Merovingian and Carolingian golden age The name Herstal is of
Franconian origin, consisting of the elements
hari ("army") and
stal ("resting place", "camp"; compare Modern German
Stall, "stable"). The first mention of Herstal is in Latin documents from ±718 (
Cheristalius corrected to
Charistalius) and 723 (
Harastallius). The first possibly non-Latinized occurrences are
Eristail (in 919) and
Harstail (1197). , sculptor, 1867
Pippin of Herstal (ca 635–714),
Mayor of the Palace and de facto ruler of
Austrasia and
Neustria and founder of the family that established the
Carolingian dynasty, probably chose this location as his main residence because of its proximity to the major cities of
Tongeren,
Maastricht, and
Liège. Pippin was the father of
Charles Martel, victor of the decisive
Battle of Tours that stopped the Arab-Muslim advance into northwestern Europe, and great-grandfather of
Charlemagne, also supposedly born in Herstal. Charlemagne lived for at least fifteen years in Herstal but later established his capital in
Aachen, ending Herstal's period of medieval glory as capital of the empire.
Late Middle Ages and modern era The town was incorporated into the Duchy of
Lower Lotharingia, which became part of the
Duchy of Brabant at the end of the 12th century. Despite its proximity to
Liège, the territory of Herstal did not become part of the
Prince-Bishopric of Liège until 1740, when the prince-bishop Georges-Louis de Berghes bought it from
Frederick II of Prussia. By that time, the town was mainly known for its able craftsmen: ceramists, blacksmiths, and clockmakers. In the 19th century, Herstal became a city of coal and steel. It would, however, become world-famous thanks to the foundation of the
Fabrique Nationale, a major armament factory, in 1889. Several
motorcycle manufacturers also established themselves in town. On August 7, 1914, at the very beginning of
World War I, the invading
German army executed 27 civilians and destroyed 10 homes in Herstal. ''|220px After
World War II, heavy industry saw a prolonged period of decline, drastically reducing the number of jobs in these areas. Today, Herstal's economy is picking up again, with more than 200 companies established on its territory, including Techspace Aero, which manufactures precision parts for the
European Space Agency’s
Ariane rocket. ==Politics==