Charlemagne: Empire and Society

by Joanna Story (Editor)

This book focuses directly on the reign of Charlemagne, bringing together a wide range of perspectives and sources with contributions from fifteen of the top scholars of early medieval Europe. The contributors have taken a number of original approaches to the subject, from the fields of archaeology and numismatics to thoroughly-researched essays on key historical texts. The essays are embedded in the scholarship of recent decades but also offer insights into new areas and new approaches for research. A full bibliography of works in English as well as key reading in European languages is provided, making the volume essential reading for experienced scholars as well as students new to the history of the early middle ages.

Genres: History, Medieval History, France, Biography, Nonfiction, Carolingian

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Joanna Story is Professor of Early Medieval History at the University of Leicester.

Reviews

[David Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of essays by different authors. They cover everything from the Merovingians to Charlemagne's coronation, government, the Carolingian renaissance, and more. I enjoyed the way the authors talked of the primary sources and how other historians have interpreted them and the differences of opinion (sometimes). I was surprised by the the control Charlemagne had over England-the exiled king of Northumbria, Eardwulf came to him and the Pope to be escorted back into his kingdom. Wild.

[Ruth Harwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gathering of essays, really, and to be honest, mostly fascinating and well-written. A couple had pages of information that just wasn't what I was interested in or had read before, such as a source analysis or some information on the church, for which I've read many books, but the rest of this was gold. Educational gold, that is. For the layman, who has no previous experience with academic books, with their language and quotes and differentiation between primary and secondary sources etc... this might not be perfect, as it can be hard to unpack some of the information. I'd have loved to have written an essay for my History degree about Charlemagne, and that was one of my gripes, the lack of units with an early medieval theme, of which there were precisely none... This would have been the perfect base for a good few quotes and sources are listed at the end of the chapters, so there's plenty of further reading available to discover!
I really wish there had been the opportunity to study this period of history, the popes, the French and European make up, which looked as different to it's present shape as night and day! There was no Germany or Italy until the last century (Germany and Italy both created in the late nineteenth century, if memory serves, or around the beginning of the 20th.) These two countries aren't the only parts of Europe and its environs which are interesting, the tribes and their traditions and expectations must have been hard to unite. I think! I'd love to know more about it soon.
I think I'm gonna go a little less academic for a little while and catch up to my target now lol!!

[Chad White · Rating 5 out of 5]

a good sampling of Charlemagne in contemporary writing, and the world in which he lived.

[Marc Lamberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlemagne is one of the greatest leaders in European history and can be considered as 'the father' of countries like France, Italy and Germany. But he's known for so much more and this book gives the reader an insight into the unique emperor that Charlemagne was and why this man is still considered important in our society.

The fact that this book contains multiple writers and essays, makes it better than anything I've read on this topic before. Some essays have some anachronisms and difficulties giving a transparent perspective, but that doesn't make it more difficult to read.

What I particularly like about this book that it tells the story of Charlemagne and his influence on a political, philosophical, religious and academic scale. This book gives us an idea what it was like to be member of a monarchy in the early middle ages and it also debunks the myth of the Dark Ages. It's widely considered to be a dark time where no significant events have happened. This book shows us otherwise and Charlemagne is an example of it.