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Charlemagne: A Life from Beginning to End
Charlemagne
It is possible that no man has ever dominated a time as much as Charles the Great dominated the Early Middle Ages. It is true that the era had its kings, warriors, scholars, and religious leaders, but in many ways, Charlemagne was all of these things.
Inside you will read about...
✓ Charles the Carolingian
✓ Charles the Conqueror
✓ Charles the King
✓ Charles the Man
✓ Charles the Holy Roman Emperor
✓ The End of Charlemagne
He conquered land for the Franks and sent in missionaries to convert the pagans to Christianity. He was probably illiterate, but he brought in Europe’s most renowned scholar, Alcuin of York, to transform education for both clergy and laity. He was much-married and virile, but he cherished his children and provided education for both his sons and his daughters. When he was named the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III, his title was a Christian benediction for the conquest that unified Western Europe. The unification did not last, but the legend never faded.
It is possible that no man has ever dominated a time as much as Charles the Great dominated the Early Middle Ages. It is true that the era had its kings, warriors, scholars, and religious leaders, but in many ways, Charlemagne was all of these things.
Inside you will read about...
✓ Charles the Carolingian
✓ Charles the Conqueror
✓ Charles the King
✓ Charles the Man
✓ Charles the Holy Roman Emperor
✓ The End of Charlemagne
He conquered land for the Franks and sent in missionaries to convert the pagans to Christianity. He was probably illiterate, but he brought in Europe’s most renowned scholar, Alcuin of York, to transform education for both clergy and laity. He was much-married and virile, but he cherished his children and provided education for both his sons and his daughters. When he was named the Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III, his title was a Christian benediction for the conquest that unified Western Europe. The unification did not last, but the legend never faded.
109 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2016
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386 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 26, 2019
Awkwardly written
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: December 5, 2016
Language: English
ASIN: B01MQT4OOH
A very awkwardly written little booklet which suffers from several problems probably beginning with being written by a committee or a staff writer. One reviewer commented that the middle portion of the book is befuddling and that the last quarter improves. I too noticed this which leads me to suspect authorship by committee or by cut and paste from several sources
The major formatting problem is that paragraphs are not clearly delineated particularly when reading using large type. At first, I thought that there were no paragraphs or any other method of separating themes. Thus the already awkward and frequently convoluted prose is made even more difficult to read and understand.
Here is a sample, chosen almost at random, of the writing style: "Pepin was more religious than his father had been, and since such his views merged perfectly with what the popes themselves believed, it was small wonder that papal approval of the rising Carolingians would be an asset to building their strength." This isn't the worst example, merely the first which I came across while looking for a sample.
The book uses both AD and CE for dates then soon drops both. Sentences, thoughts and subjects are frequently run together in a seemingly haphazard manner. I think that at least part of the problem is the publisher's effort to cram too much information into too short a book.
This seems to be my month for finding weird reviews. Here is a three star review for this book posted on Amazon, "I have studied the dog cages extensively and read any book showing Charlemagne I found this book doable but we're not read it again". That's it, the whole review. I will be charitable and suppose that the reviewer meant dark ages instead of dog cages. But...who knows?
Review of Kindle edition
Publication date: December 5, 2016
Language: English
ASIN: B01MQT4OOH
A very awkwardly written little booklet which suffers from several problems probably beginning with being written by a committee or a staff writer. One reviewer commented that the middle portion of the book is befuddling and that the last quarter improves. I too noticed this which leads me to suspect authorship by committee or by cut and paste from several sources
The major formatting problem is that paragraphs are not clearly delineated particularly when reading using large type. At first, I thought that there were no paragraphs or any other method of separating themes. Thus the already awkward and frequently convoluted prose is made even more difficult to read and understand.
Here is a sample, chosen almost at random, of the writing style: "Pepin was more religious than his father had been, and since such his views merged perfectly with what the popes themselves believed, it was small wonder that papal approval of the rising Carolingians would be an asset to building their strength." This isn't the worst example, merely the first which I came across while looking for a sample.
