In return for military assistance during Saxon incursions in 260, the Romans permitted the Salii to live among the Batavii in Roman territory in 297. The Limes between Nijmegen and the sea were also given to them to manage. They established ties with other local tribes. The Franks were the name given to this alliance of various tribes in the third and fourth centuries.

Many aspects of the Roman way of life and infrastructure were preserved after they were expelled. This meant that there was a very seamless shift from a society and culture that was controlled by the Romans to one that was more centered on the Franks. The majority of Roman institutions found a home in Frankish society, and as a result, many of their fundamental components have survived into our present society.

It is very likely that the Roman upper class in Gaul had a significant impact on this transformation. Most likely, they were able to keep their riches, status in society, and prominence in public life as a result.

The state was mostly kept together during the following several centuries by this transition as well as the church’s preservation of at least certain Roman institutions and customs, particularly through its bishops, with the aid of the “supernatural” powers of God and the Saints.

Claudius Silvanus

Claudius Silvanus, a successful Frank in the Roman army, attained the rank of Magister militum (master of the troops) in 352, one of the highest positions in the Empire. He pushed the Germanic tribes that were attacking Gaul under Constantius back beyond the Rhine. By paying the Germans with the revenues he had amassed, he accomplished this job. As usual, he became involved in Roman scheming, and it was reported that in 355, he had proclaimed himself Emperor at Cologne.

Emperor Julian the Apostate only granted the Salian Franks the status of foederati (semi independence in exchange for military services) and permitted them to move to Toxandria in 358 after he had defeated the Alamanni and the Franks at the Battle of Tolbiac near modern-day Zülpich not far from the Roman city Argentoratum (Strasbourg) and reestablished Roman control along the northern border (between the Scheldt and the Meuse most of current Brabant). The Eburones had previously lived on this land.

During that time, the Chamavi (Hamavai) migrated to what became Hamaland from maybe the Hamburg region (Gelderland – or Guelders in the Netherlands). The Salii had most likely interacted with the Frisii, Chamavi, and Batavii as well.

There was a loose alliance of tribes with kinship, extended families, and religious ties. They congregated around a well-known leader or noble who had been chosen by the tribe’s top males. Merovech was one of the legendary noblemen upon which the Merovingians, a dynasty, were built.

The importance of their family ties is laid down in the Salic Law (Lex Salica).

Lex Salica

It’s interesting to note that the majority of the laws still in force in continental Europe have their roots in very early traditional laws from the Salli, who established the fundamental principles for those laws.

They date back to prehistoric times and dealt with topics including inheritance, crime, murder, fines, injury recompense, slaves, and theft. Approximately between 507 and 511 years ago, at Clovis, the first codification was created. During the reign of Charlemagne, the Lex Salica was promulgated, and as a result, it spread throughout all of Europe.

The “agnatic succession” clause, according to which the crown or land would pass to the successor’s son, brother, nephew, or closest male cousin, was one of the law’s most significant provisions. In the Middle Ages, this legislation also applied to common people’s inheritance, particularly when it came to land ownership.

This law prevented the birth of illegitimate offspring and let males to have more wives, but it also served as a fertile ground for feudal conflicts. Throughout the Merovingian era, this problem will come up again and again.

The Franks took a very gradual approach to colonizing Gaul and some of Germania. There were three enclaves from which they emerged by the middle of the fifth century:

IJssel in the Lower Rhine, Utrecht, and the Veluwe
The valleys of the Meuse and Moselle Tournai
Later, a fourth region in the Reims region was included.

Slowly, the underpinnings of their society began to shift from a group of wealthy men who built their money on authority and pillage to wealthy men who built their riches on land ownership. Informally organized governance systems began to take shape, centered on the business and the security offered by kinship, family, and increasingly the Christian faith.

However, the violent nature of the raiding Franks persisted until the rule of the Merovingians, notably during the time after Clovis’s death, when this violence peaked.

