chercher une querelle d'allemand

This saying has been accounted for as follows:—During the thirteenth century there lived in Dauphiné a very powerful family of the name of Alleman. They were bound together by close ties of relationship; and if any one attacked one member of the clan, he had the whole to reckon with. From the vigour with which they resented any wrong, no matter how slight, arose the expression Une querelle d’Alleman. See M. Jules Quicherat’s article on La famille des Alleman in the Revue historique de la noblesse, Part vi.