The book uses both AD and CE for dates then soon drops both. Sentences, thoughts and subjects are frequently run together in a seemingly haphazard manner. I think that at least part of the problem is the publisher's effort to cram too much information into too short a book.
This seems to be my month for finding weird reviews. Here is a three star review for this book posted on Amazon, "I have studied the dog cages extensively and read any book showing Charlemagne I found this book doable but we're not read it again". That's it, the whole review. I will be charitable and suppose that the reviewer meant dark ages instead of dog cages. But...who knows?
January 13, 2018
Of all the Hourly History biographies I have read, Charlemagne was the person I probably knew the least about. My expectation was therefore pretty high for getting an good concise introduction to one of the founding fathers of modern Europe. Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed in that I really didn't feel like I learned anything.
The biggest flaw was in the construction of the book - one chapter consisted of pretty much a list of battles, the context of which was entirely missing so that I had no idea who any of these enemies were. This is one place where a map would have been useful. Much was made of Charlemagne's championship of Christianity, so much so that some of the more salient points were repeated in two different chapters.
Charlemagne had such a huge influence (literally, he was apparently 6'5") that it needed a much better book than this to give him a proper introduction. If the Hourly Histories are designed to introduce people to a subject who had no prior knowledge, then this volume failed pretty badly.
The biggest flaw was in the construction of the book - one chapter consisted of pretty much a list of battles, the context of which was entirely missing so that I had no idea who any of these enemies were. This is one place where a map would have been useful. Much was made of Charlemagne's championship of Christianity, so much so that some of the more salient points were repeated in two different chapters.
Charlemagne had such a huge influence (literally, he was apparently 6'5") that it needed a much better book than this to give him a proper introduction. If the Hourly Histories are designed to introduce people to a subject who had no prior knowledge, then this volume failed pretty badly.
March 11, 2019
I remember reading about Charlemagne, when I was a kid but to be honest I had forgotten most of his story. I decided to pick this up and give it a read to refresh my memory.
It was OK, I felt that there was too much emphasis on war but it served it purpose in that, it introduced you to the main aspects of his life, without going into too much detail. It wasn't the worst book that I have read, but I felt that it could have somehow been better.
One good thing about this book is, that has whetted my appetite for wanting to read more about the Carolingians and their lifestyle.
It was OK, I felt that there was too much emphasis on war but it served it purpose in that, it introduced you to the main aspects of his life, without going into too much detail. It wasn't the worst book that I have read, but I felt that it could have somehow been better.
One good thing about this book is, that has whetted my appetite for wanting to read more about the Carolingians and their lifestyle.
April 3, 2017
Great overview on Charles the Great's life and accomplishments. He achieved much during his reign, both through military conquests and religious reform. His kingdom, while short-lived after his death, helped drag Europe out of the Dark Ages and into a period of enlightenment.
February 24, 2017
Charlemagne is the French name of one of the most proficient conquers and administrators ever to rule vast portions of Western Europe. His accomplishments prove that he was no neophyte when it came to waging war. At its peak, the Franks controlled territories spanning from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. This includes present day Italy (including Corsica), France, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. This feat was accomplished at the end of the first Millennium and wouldn’t be surpassed for another thousand years. Although war was waged throughout his reign, he, like Napoleon Bonaparte ten centuries later, made many improvements in and for the lands he conquered. Some of these improvements were the stimulation of trade and creating one standard value for gold and silver, making financial transactions between different lands and peoples possible on a fair field. A legal system was established where many laws, rights, and privileges were codified and recorded. The spreading of Christianity was his primary goal and was prepared to do it with bloodshed if all else failed. When all is said and done, Charles the Great proved to be one vital stepping stone to the world we live in today.
