LIUTPRAND, King of the Lombards. - In 703 Ansprand, in the bitter struggles for the succession to the Lombard throne, had to take refuge with his younger son L. at the court of Theodebert, king of the Bavarians. Nine years later (712), he descended into Italy, fought near Pavia and defeated the usurper Aribert. After only three months of reign, L. succeeded him in the government.
L., having escaped a conspiracy plotted against him by a relative of his, devoted ten years of his reign to reorganizing the State, and set about continuing with new laws the legislative work of Rothari.
These laws were elaborated in fifteen assemblies from 719 to 724 and comprise 153 chapters. The King shows himself a Christian and a Catholic prince, and he embellishes his prologues with biblical reminiscences that attest to the employment of ecclesiastics in the drafting of the laws. Chapter 33 is particularly marked by ecclesiastical influence. A very notable part of the legislation is directed at combating homicide, by means of a higher valuation of human life, and adds to the wergild the confiscation of the guilty party's property, except in the case of legitimate self-defense. The laws aimed at combating superstitions and the practice of sorcery reveal in the King a wise and enlightened spirit (v. also ROTARI).
Around 726 he takes advantage of the struggles that had broken out in the Exarchate on the occasion of iconoclasm and invades first the Exarchate, conquering Bologna and other cities of Emilia, then the Pentapolis, seizing Umana, Ancona and Osimo, storms Classe and besieges Ravenna, while part of his troops push into the Duchy of Rome, occupying the castle of Sutri, which L. then donates to the Pontiff. He then moves toward central and southern Italy, defeats the dukes of Spoleto and Benevento, then invades the Duchy of Rome, but is halted and placated by Gregory II; L. enters Rome as a friend and pilgrim, visits St. Peter's and departs. In 734 he descends into the field again, invades the Exarchate and seizes Ravenna, but with short-lived success: indeed the city is liberated by the Venetians.
L. maintains friendly relations with Charles Martel, who invokes the help of the Lombard king against the Saracens who are infesting southern France. Having returned from France, he moves against the rebellious duke of Spoleto, Transamund, depriving him of the Duchy. He intervenes to quell the agitations that had arisen in the Benevento area, and since Gregory III had refused to hand over the usurper of the Duchy of Benevento, Godescalc, he invades Roman territory, occupying some castles, but then returns to Pavia (739) to prepare a new expedition. In 740 he again attacks the Exarchate and Ravenna, while individual Lombard bands devastate the patrimonies of the Roman Church. The Pope appeals to Charles Martel, but without effect. The new pope Zachary comes to an agreement with L.; then new difficulties arise, especially when the duke of Spoleto, Transamund, is deposed and replaced by Agiprand, nephew of the Lombard King. Zachary is received by L. at Terni (742) and compensated for the damages suffered.
Having set things in order in the South, L. returns to Pavia and the following year moves again against the Exarchate, turning his forces against the Greeks; the still free populations of Emilia appeal to the Pontiff, who interposes effectively and, as usual, the Lombard King listens to the voice of the Pope, who had gone personally to Pavia (743). Even before the ambassadors sent to Constantinople to negotiate peace could return, L. dies in Jan. 744. He is buried first beside his father, in the church of S. Adriano in Pavia, then in the 12th century his body was transferred to the church of S. Pietro in Ciel d'oro, where L. had had the relics of St. Augustine brought from Sardinia.