Page 22 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Milan & The Lakes

20  INTRODUCING MILAN

The Early Middle Ages and the
Commune of Milan
The 5th and 6th centuries marked a period
of decline for Milan. In 402 it lost its status as
Imperial capital, was sacked by Attila’s Huns
in 452, conquered by the Germanic Eruli in
476 and then by Ostrogoths in 489. During
the war between the Greek Byzantines and
Goths, the city, allies of the former, was
attacked by the Goths and utterly destroyed.
Reconstruction began in 568, when the city
was reconquered by the Byzantine general
Narses, who was forced to cede it to the
Lombards in the following year. Milan was
then ruled by the city of Pavia. The few
remaining citizens, led by their bishop
Honorius, fled to Liguria: what had been one Emperor Frederick Barbarossa at the Battle of Legnano (1176) in a
of the most prosperous cities in the Western 1308 miniature
Roman Empire was reduced to ruins in the
6th and 7th centuries. The Edict of Rothari emperor. Once again the city was led by a
of 643 describes in detail Lombard series of archbishops, some of whom, such
administrative structures of the time. as Ariberto d’Intimiano (1018–45), were
In 774, the Franks defeated both bishops and generals.
the Lombards and conquered In 1042 the free commune
Northern Italy. The archbishops of Milan was founded and
regained power and there was a new city wall built. It was
a revival of the economy with demolished in 1162 when,
the rise of an artisan and after a siege, the Milanese
merchant class, which in the were forced to open their gates
11th century led to the birth to Frederick Barba rossa: for
of the commune. After the second time the city was
centuries in which Monza and burned to the ground. Milan
Pavia had been the focal points and other northern communes
of Lombardy, Milan was once King Rothari proclaims his edict together formed the Lombard
again the political centre of (643), miniature, Codex Legum League, which defeated
the region. The aristocrats and Longobardorum Barbarossa’s troops at Legnano
mercantile classes struggled for in 1176. Seven years later
power in the 11th century, but then the Treaty of Constance sanctioned the
joined forces to defend the city against the freedom of these communes.

569 Invasion of 570 Entire 616 Theodolinda,
Alboin’s Lombards Po river wife of Authari and
valley under then of Agilulf,
c.491 Invasion of Lombard heads regency Agilulf and
Burgundians dominion Theodolinda
400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
452 Milan
is sacked 824 Milan becomes 1057 Rise of
by Attila 643 Edict of Rothari powerful under its bishops the Pataria
539 The Goths who, defying the Church movement
exterminate the 591 Agilulf is elected King of Italy of Rome, defend the against abuses
local population in the Roman circus Ambrosian rite of the clergy

020-021_EW_Milan.indd 20 16/10/14 1:48 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
History Portrait template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.2)
Date 20th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm