The Carolingians: A Family Who Forged Europe

Contents
Translator’s Note
Preface
	Introduction: Western Europe in the Seventh Century
Part I. The Rise of the Carolingians (from the Early Seventh to the Mid-Eighth Century)
	1. The Beginnings of the Carolingian Dynasty
	2.	The Obstacles to Power
	The Ambitions of Grimoald His Position
	The Coup d5État of Grimoald and Its Failure
	The Pippinids Await Their Moment
	3.	The Principate of Pippin II (687—714)
	Pippin’s Political Program
	The Advance into Germanic Lands
	Monasteries and Palaces
	4. The “Reign” of Charles Martel (714-741)
	Difficult Beginnings
	Charles and His Methods of Action
	Charles and the Periphery of the Frankish Realm
	Charles in Aquitaine, Provence, and Burgundy
	The Call of Rome
	The End of the Reign of Charles Martel
	5. Pippin and Carloman, Mayors of the Palace (741—751)
	Local Revolts and the Consolidation of Power
	Reestablishment of the Merovingian Dynasty
	The Reform of the Frankish Church
Part II. Pippin III and Charlemagne, Founders of Carolingian Europe (751—814)
	1. The Reign of Pippin the Great
	The Accession of the Carolingian Dynasty
	The Conquest of Aquitaine
	Religious Reform
	The Prestige of Pippin III
	2.	The Features and Circumstances of Charlemagne’s Conquests
	The Reign of Two Brothers
	The Conditions of Charlemagne’s Conquests
	Charlemagne’s Army
	The Stages of Charlemagne’s Conquests
	3.	The Conquests of Charlemagne
	Italy
	Germany
	Central and Eastern Europe
	Europe Beyond the Frontiers
	4.	The Emperor Charlemagne
	Prelude to the Coronation
	The Coronation
	5.	Charlemagne: Emperor or Chieftain?
	The Political and Administrative Structures of the Empire
	Obstacles to the Unity of the Empire
	The Regionalization of Power
	Charlemagne, the Frankish Chief
Part III. The Destiny of Carolingian Europe (814—877)
	1. The Reign of Louis the Pious: The Goal of Imperial Unity and Its Failure (814—840)
	The Beginning of a Promising Reign
	The Network of Rival Factions
	The Great Rebellion of 833 and Its Failure
	The End of the Reign of Louis the Pious
	2.	The Partition of 843
	Prelude and Circumstances
	Negotiations (Spring 842-August 843)
	3.	The Empire Disbanded (843—869)
	The Defense of the Notion of Unity
	The Kings in Their Kingdoms
	4. Charles the Bald, the Last Great Carolingian Emperor
	Charles the Bald, Emperor (876)
	The End of the Reign of Charles the Bald
Part IV. The Collapse of Carolingian Europe and the Emergence of Regional Princedoms
	1. The End of the Imperial Ideal (877-888)
	Pope John VIII in Search of an Emperor
	The Reign of Charles the Fat, or Illusions Dispelled
	The Election of Regional Kings
	2.	The New Kingdoms and Princedoms
	The Rulers of the Italian Kingdom
	The Kingdoms of Middle Gaul
	The Kingdom of Western Francia
	3. Territorial Organization in the First Half of the Tenth Century
	The Restoration of the Italian Kingdom: The Reign of Hugh of Provence (924-947)
	The Restoration of the Monarchy in Germany: Henry of Saxony, Heir to the Carolingians
	The Carolingian Restoration in Western Francia
	4. The Carolingian Restoration (936 to the Close of the Tenth Century)
	The Return of the Carolingians and the First Years of Otto I
	The Kings, Their Followers, and Their Subjects
	The Restoration of the Empire
	Lotharingia: A Crossroads of Ottomans and Carolingians
Part V. Rulers and Civilization in the New Europe
	1. The Carolingian Church
	A Church Subject to Princes
	The Papacy
	The Expansion of Christendom
	2. Features of Carolingian Kingship
	The King’s Person and Status
	Royal Justice
	The King as Warrior
	3.	The Carolingians and the Renewal of the Western Economy
	The Principles
	Economic Developments
	The Successors of the Carolingians
	4.	The First Flowering of European Culture
	Educational Policies
	The Court as a Center of Learning
	Kings and Books
	Artistic Treasures
	The Carolingians Kings as Builders
	The Heirs of the Carolingian Kings
	Conclusion
Map
Genealogical Tables
Suggested Works for Further Reading
Index