The great century (XIII-XIVth century) and the black death. News from the former Frankish occidentals
Nothing can be done about Franks that is really new. The terrain Franks (south) were less strong than Maritime franks, because of the cities of the north and their typical organization. You could compare the cities of the maritime franks (formerly known as “golden square”) with the Hanseatic league. But the terrain franks (in the south) couldn’t access to the sea, and the best traders lived in the North. They had less men than Gallia. In the end, all the south of Frankish terrain land was “culturally absorbed” by the Gallian culture. This process lasted between 800/900 and ended in 1400/1500. The limit of the “gallianisation” was more or less Orléans, more or less the half of the lands. But politically, they still remained independent from Gallian cities…which were quite in a mess too.
Maritime Franks became the center of the « civilized » world during all the XIIIth and XIVth century. But they also suffered a lot from the black death, because many people lived in cities, more than elsewhere. And in cities, the plague hit harder because people lived closer. But the real decline of Maritime franks arrived much later…
During these two centuries of richness, you could find everything from products of the far north to Arabian products (with their good navy and ships, Arabian boats could be found everywhere around England and former Gaul !). Cities like Amiens reached 130 000 people, and became one of the greatest city of these times.
Nothing can be done about Franks that is really new. The terrain Franks (south) were less strong than Maritime franks, because of the cities of the north and their typical organization. You could compare the cities of the maritime franks (formerly known as “golden square”) with the Hanseatic league. But the terrain franks (in the south) couldn’t access to the sea, and the best traders lived in the North. They had less men than Gallia. In the end, all the south of Frankish terrain land was “culturally absorbed” by the Gallian culture. This process lasted between 800/900 and ended in 1400/1500. The limit of the “gallianisation” was more or less Orléans, more or less the half of the lands. But politically, they still remained independent from Gallian cities…which were quite in a mess too.
Maritime Franks became the center of the « civilized » world during all the XIIIth and XIVth century. But they also suffered a lot from the black death, because many people lived in cities, more than elsewhere. And in cities, the plague hit harder because people lived closer. But the real decline of Maritime franks arrived much later…
During these two centuries of richness, you could find everything from products of the far north to Arabian products (with their good navy and ships, Arabian boats could be found everywhere around England and former Gaul !). Cities like Amiens reached 130 000 people, and became one of the greatest city of these times.
