedtheGepids,and
AlboinkilledCunimundbybeheadinghiminbattle.Hetooktheheadofthekingasatrophyand
laterhaditmadeintoawinecupwhichheworeonhisbelt.Othersources,however,claimitwas
BayanIwhokilledCunimund,beheadedhim,andgavetheskulltoAlbointocelebratetheirjoint
victory.

BY572CEROSAMUNDCOULDNOLONGERTOLERATE
BEINGMARRIEDTOTHEMANWHOHADKILLEDHER
FATHERANDWOREHISSKULLONHISBELTASADRINKING
CUP.
WiththeGepidsdefeated,Alboinconsolidatedhisruleandmarkedtheboundariesofhisterritory.
TheAvars,however,hadmanagedtooccupymoreoftheregionthantheGepidshadbeforethem,
owingtothedealAlboinhadagreedtobeforebattle,andthreatenedtheLombardterritories.
AlbointhenmarriedRosamund,daughterofCunimund,toformanalliancewiththeGepidsagainst
theAvars,butitwastoolate.TheAvarsunderBayanIweretoopowerfulnow,andtheGepidforces
weretooweakenedbythepreviouswartoproveveryuseful.Alboinrealizedthemostprudent
courseofactionwastoleavePannonia,buthewasuncertainwheretoleadhispeopleto.Alarge
numberofLombardtroopshadservedintheimperialforcesundertheByzantinegeneralNarsesin
Italy,performingparticularlywellincombatattheBattleofTaginaein552CEwhereNarses
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defeatedtheOstrogothickingTotilaandre-claimedItalyfortheempire.Thesesoldiersstill
rememberedItalyasafertileland,andeithertheysuggestedamigrationtoAlboinor,accordingto
othersources,NarseshimselfinvitedthemtoItaly(thislaterclaimisroutinelycontested).Whatever
hismotivation,inAprilof568CE,AlboinledtheLombardsoutofPannoniaandintonorthernItaly.

MIGRATIONTOITALY&REIGN
TheByzantineEmpirewereatwarwiththeOstrogothsofItalysincethedeathofTheodoricthe
Greatin526CEuntilNarses'victoryovertheGothsattheBattleofMonsLactariusin555CE.In
568CE,ItalywasthereforeapartoftheByzantineEmpirebutwassparselyfortifiedordefended.
SomanyresourceshadbeenexpendedinwinningitbackfromtheGothsoversomanyyearsthat
nowtheempireseemedconfident,forsomereason,thattheregioncoulddefenditselfifneedbe.
AlboinandhispeopleenteredItalyfromthenorthandtookthetownofForumIuliiwithoutafight.
Fromhere,hemarchedonAquileiaand,withthattownsecure,continuedhisconquestofthe
regionuntil,by569CE,hehadtakenMilanandcontrolledthenorthofItalywithoutengaginginany
seriousmilitaryconflicts.Between569-572CE,Alboinconqueredmostoftherestofthecountry
(thoughsomepartswerestillcontrolledbytheByzantineEmpire,suchasRome),establishinghis
capitalatVeronawhilehelaysiegetoPavia,theonlycitythatresistedtheLombardinvasiontoany
significantdegree.Ittookthreeyearsofsiegetotakethecityand,whilethatwasinprogress,Alboin
setaboutestablishinghiskingdomfromhispalaceatVerona.

AlboinfromtheNurembergChronicle

Hedividedthecountryinto36territoriesknownas"duchies,"presidedoverbyadukewhowas
responsibleforreportingdirectlytotheking.Whilethismadeforefficientgovernmentfroma
bureaucraticpointofview,itlefttoomuchpowerinthehandsoftheindividualdukes,andso
regionseitherprosperedorsuffereddependingonthequalityoftheirparticularduke.Alboin
ruledeffectivelyfromVeronabut,ashewasmoreconcernedwithsecuringhisbordersagainstthe
Franksandfendingofftheeasternempire'seffortstodislodgehim,helefttheaffairsofgovernment
tothesesubordinates,whichresultedinalackofcohesionbetweentheterritoriesaseachduke,
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naturally,wantedthebestforhisparticularregion.Thesedukes,therefore,actedautonomouslyin
conqueringregionstowardsthesouthofItalywhich,scholarsclaim,Alboinhadnointerestintaking
fromtheByzantineEmpire.
ThesourcesonAlboin'sreignarefew.PaultheDeaconwriteshow,underAlboin'sreign,"Therewas
thiswonderfulkingdomoftheLombards.Therewasnoviolence,noplottingpitfalls,andnoothers
unjustlyoppressed.Nooneplunderedandtherewerenothefts,therewasnorobbery;everyone
wentwherevertheywanted,safeandwithoutanyfear"(History,III,16).Althoughthisdescriptionis
consideredbyscholarstobeanexaggeration,itdoesseemthatAlboin'sreignbroughtstabilityand
prosperitytoItaly,especiallyinthenorth,andhewasaneffectivemonarchinspiteoftheactivities
oftheindividualdukes.Althoughtheyactedintheirownbestinterests,historianssurmise(basedon
thegeneralreactiontoAlboin'sdeathandtheaftermath)thattheyseemtohavebelievedtheywere
pursuingacourseAlboinwouldhaveapprovedof.

