The Origin of the Langobard People

The History of the Lombards by Paul the Deacon drew heavily on other works, especially about prior times. One of these was a 7th-century work called Origio Gentis Langobardorum ("The Origin of the Langobard People"). From this work Paul got the mythical origin of the Lombards and the origin of their Langobard name.

It starts with a group called the Winnilles on the island of Scandanan, a "great island" in the Arctic. They had two rules, Ybor and Agio, whose mother, Gambara, wise a wise and respected woman.

The Winnilles were oppressed by the Vandals, who wanted tribute from the Winnilles:

Then the leaders of the Wandals, that is Ambri and Assi, moved with their army, and said to the Winniles; 'Either pay us tribute or prepare yourselves for battle and fight with us.' Then answered Ybor and Agio, with their mother Gambara: 'It is better for us to make ready the battle than to pay tributes to the Wandals.' [source]

With a battle looming, the Vandal leaders asked the god Odin (called Godan in the manuscript) for victory.  Godan (as mythical gods sometimes are known to do) did not promise a victory to one said, saying instead that he would give victory to whichever group he saw first when the sun rose the next day.

Gambara of the Winnilles had another idea: she and her sons prayed to Freya, Godan's wife, for aid. Freya gave them advice:

...at sunrise the Winniles should come, and that their women, with  their hair let down around their face in the likeness of a beard, should also come with their husbands.

Feya then "stacked the deck" for the Winnilles. The next morning while she and Godan were in bed:

Frea, the wife of Godan, turned around the bed where her husband was lying and put his face toward the east, and awakened him. And he, looking at them, saw the Winniles and their women heaving their hair let down around their face.

(See the illustration for the two looking down.) Startled at the view, Godan says:

"Who are these longbeards?" Then spoke Frea to Godan: "My lord, thou hast given them the name, now give them also the victory." And he gave them victory, so that they should defend themselves according to his counsel and obtain victory. From that time, the Winniles were called Langobards.

Paul the Deacon, a good Christian monk, did not approve of the pagan gods in this version of the origin, referring it to a "silly story" (ridiculam fabulam). Paul says the name Langobard simply comes from being known for their long beards.

So whence did they really come? Let's check out what we really know about the Lombards, their origin and presence in northern Italy. See you next time.