Customer Reviews

Becoming Charlemagne: Europe, Baghdad, and the Empires of A.D. 800

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've read many books on the Medieval period and Charlemagne in the last two years. This is now one of my favorites.

Jeff Sypeck put the events of the period in a context which allows the reader to understand the various political forces competing against one another during that era, and the skill used by King Charles which ultimately led to him being referred to as King Charles the Great or Charlemagne.

I had read mentions of Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire before, but her villainy and treachery never really impressed me until reading Sypeck's version. This time it took on the magnitude worthy of Shakespearean tragedies.

The lives of Jews during the time of Charlemagne is a topic I had not seen mentioned at any length in the other various books I read, and Sypeck devoted a chapter to discussing how their treatment which by and large are hidden in the historical record. Charlemagne did not persecute Jews as he did those in his realm who worshiped pagan idols. Many Jews were educated, well-traveled, merchants, and officials in the royal courts.

One Jew was sent by Charlemagne as an ambassador to Baghdad to speak with the leader of the Muslim empire, Harun al-Rashid.

It is the various acts of political gifts from one leader to another (Harun to Charlemagne) which were then perceived as a political slight by other leaders (Empress Irene) that I found most fascinating.

And then there is the dramatic saga of Pope Leo III and his attempted assassination that underscores the dramatic story of Charlemagne's coronation as Emperor.

This isn't dry history with a simple recitation of facts, it is a story of intrigue brought to life.

You know that Shakespeare had to base his stories on something.

The scene is set in the opening paragraph, with the author's description of the coronation of the Frankish king who would become known as Charlemagne, an event, he claims, that would not have been possible without "a Saxon abbot; a Greek empress; an Islamic caliph and a Jew named Isaac who was slowly making his way home to Western Europe from Baghdad, accompanied by an elephant named Abul Abaz."

That sentence also captures the book's tone: it is an engaging and lively survey of Charlemagne's evolution as the one of the first of the Holy Roman Emperors (a title that would last, more or less, for some nine hundred years until 1806) which makes a fascinating and ultra-accessible introduction to the man and his times for the general reader. (It's not likely to be of interest to someone with a scholarly interest in the Frankish kings, for instance.)

Why read this today? Charlemagne was the first to conceive of a Europe that was broader than any single small kingdom or fiefdom since the disappearance of the Romans (who thought in larger terms still); indeed, the European Union's buildings, etc. pay tribute to him by using his name. He was a patron of the arts and while people focus more on the Renaissance that began in the 14th century in Italy, the emperor oversaw an earlier "Carolingian renaissance."

Sypeck leaps effortlessly from the bloody battles over the use of icons in the Byzantime court to the fascinating personality of Haroun al-Rashid in Baghdad, and shows a skill for reading between the few lines that history has in the passage of more than a millennium. He uses his imagination (anathema to scholars) to show us not a 21st century version of Charlemagne, but how he might have been perceived by his peers during the time he ruled, when kingdoms like those of the Merovingians had replaced an all-encompassing Roman empire.

Too often, events in different countries in these "Dark Ages" are viewed in isolation from each other -- how could, for instance, what was happening in Baghdad of Byzantium affect Charlemagne's ability to consolidate his power? Alas, Sypeck's attempts to make a case for a first millennium networked world strikes me as over-ambitious, and he doesn't really prove his case. That's not to say that his digressions into papal politics and diplomacy with the caliph or marriage overtures to the Empress Irene are irrelevant, simply that he doesn't prove that they carry the weight that he claims for them. The analysis, however intriguing in its own right, doesn't rise to that level, particularly with reference to Isaac and the elephant.

Still an extremely compelling read and one that should be able to convince any reader that history -- however far away in time and space -- can be as fascinating as anything taking place in our own lives. I'm a big fan of anyone able to take ancient records and spin them into stories like this, some of which kept my 5-year-old nephew enthralled for an hour. (Ok, I simplified for him, but now he's bugging my brother for more about Charlemagne...)

Highly recommended to general readers; historians or those with a solid grounding in the Merovingian kings and emperors will want to look elsewhere unless they are in the mood for the scholar's equivalent of fun weekend reading.

I'm a science major in the midst of a survey course on Medieval Europe. Though this book was assigned reading, I enjoy reading historical fiction in general.

The time period from A.D 796-800 is a particularly exciting era to study. The political, religious and social climate was extremely turbulent and the notable characters from this era are interesting to study. Overall, the book covers a great deal of ground without going into much depth. This would perhaps be the most positive aspect of this work.

