South Tyrol in the Early Middle Ages: From the Lombards to the Bavarian Migration

With the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD and, later, of the Ostrogothic Kingdom to the Byzantines in 553 AD, the territory of South Tyrol entered a crucial phase of political and cultural transition. The new rulers of the region became the Lombards, who in 568 conquered much of the Italian Peninsula, establishing the Duchy of Trento, to which the southern part of present-day South Tyrol was annexed.

The Bavarian Migration and the Birth of the Tyrolean Identity

In the centuries that followed, with the expansion of the Duchy of Bavaria, the region underwent an intense migration of the Baiuvari — a Germanic people from Bavaria. This movement grew stronger after the 8th century, when Charlemagne’s Franks defeated the Lombards and incorporated the South Tyrolean territory into the Carolingian Empire.

The Baiuvari settled mainly along the Isarco Valley, the Pusteria Valley and the Venosta Valley, giving rise to the ethnic group that today forms the German-speaking population of South Tyrol. The process of Germanisation took place gradually, encouraged by the spread of Bavarian monasticism, which established churches and monasteries (such as the Abbey of Novacella), helping the German language become predominant.

Why Did the Baiuvari Settle in South Tyrol?

The reasons for their migration were manifold:

• Territorial expansion by the Duchy of Bavaria, aiming to control the Alpine routes to Italy.
• Famines and overpopulation in Bavaria, which drove many families to seek new arable lands.
• Economic opportunities offered by the region, rich in pastures and natural resources.

Despite the advance of the Baiuvari, some Alpine valleys preserved their original Rhaeto-Romance language and culture, giving rise to today’s Ladin communities.

Throughout the Middle Ages, South Tyrol became a true crossroads between the Germanic and Latin worlds, with influences still visible today in the region’s language, traditions and culture. The coexistence of Germans, Ladins and Italians has created a unique identity that has evolved over the centuries through historical events and cultural exchange.

Today, visiting South Tyrol means immersing yourself in a land where every valley tells a different story — the result of centuries of encounters, clashes and fusions among peoples and traditions.