 Upon his death, Friuli was incorporated as a march of the Carolingian Empire.The Venetian territory around "Forum Iulii", still devastated by the Gothic War, was the first in former Roman Italy to be conquered by the Lombards under their king Alboin in 568.Before continuing on to penetrate Italy further southwards, Alboin left a large garrison at Cividale and placed the government of the district under his nephew and "Marepaphias" (shield-bearer), Gisulf as a "dux", who was allowed to choose the "faras" or noble families with which he wished to settle the land.