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Lombard League

1167 CE – 1250 CE (approx.)

An alliance of northern Italian city-republics that defeated Frederick Barbarossa at Legnano in 1176 and won self-government from the emperors.

Origins

In 1167, according to tradition in an oath sworn at Pontida, Milan, Cremona, Bergamo, Brescia, Mantua and other cities formed a league against Frederick Barbarossa, absorbing the Veronese League. Pope Alexander III supported it, and the new city of Alessandria was named after him.

Rule and society

The league was an alliance of communes with a council of rectors from member cities, a shared war chest and joint armies, rather than a single state. Its forces defeated Barbarossa at Legnano in 1176, forcing the Truce of Venice in 1177 and the Peace of Constance in 1183, which recognised the cities' rights to elect their own officials.

Decline and legacy

The league was revived in 1226 against Frederick II, who defeated it at Cortenuova in 1237 but failed to break the cities. After Frederick's death in 1250 it faded away, as the communes turned to wars among themselves and to rule by lords.

Lineage

Veronese League 1164 CE – 1167 CELombard League

Connections (20)

Commune of Milan was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Cremona was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1183 CE
Commune of Brescia was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Bergamo was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Piacenza was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Parma was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Verona was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Padua was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Treviso was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Vicenza was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Republic of Bologna was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Lodi was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Vercelli was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Novara was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Mantua was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Ferrara was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Modena was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Reggio was part of Lombard League1167 CE – 1250 CE
Commune of Alessandria was part of Lombard League1168 CE – 1250 CE
Lombard League was part of Holy Roman Empire1183 CE – 1250 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Lombard League. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/lombard-league
MLA: “Lombard League.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/lombard-league. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Lombard League.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/lombard-league.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Lombard League’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/lombard-league (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