I would be amiss if I didn’t note a small but (considering the brevity of the book) critical item. The author occasionally repeats himself. In a larger work this would probably go completely unnoticed, but in this one, it stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. I must admit that Dark Age history isn’t my forte but I found this introduction inspiring enough to dig further into this fascinating ruler of the distant past. The books in this series are short but provide the reader with a spark that ignites a flame of curiosity that could grow into a roaring fire. Considering that the place he called home was Aachen, Germany, and that is just an hour from where I call home, I will make a point to visit there and see if there is still a little Charlemagne ambiance there.
I would be amiss if I didn’t note a small but (considering the brevity of the book) critical item. The author occasionally repeats himself. In a larger work this would probably go completely unnoticed, but in this one, it stands out like the proverbial sore thumb. I must admit that Dark Age history isn’t my forte but I found this introduction inspiring enough to dig further into this fascinating ruler of the distant past. The books in this series are short but provide the reader with a spark that ignites a flame of curiosity that could grow into a roaring fire. Considering that the place he called home was Aachen, Germany, and that is just an hour from where I call home, I will make a point to visit there and see if there is still a little Charlemagne ambiance there.
November 16, 2022
Charles the Great, also known as Charlemagne, "was born into a powerful, ambitious family line... he initiated a process of education... by summoning Europe’s most revered scholar, Alcuin of York, to reform the training system. Alcuin’s efforts helped a revitalization of culture that is known as the Carolingian Renaissance." Charles taught himself to speak Latin fluently. the tongue of the educated and elite, and he studied Greek. "He studied grammar from Peter of Pisa; Einhard the biographer taught him arithmetic. He would learn rhetoric, logic and astronomy from the man who was regarded as the greatest scholar in Europe, Alcuin of York."
Wars and rumors of wars continued throughout the reign of Charlemagne, battling Saxons, Saracens, Moors, Slavs, etc., gathering territories into the terra firma billfold of the Kingdom of the Franks; a unification which did not last. Charlemagne is regarded as the father of Europe, modern France, and Germany. He unified the continent "from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea for the first time since Rome fell."
Comment: Short biographies are a welcome addition to one's library, they enable the reader to decide if they wish to pursue the topic or individual(s) they are studying with more lengthy works, such as early works by true academics rather than modern era revisionists.
- Addition Excerpts:
“Who should be King, he who has the title, or he who has the power?” —Pepin III
"Thanks to Alcuin, the learning acquired by his native Anglo-Saxon origins could be shared with the rest of Western Europe. Recognizing the vital role that the ancient texts played in the role of education, one of Alcuin’s activities was to establish a library at the palace school."
"By abandoning the currency which had been based on gold, Charles showed his pragmatism. Gold was in limited supply and not readily available... The new standard, the livre carolingienne, was based upon a pound of silver. The development of a single currency, rather than an assortment of coins from each region, not only stabilized the economy but also served to simplify trading."
"Charlemagne perceived a purpose to Christian living apart from its spiritual benefits; his sense of order realized that people who lived by a uniform code of behavior served the nation better."
"When scientists in 1861 opened his tomb, they measured his bones and confirmed Einhard’s account of his height; they estimated that Charles was approximately six feet, five inches tall."
Wars and rumors of wars continued throughout the reign of Charlemagne, battling Saxons, Saracens, Moors, Slavs, etc., gathering territories into the terra firma billfold of the Kingdom of the Franks; a unification which did not last. Charlemagne is regarded as the father of Europe, modern France, and Germany. He unified the continent "from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea for the first time since Rome fell."
Comment: Short biographies are a welcome addition to one's library, they enable the reader to decide if they wish to pursue the topic or individual(s) they are studying with more lengthy works, such as early works by true academics rather than modern era revisionists.
- Addition Excerpts:
“Who should be King, he who has the title, or he who has the power?” —Pepin III
"Thanks to Alcuin, the learning acquired by his native Anglo-Saxon origins could be shared with the rest of Western Europe. Recognizing the vital role that the ancient texts played in the role of education, one of Alcuin’s activities was to establish a library at the palace school."
