The Barbians in Milan and the Longobard domination

To the beginning of the 5th century also for Milan arrive the dark and tormenting period of the barbaric invasions.
The Goths, guided by King Alaric, they go down in Italy and they besiege the city that resist rejecting them.
This fact induces the emperor to leave Milan and choose Ravenna as more suited place for the defense and new capital of the empire.
A new era of decadence starts and that gets worse with Attila, king of the Unnis, that devastates and plunders the city in 451.

Attila

Follow other waves of Barbarians and, in 537, a big catastrophe.
Again the Goths, this time driven by the terrible Uraia, besiege the city and, after two years, force Milan to the surrender, destroying it completely and massacring the citizens, inclusive little boys and women. The shine of once is by now a memory; Milan is reduced to a heap of ruins, while new centers as Pavia and Monza obtain importance.

The Longobard dominion.
The Milaneses, with tenacious will, start to reconstruct their houses.When in 569 the Longobards come driven by king Alboin, the city didn't oppose resistance.
Two centuries it lasts the dominion of Longobards. Milan, meanwhile, is reaised up, has taken back his commerces, is reveretd prosperous and the citizens do competition to assist the most miserable, giving life at those beneficent institutions for old, poor men and sick that, in always greater increase in the following centuries, showing how much noble and generous is the soul of this city.

The Iron Crown of Lombardy (Monza) used for crowning the Longobard Kings