“ Sometimes they were sent to organize and govern a march, sometimes they were rewarded with benefices, and as, with the growth of feudalism, these developed into hereditary fiefs, the word vassus or vassallus was naturally retained as implying the relation to the king as overlord, and was extended to the holders of all fiefs whether capital or mediate. As feudal independence increased, the word vassal lost every vestige of its original servile sense, and, since it had come to imply a purely military relation, acquired rather the meaning of “free warrior.” ”

“ The word gained in dignity under the Frankish empire through the vassi dominici, i.e. servants of the royal household, great officers of state, who were sent on extraordinary missions into the provinces, to act as assessors to the counts in the courts, or generally to settle any questions in the interests of the central power. ”