"By abandoning the currency which had been based on gold, Charles showed his pragmatism. Gold was in limited supply and not readily available... The new standard, the livre carolingienne, was based upon a pound of silver. The development of a single currency, rather than an assortment of coins from each region, not only stabilized the economy but also served to simplify trading."
"Charlemagne perceived a purpose to Christian living apart from its spiritual benefits; his sense of order realized that people who lived by a uniform code of behavior served the nation better."
"When scientists in 1861 opened his tomb, they measured his bones and confirmed Einhard’s account of his height; they estimated that Charles was approximately six feet, five inches tall."
November 8, 2019
This book definitely should have waited for some more studying, pondering and editing before the publication.
(Kindle Location 406)
He had maintained the traditions of the Franks while modernizing them into a European system of politics, social order, and governance.
What European system? There wasn't anything called the "European" ID'entity until the Renaissance era, but only that of "Christendom." The book is definitely interpreting the events of the 8th to 9th century through the glasses of our modern standards.
This book is another example of our “wrong” intelligence that's been causing our pathetic memory-loss. The book's a typical school history textbook, nothing more.
At least it delivers a lot of information in such a small number of pages for the history beginners’ convenience.
(Kindle Location 252)
Alcuin, who was educated at the cathedral school at York, because a monk, teacher, and deacon.
What? Definitely a subject to be edited.
(Kindle Locations 28-39)
Many centuries have passed since Charlemagne dominated Europe. As Europe reacts to the exit of Great Britain from the European Union, it’s worth the effort to hearken back to a time when a single man forged his own European Union, also without the inclusion of the English—and left a lasting mark on history.
Yet, these are the lines why the book still deserves an average rate, minimum 3 stars, despite its outdated textbook research and information.
(Kindle Location 42)
The seamless tapestry of Rome had frayed after 476 CE, forcing the nascent countries to fend for themselves without the protection of the storied Roman legions.
(Kindle Location 219)
...Laws needed some spring cleaning after legal housekeeping...
The author's choice of words in these lines is outstanding, which also earns him more credit.
If you want to read the full review, google young kim's blog: gibraltar, suez, panama, malacca and bering - charlemagne, or just click here.
(Kindle Location 406)
He had maintained the traditions of the Franks while modernizing them into a European system of politics, social order, and governance.
What European system? There wasn't anything called the "European" ID'entity until the Renaissance era, but only that of "Christendom." The book is definitely interpreting the events of the 8th to 9th century through the glasses of our modern standards.
This book is another example of our “wrong” intelligence that's been causing our pathetic memory-loss. The book's a typical school history textbook, nothing more.
At least it delivers a lot of information in such a small number of pages for the history beginners’ convenience.
(Kindle Location 252)
Alcuin, who was educated at the cathedral school at York, because a monk, teacher, and deacon.
What? Definitely a subject to be edited.
(Kindle Locations 28-39)
Many centuries have passed since Charlemagne dominated Europe. As Europe reacts to the exit of Great Britain from the European Union, it’s worth the effort to hearken back to a time when a single man forged his own European Union, also without the inclusion of the English—and left a lasting mark on history.
Yet, these are the lines why the book still deserves an average rate, minimum 3 stars, despite its outdated textbook research and information.
(Kindle Location 42)
The seamless tapestry of Rome had frayed after 476 CE, forcing the nascent countries to fend for themselves without the protection of the storied Roman legions.
(Kindle Location 219)
...Laws needed some spring cleaning after legal housekeeping...
The author's choice of words in these lines is outstanding, which also earns him more credit.
If you want to read the full review, google young kim's blog: gibraltar, suez, panama, malacca and bering - charlemagne, or just click here.
September 23, 2017
This is a short biography on the 9th Century Frankish King, the First Holy Roman Emperor (the first Emperor in Europe since the fall of Rome) and the first person who had attempted to unify all Germanic people under one kingdom.
