An ambitious, consistently thought-provoking book . . . its publication could hardly be more timely. Through this story, Morrissey, combining the skills of historian and literary critic, presents nothing less than the story of France.” —Times Literary Supplement
“This learned, but eminently readable, book enlightens one of the most guarded secrets of the French political imagination.” —Marc Fumaroli, College de Francé
"Here, in a book originally published (in French) in 1997, Robert Morrissey writes the history, not of Charlemagne himself, but rather of how the emperor was conceived and reimagined from the ninth century to the nineteenth, especially in France. This is a rich and wide-ranging book, with much to ponder. The translation is clear and readable." —Speculum
"Morrissey's book is more than rich and imaginative literary history, which represents its main genre. It is an interdisciplinary, meta- mythistorical effort that more than does justice to an extraordinary theme central to European culture, in peace, war, nationalist enthusiasm, and imperial expansion, over twelve centuries." —Journal of Modern History
“…a stunning new edition…. …this is a book that can enlighten all scholars about the origins and course of French nationalism.” —European History Quarterly
“... erudite and enthralling.... The book is a powerful reminder of the importance of Charlemagne in French conceptions of themselves and their history until 1870....” —Choice
“Charlemagne and France is a solid book that can be of use to anyone interested in European, particularly French, history. ... Robert Morrissey has written a remarkably accessible work....” —History: Reviews of New Books
“... this book will be an indispensable reference for scholars attempting to understand any literary or historical reference to Charlemagne....” —H-France
“This full and rewarding study deserves widespread attention from students of French and European history of all periods.” —International History Review
“In a rich and provocative study that shows his mastery of medieval and modern historiography and literature, Robert Morrissey traces the complex and contradictory place of the eighth-century Frankish king and emperor in French ideology and imagination from the ninth century to the nineteenth....” —American Historical Review
Charlemagne (768-814) was arguably the greatest king in European history. Indeed, it can be said that Charlemagne invented the idea of Europe. As Morrissey, professor of French literature at the University of Chicago, makes clear, the first holy Roman emperor has historically meant different things to different eras-there's "a Charlemagne for every taste"-and the author provides an exhaustively researched account of these various representations and meanings. Charlemagne has always been viewed through a combination of history, myth and poetry (especially the famous epic, The Song of Roland), Morrissey says, yielding so plastic an image that Charlemagne has been used to defend both sides of an argument, as during Revolutionary debates over the clergy. In Part One, Morrissey describes how Charlemagne was "imagined" from the time of his death to the 16th century as "[w]arrior, protector of Christendom, guarantor of justice, defender of the poor, legislator" and "adept statesman." While early historical accounts celebrated Charlemagne as a Christian conqueror, later accounts glorified him as a limited monarch who freely shared power with his people; this image of an anti-absolutist Charlemagne, however, was problematic for the Bourbon monarchs of the 17th and 18th centuries. In the late 19th century, Charlemagne, now viewed as a German, became increasingly irrelevant to French history. Today, with the idea of a unified Europe ascendant, Charlemagne has never been more relevant, claims Morrissey. The author combines history and literature in a provocative study that sheds as much light on the eras he covers as on Charlemagne himself. Illus. not seen by PW. (Mar.) Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.
