Charlemagne : Father of a Continent / Barbero/Cameron; ed. by Alessandro Barbero, Allan Cameron.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Barbero/Cameron, Author.

Contributor:

Barbero, Alessandro, Editor.

Cameron, Allan, Editor.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource (440 p.) : 1 map

Place of Publication:

Berkeley, CA : University of California Press, [2005]

Language Note:

In English.

Summary:

The most important study of Charlemagne in a generation, this biography by distinguished medievalist Alessandro Barbero illuminates both the man and the world in which he lived. Charles the Great-Charlemagne-reigned from a.d. 768 to a.d. 814. At the time if his death, his empire stretched across Europe to include Bavaria, Saxony, parts of Spain, and Italy. With a remarkable grasp of detail and a sweeping knowledge of Carolingian institutions and economy, Barbero not only brings Charlemagne to life with accounts of his physical appearance, tastes and habits, family life, and ideas and actions but also conveys what it meant to be king of the Franks and, later, emperor. He recounts how Charlemagne ruled his empire, kept justice, and waged wars. He vividly describes the nature of everyday life at that time, how the economy functioned, and how Christians perceived their religion. Barbero's absorbing analysis of how concepts of slavery and freedom were subtly altered as feudal relations began to grow underscores the dramatic changes that the emperor's wars brought to the political landscape. Engaging and informed by deep scholarship, this latest account provides a new and richer context for considering one of history's most fascinating personalities.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

The Carolingian empire.

Introduction: Paderborn, Summer of 799

1. The Frankish Tradition

2. The War against the Lombards

3. Wars against the Pagans

4. The Rebirth of Empire

5. Charlemagne and Europe

6. The Man and His Family

7. Government of the Empire: The Institutions

8. Government of the Empire: The Resources

9. Government of the Empire: The Justice System

10. An Intellectual Project

11. The Frankish Military Machine

12. A New Economy

13. Patronage and Servitude

14. Old Age and Death

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Notes:

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 01. Nov 2023)

ISBN:

0-520-35497-4

OCLC:

1408682483