ECU Libraries Catalog

Charlemagne : father of a continent / Alessandro Barbero ; translated by Allan Cameron.

Author/creator Barbero, Alessandro
Format Book and Print
Publication InfoBerkeley : University of California Press, ©2004.
Description426 pages : map ; 24 cm
Supplemental Content Contributor biographical information
Supplemental Content Publisher description
Supplemental Content Table of contents
Subject(s)
Uniform titleCarlo Magno. English
Contents The Frankish tradition -- The war against the Lombards -- Wars against the pagans -- The rebirth of empire -- Charlemagne and Europe -- The man and his family -- Government of the empire: the institutions -- Government of the empire: the resources -- Government of the empire: the justice system -- An intellectual project -- The Frankish military machine -- A new economy -- Patronage and servitude -- Old age and death.
Review "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 describes the nature of everyday life at that time, how the economy functioned, and how Christians perceived their religion. Barbero's 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. This latest account provides a new and richer context for considering one of history's most fascinating personalities."--Jacket.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 371-413) and index.
LanguageTranslated from the Italian.
Genre/formBiographies.
Genre/formHistory.
Genre/formBiography.
Genre/formBiographies.
LCCN 2003017208
ISBN0520239431 (cloth ; alk. paper)
ISBN9780520239432 (cloth ; alk. paper)
ISBN9780520297210 paperback
ISBN0520297210 paperback

Available Items

Library Location Call Number Status Item Actions
Joyner General Stacks DC73 .B3613 2004 ✔ Available Place Hold