<P> In the Netherlands, Saxons occupied the territory south of the Frisians and north of the Franks . In the west it reached as far as the Gooi region, in the south as far as the Lower Rhine . After the conquest of Charlemagne, this area formed the main part of the Bishopric of Utrecht . The Saxon duchy of Hamaland played an important role in the formation of the duchy of Guelders . </P> <P> The local language, although strongly influenced by standard Dutch, is still officially recognised as Dutch Low Saxon . </P> <P> In 569, some Saxons accompanied the Lombards into Italy under the leadership of Alboin and settled there . In 572, they raided southeastern Gaul as far as Stablo, now Estoublon . Divided, they were easily defeated by the Gallo - Roman general Mummolus . When the Saxons regrouped, a peace treaty was negotiated whereby the Italian Saxons were allowed to settle with their families in Austrasia . Gathering their families and belongings in Italy, they returned to Provence in two groups in 573 . One group proceeded by way of Nice and another via Embrun, joining up at Avignon . They plundered the territory and were as a consequence stopped from crossing the Rhône by Mummolus . They were forced to pay compensation for what they had robbed before they could enter Austrasia . These people are known only by documents, and their settlement cannot be compared to the archeological artifacts and remains that attest to Saxon settlements in northern and western Gaul . </P> <P> A Saxon king named Eadwacer conquered Angers in 463 only to be dislodged by Childeric I and the Salian Franks, allies of the Roman Empire . It is possible that Saxon settlement of Great Britain began only in response to expanding Frankish control of the Channel coast . </P>

Who were the saxons and where did they come from