[3] The history of the province in the Lombard and Frankish period is poorly documented, but the city of Lodi controlled the important trading route from Milan southwards to Cremona, Piacenza and the lower stretches of the River Lambro.

In 1025, the German emperor, Conrad II, granted certain rights to the Archbishop of Milan which caused land ownership to change and tensions in the region to flare.

A request made of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, to rebuild the city near the Adda River was granted.

It is about 780 square kilometres (300 sq mi) in area and is delineated by rivers; the right bank of the Adda nearly surrounds it, and a further part of the boundary is formed by the left bank of the Lambro and of the Po.

It is used to grow fodder crops, which are mown up to eight times a year, rice, wheat, maize, sugarbeet and vegetables.