Antrustion

An antrustion (, plural antrustiones) was a member of the bodyguard or military household of the Merovingian kings of the Franks. The bodyguard itself is called the trustis (), a Frankish word with a Latin ending, possibly signifying comfort, aid, fidelity, trust (compare Old High German trost). An alternative etymology relates it to proto-Germanic *druhtiz, warband, whence old high German and perhaps Slavonic .

Information about the antrustions is derived from one of the formulae of Marculfus and from various provisions of the Salic law. Anyone desiring to enter the antrustions had to present himself armed at the royal palace, and there, with his hands in those of the king, take a special oath or trustis and fidelitas, in addition to the oath of fidelity sworn by every subject at the king's accession. This done, he was considered to be in truste dominica and bound to provide the services this involved. In return for these, the antrustion enjoyed certain advantages, entitled to royal assistance and protection; his wergeld was three times that of an ordinary Frank; the slayer of a Frank was paid compensation of 200 solidi, that of an antrustion had to find 600. The antrustion was always of Frankish descent, and only in certain exceptional cases were Gallo-Romans admitted into the group. These Gallo-Romans then took the name of convivae regis, and the wergeld of 300 solidi was three times that of a homo romanus. The antrustions, belonging as they did to one body, had strictly defined responsibilities towards one another; e.g., one antrustion was forbidden to bear witness against another under penalty of 15 solidi compensation.