Legal Definitions - mallum

The term mallum refers to a historical institution among the Salian Franks, a Germanic people who played a significant role in early medieval Europe. It had two primary functions:

• A Superior Court: The mallum served as a high-level judicial body, primarily responsible for serious criminal cases and other matters of significant legal importance. It was a court with broad authority, often presided over by a count or other high-ranking official, and handled disputes that required a higher level of judgment than local tribunals.
• A Public National Assembly: The mallum also functioned as a gathering of the people or their representatives to discuss and decide on important public affairs. These assemblies addressed matters of governance, legislation, military strategy, and other issues affecting the entire community.

The term is also sometimes referred to as mallus.

Examples:

• Imagine a situation in the early Frankish kingdom where a serious crime, such as a major theft or an act of violence with significant consequences, occurred within a community. Instead of being resolved by a local elder or minor official, the case would be escalated and brought before the mallum. This high court, comprising influential figures and presided over by a regional leader, would meticulously examine the evidence, hear testimonies, and ultimately render a binding judgment, reflecting its role as a superior judicial authority for critical matters.

  This example illustrates the mallum acting as a superior court, handling important criminal business that required a high level of legal authority and deliberation.

• Consider a time when the Salian Franks faced a crucial decision, such as whether to adopt a new set of laws governing property rights or to form an alliance with a neighboring tribe. Such a weighty matter would necessitate a broad consensus rather than a unilateral decree. In this scenario, a mallum would be convened as a public national assembly, bringing together leading warriors, landowners, and other influential members of society. During this gathering, proposals would be openly debated, opinions shared, and a collective decision reached that would shape the future of the entire Frankish community.

  This example demonstrates the mallum functioning as a public national assembly, a forum for collective decision-making on significant governmental and societal issues.