Charlemagne's Courtier: The Complete Einhard (Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures , Vol 3)

Rating:
Summary: Charlemagne's Courtier: The Complete Einhard
Review: This wonderful volume provides a holistic collection of Einhard's writing with a detailed and indepth introduction. Dutton provides a solid historical background for Einhard and the society he lived in. Einhard's works offer a wonderful view of life in the middle ages. His biography of Charlemagne is stylized, yet demonstrates the concerns of state, the expectation of an emperor's subjects, and the role of the courtier in Carolingian Gaul. Einhard second major work, a treatise on the holy martyrs, brings the faith and practice of medieval Christianity to life. All of the works are tied together by Einhard's touching letters. These letters bring the man's character to life. They demonstrate not only the responsibilities of a courtier, land owner, and abbot, but also his love for his family, his faith and the religious crisis he experienced when the two clashed. Every student of medieval history will benifit from reading this book.