Editing Malle (section)

===Early history===

The origin and meaning of the word Malle is uncertain: on the one hand it could refer to an extended plain, border or stop, but more likely it refers to a place which was used by the [[Franks]] for legal matters. A ''Mallum'' was a general court session presided by the count.<ref>Francis N. Estey, The Meaning of Placitum and Mallum in the Capitularies, ''[[Speculum (journal)|Speculum]]'', Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul., 1947), pp. 435–439</ref> In [[Irish language|Irish]], the name ''Ó Maoileoin'', means a devotee of St. John.

A record of the name Malle emerges for the first time in 1194, when the bishop of [[Cambrai|Kamerijk]] donated the altar of Malle and Vorsele to the ''Chapter of Our Kind Lady of Antwerp''. Originally Oostmalle, Westmalle and [[Zoersel]] were joined into one domain: Malle, which was part of the County [[Toxandria]].

The origin of [[Oostmalle]] dates back to the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] era, when a settlement was built along the [[Roman road]] from ''Trajectum ad Rhenum'' ([[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]) to [[Bavay]] (now approximately the ''Lierselei'' and the ''Hoogstraatsebaan'').

During the [[Middle Ages]] (476–1492), Oostmalle was part of the [[Duchy of Brabant]], governed by lords like [[Jan Van Hesselbeke]] and [[Jan Volckaert]] (around 1300). The ''lower'' feudal rights belonged to the House of [[Breda]], the ''higher'' rights belonged to the [[Duke of Brabant]].

Westmalle's origin dates to before 1100, when the place of residence (''Mansus'') of the representative (''Villicus'' or ''Meier'') of the [[Duke of Brabant]] was mentioned in historical record. The history of [[Westmalle Castle]] reflects the history of the governing families of Westmalle. [[Henry I, Duke of Brabant]] granted some feudal rights to the [[abbot]] of the [[Villers Abbey|Abbey of Villers]] on the condition that a [[monastery]] would be built in Westmalle. However, the monastery was built in [[Hemiksem]] instead.