Lombardy, a region in northern Italy, has a rich postal history, especially during the 19th century when Italy was unified.
Before unification, Lombardy was part of the Austrian Empire, and stamps from this period often bear Austrian influence.
After the unification of Italy in 1861, Lombardy became part of the Kingdom of Italy, and Italian stamps began to be used in the region. The earliest Italian stamps (the “Cinderella” issues and later the classic issues) were issued around the 1860s, with Lombardy-specific cancellations or overprints sometimes seen.
