#pippinids

Herstal is the birthplace of the dynasty that kind of made Europe, the Pippinides, better known as the Carolingians, which major men includes Charles Martel, born in Herstal, and his grandson Charlemagne, maybe born in Herstal (or Aachen). The name Herstal is of Franconian origin, consisting of the elements hari (“army”) and stal (“resting place”, compare “stable”).

The capital of the south-west crossing pillar in the Great St. Martin Church in Cologne, is according to legend depicting Pippin and Plectrudis

Today the town is mostly known for the largest arms manufacturer in Belgium, Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre (or FN Herstal for short), which employs around 900 people. Forges de Zeebrugge is another weapon producer in town. You could, possibly, argue that the spirit of the Pippinides (which where if anything, great warlords) here lives on in companies like this and in the general industrialization in the region around Liège. Herstal was also the headquarter for the motorcycle manufacturers Saroléa and Gillet Herstal.

In the history books the Pippinides road to fame began with Pippin of Herstal (ca 635–714), who had the absolutely top post in the Merovingian empire as Mayor of the Palace and he was de facto ruler of both Austrasia and Neustria. He probably chose this location as his main residence because of its proximity to the major cities of Tongeren, Maastricht, and Liège. So even if there is nada left of the old European history in this town, it still at the important junction and if the perspective change from museums, ruins and castles mode to a more geographical mode, it still could be interesting looking around for clues in the environment around the place. To be continued…