The book starts with his early life and how his family was committed to the spread of Christianity throughout Europe, especially in the central regions such as Saxony and Bavaria and there was also the mention of the famous Battle of Tours led by his grandfather Charles Martel in which he defeated the Saracens, leading to a stop in spread of Islam in Europe beyond the Iberian peninsula. It the talks about how Charlemagne systematically established alliances with the clergy, his focus on having a learned kingdom and also, how he helped spread Christianity, often by allowing his vanquished to retain power and convert or lose power and retain their religion. The book then talks about his various conquests, and his expansion to the extent of the Slavic Kingdoms. The book then talks about his personal life, his interests, habits and his eventual death and a word on his successors.
To say it in a sentence, I would say that this was the dullest biography from Hourly History that I have read so far and in fact the first Hourly History book which has taken me more than an hour. The book, lacked a sequence, for instance, while mentioning about Charlemagne's family, the book already mentions what happened post his death and then, eventually gets back to what he did during his life. Moreover, I felt, the campaigns against Saracens in Iberia were given very little/ negligible focus in the book.
I am fairly read on history post industrial revolution and with Charlemagne being a personality nearly eight centuries ago, I expected to return with considerable knowledge post the read but then, instead, I got very little. There was excessive focus on how he spread Christianity rather than how he built the society or controlled the army and led campaigns.
To conclude, I would rate the book a two on five.
The book starts with his early life and how his family was committed to the spread of Christianity throughout Europe, especially in the central regions such as Saxony and Bavaria and there was also the mention of the famous Battle of Tours led by his grandfather Charles Martel in which he defeated the Saracens, leading to a stop in spread of Islam in Europe beyond the Iberian peninsula. It the talks about how Charlemagne systematically established alliances with the clergy, his focus on having a learned kingdom and also, how he helped spread Christianity, often by allowing his vanquished to retain power and convert or lose power and retain their religion. The book then talks about his various conquests, and his expansion to the extent of the Slavic Kingdoms. The book then talks about his personal life, his interests, habits and his eventual death and a word on his successors.
To say it in a sentence, I would say that this was the dullest biography from Hourly History that I have read so far and in fact the first Hourly History book which has taken me more than an hour. The book, lacked a sequence, for instance, while mentioning about Charlemagne's family, the book already mentions what happened post his death and then, eventually gets back to what he did during his life. Moreover, I felt, the campaigns against Saracens in Iberia were given very little/ negligible focus in the book.
I am fairly read on history post industrial revolution and with Charlemagne being a personality nearly eight centuries ago, I expected to return with considerable knowledge post the read but then, instead, I got very little. There was excessive focus on how he spread Christianity rather than how he built the society or controlled the army and led campaigns.
To conclude, I would rate the book a two on five.
July 24, 2025
Καρλομάγνος. Μια γιγάντια ιστορική προσωπικότητα, όσον αφορά τα εδάφη που κατέκτησε μετά την πτώση της Ρωμαϊκής αυτοκρατορίας. Η προστασία της Εκκλησίας στη Ρώμη του έφερε πολλά οφέλη, αλλά η ζωή με τις συζύγους και παλλακίδες, καθώς και τα πολλά νόθα παιδιά, δεν έγινε ποτέ γνωστή. Έχτισε ένα εύθραυστο σπίτι από τραπουλόχαρτα, το οποίο κατέρρευσε με τον θάνατό του, καθώς οι γιοι του επιδόθηκαν σε μια μάχη για την εξουσία.