My primary issue with this book is that it is particularly difficult to follow. Chronologically, it is all over the place. Geographically, it is all over the map. Some major events are discussed in multiple places throughout the book and it can be difficult for a student or casual (non-historian) to become immersed in the story. Another minor complaint I have was the fact that the author Sypeck used multiple terms to describe the same people, places and things. Again, as a student or layman you might not immediately recognize that Karl = Charlemagne = Charles. Clearly, the author assumes that we are already rather familiar with the era and the lingo that goes along with it.

These things put aside, I found the book to be more enjoyable the second time I read through it after I familiarized myself with the the time period a little bit more. I'm currently searching for some other similar works based on the time period for comparison's sake.

I must confess that I know little to nothing of this time period. But what a great introduction this title proved to be. This book is by no means an in depth analysis of the man or the history surrounding him. However, those wanting to stick their big toe into the large pool of medieval history will find Becoming Charlemagne a wonderful introduction. It is written like a novel and flows nicely.

I am a 10 year old kid and I really like history. My ancestors are from Germany, and I thought I might be related to Charlemagne. So I wanted to find out more about him. This book could not be counted as a biography. A lot of it is about Charlemagne's empire, but some of it is about other medieval empires such as the Byzantine Empire. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about Europe and Asia Minor in the 700s and 800s.

I was actually quite excited to have found this book, but that excitement, unfortunately, gradually wore off as I read it. "Becoming Charlemagne" has to rank near the bottom of my list of favorite history books. And I enjoy history.

I have two main criticisms of this book. One, the writing style. Sypeck does not write like I would expect a historian to, but rather an English/literature enthusiast--one who likes to tell stories. The result is a heavily romanticized account of Charlemagne's life (sort of). If I wanted to read a fairy tale or tons of speculation on what Charlemagne MAY HAVE thought, I would have read a kids' storybook. Not this. I expected "Becoming Charlemagne" to be more scholarly--sadly, Sypeck's writing style brings the book down a peg.

Secondly, the book jumps around too much. In the span of approximately fifty pages, readers are exposed to the beating of Pope Leo, the history of the city of Baghdad, the controversy over icons, and the wicked ways of Irene, Queen of Byzantium. Then there's the whole deal with the elephant. All of this would be interesting if it had been connected somehow, if Sypeck had demonstrated for his readers that all of these disparate threads connected and enabled Charlemagne to rise to power. The subtitle of the book led me to believe that this would, in fact, happen. But it did not. I would have abandoned the book long ago, but I kept reading hoping that something would happen to make me go, "Aha! It all makes sense now." But nothing did.

Sypeck obviously knows a lot about Charlemagne and this time period, though. Some stars for that.

I'm not a medievalist, so I can't speak to the accuracy of what's in this book. But oh, what a joy it is to read! Sypeck's beautiful writing draws me in. He mixes just the right amount of poetry into his prose to make Charlemagne's world come to life. He makes you *want* to know Charlemagne as well as he does.

I've read many books on the Medieval period and Charlemagne in the last two years. This is now one of my favorites.

Jeff Sypeck put the events of the period in a context which allows the reader to understand the various political forces competing against one another during that era, and the skill used by King Charles which ultimately led to him being referred to as King Charles the Great or Charlemagne.

I had read mentions of Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire before, but her villainy and treachery never really impressed me until reading Sypeck's version. This time it took on the magnitude worthy of Shakespearean tragedies.

The lives of Jews during the time of Charlemagne is a topic I had not seen mentioned at any length in the other various books I read, and Sypeck devoted a chapter to discussing how their treatment which by and large are hidden in the historical record. Charlemagne did not persecute Jews as he did those in his realm who worshiped pagan idols. Many Jews were educated, well-traveled, merchants, and officials in the royal courts.

One Jew was sent by Charlemagne as an ambassador to Baghdad to speak with the leader of the Muslim empire, Harun al-Rashid.

It is the various acts of political gifts from one leader to another (Harun to Charlemagne) which were then perceived as a political slight by other leaders (Empress Irene) that I found most fascinating.

And then there is the dramatic saga of Pope Leo III and his attempted assassination that underscores the dramatic story of Charlemagne's coronation as Emperor.

This isn't dry history with a simple recitation of facts, it is a story of intrigue brought to life.

You know that Shakespeare had to base his stories on something.

Jeff Sypeck's book integrates histories that are too often treated as distinct. He writes with the imagery of a novel but hues to the objectives of non-fiction. The book is both lively and informative.

Probably like most readers, the only thing I remember from my history lessons is that Charlemagne became the Holy Roman Emperor, that's it. This book opens the door on the how and why. In addition, it focuses on the man not the legend, giving a more realistic view of who he was and what he did, and more importantly did not, do).