Because the lineage was revered in this tradition, the tribal leaders began to converge into monarchs. Key characteristics of tribal traditions were carried over into kingship, such as the wearing of the monarchs in wooden carriages and their long hair. Long hair played a special role in the violent history of the Merovingians, and there have been instances where death by sword was preferable to hair removal. Other practices with a paganism origin include war leadership, hoarding wealth, and polygamy.

The rulers still relied on their subjects, and keeping them loyal demanded constant wealth. Wars at this period were still waged for economic gain rather than for political ends. Land was later substituted for loot, and as we shall see, this will undermine the king’s authority.

Lands ruled by warlords

The Germanic tribes brought a system built on generating wealth through plunder. The elite class of this society took part in their yearly spring and summer raids, which they conducted to collect this loot. This was also connected to the tradition of required gift-giving, which dates back to even earlier periods when sharing food and other resources was essential for life. Gifts were used in tribal times to thank the chieftain for services performed and to win the favor of people in positions of authority. The culture of the time conveyed the social significance of these presents through exquisite jewelry (Brioche of Dorestad), lavishly designed crockery, and religious artefacts.

Throughout the early Middle Ages, decisions regarding raids and other matters were made at the yearly gatherings of the tribe’s or nation’s free people (also known as tings or things). The rulers had to demonstrate to the assembly at these occasions, known as the “bannum,” that they had earned the right to have complete control over politics, justice, legislation, and military affairs. This custom persisted in various European nations well into the modern era.

Although virtually no one who lived in these territories was safe; as soon as someone had amassed some affluence through commerce or farming, they were a major target for attacks, such a society was not especially favorable to economic progress.

Interestingly, despite all the turmoil, many of the old Roman structures were still in place, including the regional administrative and political structures, the road networks, and—until Charlemagne arrived—the rivers Rhine and Maas, which served as the border between the Merovingians and the Franks. In the early Middle Ages, the Church continued to perform many of the Romans’ governmental and judicial duties.

Early forms of state organisation

For the following 250 years, Europe was ruled by the Merovingian dynasty, which Clovis became the foundation of. We didn’t begin to notice a new tendency toward the centralization of power until he arrived; yet, this never fully materialized during this time; instead, centralization concentrated around three regions: Burgundy, Neustria, and Austrasia

He was able to impose sub-ordnance on weaker warlords since he was one of the most powerful warlords of his period, and as long as the top-dog provided, everyone was content. The links between the various families were preserved through intrigue and marriage.

The Roman Empire, which was now ruled from Constantinople and later came to be known as the East Roman or Byzantium Empire, was now the second-largest force in Europe after them. Numerous Roman techniques were still in use here and were further refined, particularly under Emperor Justinian in the sixth century.

A bureaucracy was required to help gather and preserve resources, including land and its production as well as the royal treasury, which was mostly provided by the clergy who were trained at the expanding number of monasteries. This requirement was related to the developing centralization of authority. They were the ones who began putting organizational and administrative frameworks into place that considerably aided in the economic and social development of the erea.

Bounties were still regarded in the early days as being essential to establishing authority, nevertheless. And throughout their yearly conflicts with one another, the royal wealth was transported.

The taxing system is the subject of unresolved disputes. Some historians contend that parts of the ancient Roman government structure were still in operation, maybe well into the tenth century. In fact, later taxing systems are included into the Roman “munera” system of taxation. This included both payments in gold and required public services (payments in kind). Others, on the other hand, come to the conclusion that there is a break between the Roman and the Merovingian taxing system.

Wealth however, was mainly measured in land ownership and it was ‘land’ that kept the Merovingian economy going.

It is under their governance that cities such as Ghent, Brugge, Antwerp, Tournai, Kortrijk, and Valenciennes started to develop from local strongholds, religious places and farming communities into economic strongholds.

Under the strong impact of missionaries, religion quickly rose to prominence as a political force in Merovingian nobility, second only to land. The salvation of the soul, which would result in a blissful afterlife, was highly valued. There was a greater potential for the King and his family’s soul to be saved if there were more monks available for prayer. More than 400 monasteries were established in their area throughout the Merovingian era.

