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We tried several names. The bank's name designates its focus of interest as an economic entity and its historic roots as well as its mission as a bank. The word, Palatine designates the Rhine Palatinate Region which extends into Belgium and France especially the German speaking areas. Historically, this area has been the industrial heartland of Europe and a center for banking for almost a whole millenium. This area is the remainder of the European Empire which started in the Palatine Court in Germany. The bank is Angevin, or based upon palatine law, contract law administered under sheriffs from the time of Henry II. This law was greatly favoured by merchants in the middle ages because of the clarity of its contract. As you will see from the links, the Angevin implementation of contract law attracted adherents from the Atlantic to the Pacific and established the first business culture. The business of the bank is contract law regarding ABS collateral and the economic culture of European industry based on the very small businesses which sprung up allover Europe but especially in France where to this day almost 90% of the population works for an employer with 10 or fewer employees.
