Table of Contents

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

About the Author

Alessandro Barbero is Professor of Medieval History at the University of Piemonte Orientale, Italy. In addition to writing about medieval society and culture, he is the author of the historical novel Bella vita e guerre altrui di Mr. Pyle, gentiluomo, which won the Strega Prize in 1996. Over a period of twelve years, Allan Cameron has translated some twenty books on history, philosophy, and other academic disciplines, including works by leading Italian philosopher Norberto Bobbio and President of the European Commission Romano Prodi.

Reviews

"Excellent translation of Barbero’s text. . . . The author of this rich, scholarly but accessible study provides an intimate portrait of the man—right down to his shirt and underpants—and a sensitive analysis of his government and times. "
*Publishers Weekly*

“[Professor Barbero] ... has a lightness of touch indispensable in approaching a subject which has constipated generations of continental scholars. He is particularly good in following through the repercussions of war down the social scale to the peasants who made up at least 90 per cent of the population. . . . Barbero is also a historical novelist, and knows how to hold the attention with arresting details.”
*Spectator*

“Cameron’s translation makes the book lively an readable, and he has captured Barbero’s wit, keen eye for detail, and sharp analysis of sources. . . . Accessible to a wide audience and educated non-specialists, and it would be an excellent addition to required texts in a survey class.”
*Canadian Journal Of History*

“Vivid descriptions and careful research combine to paint a picture of a bygone era that entertains the reader as much as edifies her. Charlemagne: Father of a Continent is not just another biography but a fascinating and immensely useful one.”
*Envoi: A Review Journal of Medieval Literature*

“Judiciously avoids scholarly arcana and long-winded digressions into source-criticism and historiographical debates. . . . and effectively communicates to a wider audience the essentials of these debates, both within the text and in the discursive bibliography, with elegance, wit, and attitude.”
*H-France Review of Books*

"This book has been vividly and compellingly translated by Allan Cameron, and is an enjoyable and informative read." 
*Reading Religion*