Hainault
One of ten provinces of Belgium and is located in the southern part of the country.
According to Wace, it was part of Arthur’s empire. Wolfram says that it was ruled by King Lambekin in the time of Uther Pendragon.
Hainaut | 0 to 800 AD
During the early part of this period, the area that would later become Hainaut was part of the Roman province of Gallia Belgica, which was situated in the northern part of the Roman Empire. The Roman presence had an impact on the local culture and infrastructure. Roman roads, settlements, and trade routes likely influenced the region’s development.
As the Roman Empire began to decline and withdraw from its provinces, the region experienced changes due to the migration and movements of various tribes and groups. The Franks, a Germanic people, began to establish control over parts of what is now modern Belgium, including the area that would become Hainaut. The Frankish influence increased in the region, and it became part of the Merovingian and later the Carolingian kingdoms. The Franks brought their own social structures, governance, and cultural influences to the area.
In the early Medieval Period, in the sixth century, the area was often part of larger political entities that encompassed various regions in present-day Belgium, France, and Germany. The region’s development was influenced by the changing political landscape of early medieval Europe.
The spread of Christianity during this period also had an impact on the region. Christian missionaries worked to convert the local population, and churches and religious institutes began to be established.
Sources
Roman de Brut | Wace, c. 1155
Parzival | Wolfram von Eschenbach, 1200–1210
Alliterative Morte Arthure | c. 1400