Introduction to the Carolingian Age provides an accessible history of western Europe in the eighth and ninth centuries, when arguably a truly European civilization emerged out of the transformed, former world of the Roman Empire.
Through a thematical and chronological approach, this book explores the life, family, and period of Charlemagne in a clear and informative way. The secular aristocrats, ecclesiastical figures, and scholars associated with the Carolingian dynasty feature as partners in building the empire and guiding its development, and the social and cultural lives of people from the elite to the common classes are also examined. Through an engaging narrative, this study demonstrates that by the end of the ninth century, the royal house faced a series of challenges that brought about the devolution of the empire into smaller kingdoms and the loosening of the Carolingian family’s grip on monarchy. Based on up-to-date scholarship, Introduction to the Carolingian Age offers explanations of historical developments and discussions of key historiographical debates.
This book is an essential resource for both undergraduate students and general readers with an interest in the history of the Carolingian period from 750–900.
Prologue: Late Antiquity 1. The Frankish World 2. The Age of Charlemagne 3. Louis the Pious and Imperium Christianum 4. Life and Society 5. The Family Business (840-876) 6. The End of the Carolingian Empire (877-888) 7. Epilogue: The Dawn of a New Age
Biography
Cullen J. Chandler is the Frank and Helen Lowry Professor of History at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, USA, where he also serves as director of the Lycoming Scholars program. He researches Carolingian political and cultural history and is the author of “Charlemagne: Already a Legend” (2022), “Charlemagne’s Table: The Carolingian Royal Court and Food Culture” (2020), and Carolingian Catalonia: politics, culture and identity in an imperial province, 778-987 (2019), among other studies.
‘A lucid, lively and up-to-date account of a key period of early medieval European history. Professor Chandler makes the complexities of Carolingian politics and culture comprehensible for students new to the subject and anyone needing an accessible review of the subject. This will be a valued part of undergraduate reading lists for years to come.’
James T. Palmer, University of St Andrews, UK
‘Ideal for students with no prior knowledge of late antique or early medieval history, or of their geographies. This book offers a solid foundation of essential knowledge, on which instructors can layer studies and primary sources to problematize or thicken particular areas of enquiry. Although unburdened by scholarly apparatus other than a well-selected bibliography, the work is deeply informed by the important innovations of recent research, bringing to students deft integration of topics such as ethnogenesis, global contexts, biblical models in political theory, theological disputes, strategies for projecting power and securing resources, and the frictions generated by the political aspirations of the élite. Chandler’s gift for concise summation of a wide range of issues is admirable.’
Abigail Firey, University of Kentucky, USA