“Just as nowadays electrical wiring, roads and bridges are considered part of the essential infrastructure of the state, so in the early Middle Ages, religion and land were considered essential for the proper functioning of society.”

The monasteries did play a key role in the development of both religion and agriculture and thus in the society and the economy in general.

Immunities

These monasteries were granted privileges in order for them to operate correctly. They had the assurance that neither monarchs nor other earthly tyrants, nor bishops, would meddle in their affairs thanks to these early rights. These immunities were widely utilized as a result of how well they fit into the highly significant, previously described tribal ritual of gift-giving.

Early canonical norms and Roman law were copied and pasted into the early privileges granted by Clothar II and his son Dagobert I. These privileges had been institutionalized more under Queen Balthild, the spouse of Dagobert’s son Clovis II.

The development of vital talents in the fields of education, administration, and law also took place at these monasteries, and the Merovingians relied on the clergy’s intellectual abilities for their own secular organizations for many years. Many times, the level of political and intellectual pursuit throughout the Merovingian era has been underrated. This does not mean that there hasn’t been any actual writing as a result of intellectual and political action. The majority of material was verbally communicated and dealt with during oral talks, which undoubtedly came after a period of great advancement.

Immunities played a vital role in this procedure and were given to secular lords as rewards for their assistance to the kings. These privileges allowed for the development of numerous distinct jurisdictions over time. But when the Merovingian age came to a close, this required system of gift-giving undermined a strong central authority.

Additionally, the numerous noble families continued their tribal feuds in accordance with ancient Frankish customs thanks to their privileges and growing wealth. Even though the Carolingians momentarily united their own people, fragmentation quickly followed the end of their rule in the 10th century. This resulted in further fragmentation during the period that followed, during which the feudal system was at its height. 

The pope (628) and the first bishops (637) both began to grant privileges shortly after the Merovingian Kings did so (637). These secular and religious publications have a close relationship in terms of both substance and wording, which shows how interconnected these two power institutions are.

Innovations were required to increase agriculture productivity in this region, maybe as a result of the terrain in north-western Europe being much harder to cultivate than those around the Mediterranean. Within the framework of the Merovingian Empire and its arising monasteries, this began to occur.

The Roman economy was built on cheap labor (slaves) and this didn’t provide a stimulant for technological innovations.

The three field system was implemented, and the Chinese moldboard plow was perfectly adapted to the northwestern clays’ significantly heavier clays.

The Merovingians were able to enhance their power as a result of increased output, which led to surpluses. Wealth was then developed as a result of this.

The Mervingians were now using the cavalry that Belisarius, a general under Justinian, had devised. And similar to changes in the east, warlords began to receive land as payment rather than booty.

Nevertheless, during their 250 years of history the Merovingian Kings, their siblings and their supporting nobility would continue to fight each other.

Austrasia Neustria

We are now beginning to recognize European territories by their geographic designations for the first time. Austrasia and Neustria were the two regions that contributed most to the history of the Merovingian and Carolingian dynasties. These places have their own own cultures, ethnicities, and languages, nevertheless.

Austrasia

The former Roman provinces of Belgica Prima (capital Trier), Germania Prima (capital Mainz), Germania Secunda (capital Cologne), and the eastern portion of Belgica Secunda were taken over by an aristocracy of Roman and Germanic descent, establishing the Kingdom of Austrasia (capital Reims). Roman ruins were still there, and some of the major cities later evolved into the first episcopal sees (Mainz, Speyer, Worms, Verdun, Maastricht, Trier, Metz).

The region was separated from the Frankish Dominions upon Clovis’s passing, and this separation gave rise to the term Austrasia (meaning northeast).

It stretched from Reims in the west to the upper valley of the Weser River to the east. The northern boundary started at the mouth of the rivers Meuse and Rhine, down to the headwaters of the Meuse and Mosel, at the plateau of Langres.

The Kingdom was further expanded to include the regions of Thuringia, Allemannia, and Bavaria along the Rhine basin.

With Metz as its capital, the area was strongly Germanic.