French Domination - The District of Milan

Traces of subsequent French rule (dated circa 550) are found in records which claim estates in the area of the Monastry of Fulda in the Franconian realm, and of the Monastry of Reichnau on the Lake of Constance.
Still today there are reminders of French rule not only for the fact that the Franciscan road was for some time named Strada Regina (Queen's Road) but also for the epithet "muncecch" still given to the people of the mountains in the surrounding valleys: the dialectal word 'cecch' still means Francesco and therefore 'Monti dei checch' would come to mean Mountains of the Franciscans, of the Francs from the domination of that time.

The end of the Carolingian empire brings about the disruption of the Milanese committe territory into small rural districts with constantly changing boarders: it is therefore difficult to establish the areas under Gravedona.
Toponomastic evidence, for example the Martesana district, existing in other areas of the central and southern end (basso lago) of the lake would make one believe that the whole western bank of the lake, once belonged to the Martesana Territory, that is to the Milan District. This would explain how Gravedona and Isola Comacina supported Milan in the war against Como at the beginning of 1100. The many castles built in the parishes or occasionally found on knolls and mounts, the signalling towers along the streets and towers belonging to families of nobility characterize the feudal period of the time.