Alboin, King of the Lombards, invaded Northern Italy from the year 568 to 569, driving mainland residents once again to the lagoon islands that would become Venice.  Unlike the Huns, the Lombards came to stay, thus forcing the lagoon residents to establish a home on the islands. Image: Woodcut vignette of Alboin in the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle. This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less.