Το σύντομο αυτό βιβλίο αποτελεί μια πολύ καλή παρουσίαση της ζωής τόσο του Καρλομάγνου, όσο και των άλλων σημαντικών προσωπικοτήτων της Καρολίγγειας εποχής. Ο συγγραφέας ξεκινά με μια σύντομη αναδρομή της Μεροβίγγειας εποχής, ακολουθεί μια σύντομη περιγραφή της ζωής και των επιτευγμάτων του Καρόλου Μαρτέλου και, τέλος, εξηγούνται οι συνθήκες που οδήγησαν στη στέψη του Πεπίνου Γ΄ ως του πρώτου Καρολίγγειου Βασιλιά των Φράγκων. Αυτό θέτει το σκηνικό που θα ακολουθήσει. Τα υπόλοιπα, όπως λένε, είναι ιστορία. Και είναι μια ιστορία αρκετά επιδέξια γραμμένη
Το σύντομο αυτό βιβλίο αποτελεί μια πολύ καλή παρουσίαση της ζωής τόσο του Καρλομάγνου, όσο και των άλλων σημαντικών προσωπικοτήτων της Καρολίγγειας εποχής. Ο συγγραφέας ξεκινά με μια σύντομη αναδρομή της Μεροβίγγειας εποχής, ακολουθεί μια σύντομη περιγραφή της ζωής και των επιτευγμάτων του Καρόλου Μαρτέλου και, τέλος, εξηγούνται οι συνθήκες που οδήγησαν στη στέψη του Πεπίνου Γ΄ ως του πρώτου Καρολίγγειου Βασιλιά των Φράγκων. Αυτό θέτει το σκηνικό που θα ακολουθήσει. Τα υπόλοιπα, όπως λένε, είναι ιστορία. Και είναι μια ιστορία αρκετά επιδέξια γραμμένη
January 23, 2019
I didn't know anything about Charlemagne other than hearing his name and when reading about a Leader at this period of time in the Hourly History series, I was more or less expecting to read about one conquest after another.
It turned out that there was a lot more to his leadership than that. The book covered the ways in which he sought to better the lives of the people over which he ruled. Some of these included his strong belief in education, promoting religion not only because of his belief in it, but as a way to encourage people to live more moral lives, and also supporting the arts and other forms of culture.
He really presided as a true leader over his subjects rather than just being a conqueror. I found it to be a more interesting read than I had expected.
It turned out that there was a lot more to his leadership than that. The book covered the ways in which he sought to better the lives of the people over which he ruled. Some of these included his strong belief in education, promoting religion not only because of his belief in it, but as a way to encourage people to live more moral lives, and also supporting the arts and other forms of culture.
He really presided as a true leader over his subjects rather than just being a conqueror. I found it to be a more interesting read than I had expected.
May 1, 2018
A focused view of Charlemagne
This work delivers numerous examples of the great achievements
of the man who unified the Europe of the Middle Ages. The reader is presented with a focused sense of a portion of the
ruler’s constant and successful efforts to unify Europe of his day
and act for the good of his subjects and the creation of a vital
continent. Every reader will feel some enlightenment from this
look at one of the Greats of History.
This work delivers numerous examples of the great achievements
of the man who unified the Europe of the Middle Ages. The reader is presented with a focused sense of a portion of the
ruler’s constant and successful efforts to unify Europe of his day
and act for the good of his subjects and the creation of a vital
continent. Every reader will feel some enlightenment from this
look at one of the Greats of History.
July 25, 2018
I have a bunch of these “Hourly History” biographies on my kindle. I really hope they’re all this good.
Rather than going off on tangents, this book made each chapter easy to process by making multiple passes on Charlemagne’s life. Each chapter covered the whole of his life from a different perspective: as he relates to his family, to war, to the Church, etc. The end result is several micro-biographies which are hyper-focused.
I love the effect.
Rather than going off on tangents, this book made each chapter easy to process by making multiple passes on Charlemagne’s life. Each chapter covered the whole of his life from a different perspective: as he relates to his family, to war, to the Church, etc. The end result is several micro-biographies which are hyper-focused.
I love the effect.
October 3, 2018
Hourly History comes out with yet another offering that truly describes the life of Charlemagne who changed the history of Europe. His relationship with the church and the manner of his conquests in Europe have described quite elaborately in the book. Charlemagne's focus on literacy, though himself uneducated, marks the highlight of the book
March 6, 2020
Author
...very well written!
