Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800
By Jeff Sypeck
3.5/5
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About this ebook
On Christmas morning in the year 800, Pope Leo III placed the crown of imperial Rome on the brow of a Germanic king named Karl. With one gesture, the man later hailed as Charlemagne claimed his empire and forever shaped the destiny of Europe. Becoming Charlemagne tells the story of the international power struggle that led to this world-changing event.
Illuminating an era that has long been overshadowed by legend, this far-ranging book shows how the Frankish king and his wise counselors built an empire not only through warfare but also by careful diplomacy. With consummate political skill, Charlemagne partnered with a scandal-ridden pope, fended off a ruthless Byzantine empress, nurtured Jewish communities in his empire, and fostered ties with a famous Islamic caliph. For 1,200 years, the deeds of Charlemagne captured the imagination of his descendants, inspiring kings and crusaders, the conquests of Napoléon and Hitler, and the optimistic architects of the European Union.
In this engaging narrative, Jeff Sypeck crafts a vivid portrait of Karl, the ruler who became a legend, while transporting readers far beyond Europe to the glittering palaces of Constantinople and the streets of medieval Baghdad. Evoking a long-ago world of kings, caliphs, merchants, and monks, Becoming Charlemagne brings alive an age of empire building that continues to resonate today.
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Reviews for Becoming Charlemagne
39 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This short history is more a summary of Charlemagne's life and an outline of the state of Europe, Byzantium and the Muslim world around the year 800 AD than it is an exploration of the process by which Karl, king of the Franks, became the legendary Charlemagne. It is, however, a great read, with interesting details and stories that made the people and places in the book seem very real.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5A massmarket history which is written in horribly overblown and overdramatised prose, to bulk out a shortage of data. The subject should be fascinating and I wanted to read this but found it unreadable. Though a drinking game might be made out of the plethora of adjectives. So far the merchants have been..(cackling) the jews (wistful) the romans (haughty) the princesses (amorous; these are Charlemagne's daughters, the hussies) and the franks (brutish) I would like some nouns to be with adjectives left off.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5This book describes in very cursory fashion the rise of Charlemagne. Although the author tried very hard to couch this story in an exciting, non-academic, way, his efforts failed for me. The story is set against the background of Catholic Rome, Byzantine Constantinople and Abbasid Baghdad, but these tantalizing settings wind up as backdrops rather than critical parts of the tale.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Describes the rise of Charlemagne, his relations with the Abbasid Empire based in Baghdad and the Byzantine in Constantinople. Written in non-academic style, more as historical novel stylistically, at a quite general level. Some interesting points but more analysis would have made it more interesting. It's a quick read though.