The Lombard League was an alliance of northern Italian city-states, including Milan, Cremona, Mantua, Bologna and Venice, formed to resist the attempts of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to impose imperial authority over Italy. The tradition links its beginnings to an oath taken at the abbey of Pontida, and it received the support of Pope Alexander III, for whom the city of Alessandria was named. The league defeated Frederick at the battle of Legnano in 1176, and in 1183 the Peace of Constance recognised the right of the cities to govern themselves while acknowledging the emperor as overlord. A second league was formed in the 1220s against Frederick II, and the alliance ended with his death.
Before and after
- 1163Battle of al-Buqaia
- 1163Construction of Notre-Dame de Paris begins
- 28 July 1165Birth of Ibn Arabi
- c. 1167Origins of Copenhagen
- from 7 April 1167 to 1 January 1250Founding of Lombard League
- 1170Birth of Fibonacci
- from 1171 to 1341Ayyubid dynasty
- 1177Construction of pont Saint-Bénézet
- 1178Construction of Veliky Ustyug
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- 12th centuryRise of Waldensians
- from 12th century to 19th centuryFounding of Hanseatic League
- 1209Founding of University of Cambridge
The era
This moment belongs to the Medieval world (500 CE to 1500 CE), kingdoms, faiths and trade routes. You can also browse everything in the 12th century.