King and Emperor

Nelson’s masterly biography of Charlemagne is a dense, scholarly but still gripping account of one of the most interesting and influential monarchs in European history. I struggle to think of any figure who has has a greater impact that the King of the Franks and, later, Emperor of the Romans, who drew the boundaries of the continent as we know them today. This was my most reliable go-to source on Charlemagne and his long wars with the pagan Saxons, which is the subject of my own series.

A magnificent biography that vividly brings alive the life and personality of one of the great figures of European history, one whose legacy is still with us. Charlemagne’s creation of an empire roughly equivalent in size to the modern EU is explored with wonderful insight. We see in him the energy and skill that enabled him to project power, making himself both trusted and feared. It makes us think about the ultimate contradictions of empire as a phenomenon, the mix of savage violence and the accompanying proclaimed civilizing mission that organized and shaped peace.