ASSASSINATION&AFTERMATH
Alboin'smarriagetoRosamundhadneverbeenahappyone.PaultheDeaconclaimsthatAlboin
routinelyabusedhiswifeandmockedher.Themarriage,likemanyinvolvingnobilitythroughthe
ages,hadbeensimplyadevicetosecureanalliance.Further,RosamundwasalreadyAlboin's
captiveafterthedefeatanddeathofCunimund,andsoshehardlyhadachoiceinmarryingthe
Lombardking.InJuneof572CE,sheapparentlyreachedthepointwhereshecouldnolonger
toleratebeingmarriedtothemanwhohadkilledherfatherandworehisskullonhisbeltasa
drinkingcup.Paulwrites:
Whenhe[Alboin]wasmoreflownwithwinethanwasappropriateatafeast
inVerona,heaskedthatwinebegiventothequeentodrinkinthecupwhich
hehadmadefromtheheadofhisfatherinlawCunimundus.Heinvitedher
todrinkhappilywithherfather...Therefore,whenRosamundfoundoutabout
thematter,sheconceivedadeeppaininherheartthatshewasunableto
quell.Sheburnedtoavengethedeathofherfatheronherhusband(History,
III,18).

RosamundconvincedAlboin'sfosterbrother,Helmechis,tomurderhim.OthersourcesonAlboin's
assassination(suchasGregoryofToursorMariusofAventicum)providedifferentdetails,butall
agreethattheplotwassetinmotionbyRosamundwhohad,perhaps,falleninlovewithHelmechis
or,atleast,washavinganaffairwithhim.RosamundandHelmechisenlistedtheaidofabodyguard
namedPeredeo,whowastrickedintotheconspiracybyRosamundwhodisguisedherselfasa
servant,hadsexwithhim,andthenessentiallyblackmailedhimintoservice.Oneday,whenAlboin
hadretiredtohisroomtorestafterlunch,HelmechisandPeredeoattackedhim.Rosamundhad
orderedthatPeredeotieAlboin'sswordtohisbedsothekingwouldbeunarmed.Alboinfought
offhisassailantswithafootstoolbutwasbeatendownandkilled.

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AlboinandRosamunde

Thecouple,alongwithAlboin'sdaughterfromhisfirstmarriage,Peredeo,theroyaltreasure,anda
segmentofthearmy,thenfledfromVeronatotheByzantine-controlledcityofRavenna.Thiscourse
ofactionhassuggestedtomanyhistoriansthattheassassinationwasactuallyinstigatedbythe
ByzantineEmpireandRosamundwasmanipulatedbythem.Whiletheempiremayhavehadahand
inAlboin'sdeath(andcertainlywouldhavebeenrelievedbyit),theprimarysourcesallclaimthe
assassinationwasplannedandcarriedoutbyRosamundtoavengeherfather'sdeathandpunishher
husbandforhisabuseofher.Evenso,thefactthattheconspiratorswerewelcomedinRavennaand
that,aftertheirdeaths,theroyaltreasureandAlboin'sdaughterweresenttoConstantinople,does
argueinfavorofByzantineinvolvementinAlboin'sassassination.
HelmechisandRosamundweremarriedinRavenna,andheproclaimedhimselfking.Thedukes
refusedtoacknowledgehim,however,andproclaimedtheirownking,Cleph,thedukeofPavia,
whichcityhadfinallyfallentothesiege.Rosamund,apparently,didnotfindHelmechisanymoreto
herlikingthanshehadAlboinandpoisonedhiswinecup.Helmechis,however,suspectingher
treachery,madeherdrinkfromthecupeitherbefore,orjustafter,hehaddoneso,andinthisway
theybothdiedattheother'shands.
Clephreignedfor18monthsbeforehewasassassinatedbyoneofhisservants.Theindividual
dukesthenfoughteachotherforcontrolofthekingdomfrom572-586CE,whenKingAuthariwas
electedinordertofightoffincursionsbytheByzantinesandtheFranks.TheLombardKingdomin
Italymaintaineditscontroloftheregion,sometimeslosingandsometimessubstantiallygaining
territory,until774CE,whentheywereconqueredbyCharlemagneoftheFranksandabsorbedinto
hisempire.AlthoughlaterLombardkings,suchasAgilulf(reigned590-616CE),Rothari(reigned
636-652CE)and,especially,Liutprand(reigned712-744CE),madegreateradvancementsin
conquestandgovernmentthanAlboin,thefirstLombardkingofItalyisstillrememberedfor
leadinghispeopletoasecurehomelandandestablishingakingdomhefelttheycouldcalltheir
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own.Hislifeandachievementshavebeenovershadowedbyhisdeathandhissubsequent
transformationintoacharacterinliterarytragedybut,whilehelived,heseemstohavebeenaman
ofconsiderablepowerandvisionforthefutureofhispeople.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
JOSHUAJ.MARK
Afreelancewriterandpart-timeProfessorofPhilosophyatMaristCollege,New
York,JoshuaJ.MarkhaslivedinGreeceandGermanyandtraveledthrough
Egypt.Heteachesancienthistory,writing,literature,andphilosophy.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
FrancescoBorri-MurderByDeath:Alboin'slife,end(s)andmeans
PaultheDeacon:HistoryoftheLombards
Collins,R,EarlyMedievalEurope,300-1000(PalgraveMacmillan,2010).
Foulke,W.D,HistoryoftheLombardsPaulTheDeacon(UniversityofPennsylvaniaPress,1974).
Gibbon,E,TheDeclineandFalloftheRomanEmpire(ModernLibrary,2003).
Halsall,G,BarbarianMigrationsandtheRomanWest,376-568(CambridgeUniversityPress,2008).
CITETHISWORK

LEGALNOTICE
WrittenbyJoshuaJ.Mark,publishedon15December2014underthefollowinglicense:CreativeCommons:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike .Thislicenseletsothersremix,tweak,andbuilduponthiscontentnonhttp://www.ancient.eu/Alboin/?utm_content=buffer5f1b6&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

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commercially,aslongastheycredittheauthorandlicensetheirnewcreationsundertheidenticalterms.

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