So often history is only recorded for deeds done - battles, etc. This author "drew a picture for the mind". I can almost see the man, his personality, and his dreams. I get a sense of the time in which he lived!
Congratulations to the author and I look forward to reading more of his work! Thank you
...very well written!
So often history is only recorded for deeds done - battles, etc. This author "drew a picture for the mind". I can almost see the man, his personality, and his dreams. I get a sense of the time in which he lived!
Congratulations to the author and I look forward to reading more of his work! Thank you
November 5, 2021
A Quick Overview
I generally like the Hourly History series. There are few options similar to these quick and interesting reads. This book is a bit tougher than most to get through. The lead up to Charlemagne’s reign is as fragmented as the post-Charlemagne empire. A decent intro, but not as easy or engaging a read as many of the other books in the series.
I generally like the Hourly History series. There are few options similar to these quick and interesting reads. This book is a bit tougher than most to get through. The lead up to Charlemagne’s reign is as fragmented as the post-Charlemagne empire. A decent intro, but not as easy or engaging a read as many of the other books in the series.
February 11, 2022
Man Of The World: Charlemagne, King Of Western Europe
King Charles I accomplished quite a lot in his lifetime. This read does a good job of informing one of these notes in human history. Charlemagne was a great leader, ruler and educator for his subjects. Good book with great information.
King Charles I accomplished quite a lot in his lifetime. This read does a good job of informing one of these notes in human history. Charlemagne was a great leader, ruler and educator for his subjects. Good book with great information.
December 30, 2017
I didn't overly like this one as it spoke a lot of war and conquering, stuff I don't particularly like. What I DID like, however, was the way it described what he did for his people. It's something that you don't see now, in many leaders. Another fascinating book...
December 30, 2019
I knew nothing about Charlemagne before reading this; after, I learned a lot. However, the general quality of the writing was poor. One chapter was essentially “this happened, then this happened, then this other thing happened.”
November 17, 2022
Great way to learn about Charlemagne without it being tedious.
Very detailed but not overly complicated! I found this to be a very interesting read about a giant of a King in our earlier history.
Very detailed but not overly complicated! I found this to be a very interesting read about a giant of a King in our earlier history.
September 11, 2017
Charlemagne: A Life From Beginning to End.... A crisp and short account of the Roman Emperor Charlemagne, A quick read.
September 28, 2017
I am surprised that I wasn't taught more about this man. He was an extraordinary leader.
January 21, 2018
Primer
As a descendent of Charlemagne I wanted a short easy primer to give family members to read. This worked nicely.
As a descendent of Charlemagne I wanted a short easy primer to give family members to read. This worked nicely.
November 8, 2018
It is a very good book if you want to know about the major events in the life of the great man Charlemagne and the circumstances he lived in.
November 9, 2018
Great Summary
A quick read and hard to put down while traversing the era of Charlemagne. Strongly recommended if you need an overview or refresher on Charlemagne.
A quick read and hard to put down while traversing the era of Charlemagne. Strongly recommended if you need an overview or refresher on Charlemagne.
June 26, 2019
It's a quick, informative, tale of the life and successes of Charles the Great, definitely one of the most influential figure in European History.
July 5, 2019
Interesting look at a figure from the medieval times that didn't engage me as much as I thought it would.
August 13, 2019
A small book which gives a very basic history of Charlemagne. Not too bad, and a way of getting into history.
February 16, 2021
Very well written concise book,has most of the information you need to know about Charlemagne.I strongly recommend it.
February 21, 2021
The book was mostly about how Charlemagne saved and civilized all of Europe by force christening them...
July 28, 2022
Good overview
I enjoyed this book about the man who had a lot of Gaul (and Germany, Italy, Bohemia and other places).
I enjoyed this book about the man who had a lot of Gaul (and Germany, Italy, Bohemia and other places).
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