Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817-876 [Hardcover]

Eric J. Goldberg (Author)

Book Description

Series: Conjunctions of Religion and Power in the Medieval Past | Publication Date: January 12, 2006

Struggle for Empire explores the contest for kingdoms and power among Charlemagne's descendants that shaped the formation of Europe. It examines this pivotal era through the reign of Charlemagne's grandson, Louis the German (826–876), one of the longest-ruling Carolingian kings. Eric J. Goldberg's book brings the enigmatic Louis to life and makes a vital contribution to recent reevaluations of the late Carolingian age.

In the Treaty of Verdun of 843, Louis inherited the eastern territories of the Carolingian empire, thereby laying the foundations for an east Frankish kingdom. But, as Goldberg emphasizes, Louis was never satisfied with his realm beyond the Rhine. Louis was a skilled and cultured ruler who modeled himself on Charlemagne, and he aspired to rebuild his grandfather's empire. This ambition to reunite Europe brought Louis into repeated conflict with other rulers: Carolingian kings, Byzantine emperors, Bulgar khans, Roman popes, and Slavic warlords. While Louis ultimately failed to reunify the empire, his fifty-year reign produced a period of remarkable political consolidation and cultural creativity in central Europe.

By highlighting the ways in which dynastic rivalries, aristocratic rebellions, diplomacy, and warfare shaped Louis's reign, Struggle for Empire uncovers the dynamism and innovation of ninth-century kingship. To trace Louis's evolving policies, Goldberg moves beyond the evidence traditionally used to study his reign--the Annals of Fulda--and exploits the visual arts, liturgy, archeology, and especially charters. The result is a remarkably comprehensive and colorful picture of Carolingian kingship in action.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Eric J. Goldberg's Struggle for Empire deserves to have a large impact in early medieval political and cultural history. While the ninth century has been reevaluated from various standpoints in recent historiography, this thoroughly contextualized, sinewy analysis of Louis the German and his regime has a distinctive contribution to make to our understanding of the making not only of Germany but also of Europe. Goldberg's success results from his thorough knowledge of the historiography and from his impressively mature command of the sources. His deployment of the charter evidence is especially remarkable. Louis the German certainly saw himself as Charlemagne's successor. The achievement of Goldberg's book is to show Louis as, at the same time, the creator of a kingdom of Germany, which needed not subjects but allies beyond its eastern frontiers. In both respects, his reign has some significance for the subsequent history of Europe.' -- Janet L. Nelson, King's College London



'In this meticulously researched biography, Eric J. Goldberg eschews anachronistic arguments over whether or not Louis the German was the founder of Germany to present this ninth-century ruler within the context of politics and aspirations of his father, Louis the Pious, and his grandfather, Charlemagne. In the process, he rediscovers the political and ideological landscape of East Francia, the lust for power and territory that drove Carolingian monarchs and their noble supporters, and the constraints imposed on them by social and cultural tradition. In so doing he establishes himself as a leader in the new political history of the early Middle Ages.' -- Patrick J. Geary, UCLA



'This is a vivid portrait of a tough and resourceful ruler in a challenging landscape. Written with exemplary clarity and with sovereign command of the evidence, Eric J. Goldberg's book guides us through the conflicts, intrigues, and rituals of a dynamic world. That world is brought before us in all its detail: the great fortresses of eastern Europe, the rich clothing of courtiers, the tasty freshwater crabs that were prized items of trade. Above all, Louis the German's relentless effort in building a kingdom in the harsh environment of early medieval Europe comes into clear focus. This is a fine study of medieval rulership.' -- Stuart Airlie, University of Glasgow



'Eric J. Goldberg's book poses new questions about a crucial period in European history. Eschewing centuries of historiography, shaped by the eventual emergence of France and Germany, which have presented the ninth century in terms of Carolingian 'decline and fall,' Goldberg convincingly questions received assumptions about the coherence of the eastern and western Frankish kingdoms after the division of the empire. Through a closely observed study of the first east Frankish king, Louis the German, Goldberg reinstates court, dynasty, and kingship as basic political forces of the Carolingian world. Vigorously and lucidly written, Goldberg's book reflects all the best traits of the new historiography of early medieval Europe: close engagement with primary sources and insistence on understanding them in their original context. This is the first study to exploit the full potential of the documentary riches of the charters in addition to narrative sources such as the Annals of Fulda to explore Louis's kingship. Struggle for Empire is a must-read for all those interested in this formative period of the European past.' --Matthew Innes, Birkbeck College, University of London

From the Back Cover

"The Making of Saint Louis is one of the most important books on French history in years. It is a brilliant reconstruction and description of the way Louis IX was conceived as a saint in the two centuries after his death--I say brilliant and I mean it. M. Cecilia Gaposchkin exploits her sources with an admirable sophistication and mastery."--William Chester Jordan, Dayton-Stockton Professor of History, Princeton University

"Through a close analysis of sermons, liturgical sources and books of hours, M. Cecilia Gaposchkin demonstrates that in the years following the canonization of King Louis IX of France, different constituencies constructed different versions of the same saintly king. Franciscans remembered his charity and humility; Cistercians remembered his asceticism and defense of the faith. Capetian, Angevin, and Valois kings drew on Louis's memory to legitimize their own power, but others drew on that same memory in order to criticize the current king. This is truly an outstanding demonstration of the malleable qualities of sacred memory and the multiple purposes it could serve in medieval society."--Sharon Farmer, University of California, Santa Barbara

"M. Cecilia Gaposchkin's beautifully written, wide-ranging book examines the ways in which different constituencies--Saint Louis's descendants, other elites, members of various monastic orders, and others--constituted the memory of the king to serve their different, sometimes conflicting interests. Her evidence is primarily liturgical and homiletic, but she also musters images, documents, letters, ceremony, even coins in this subtle investigation of the perception of sanctity and sacral kingship in the half century after the king's death in 1270."--Joan A. Holladay, The University of Texas at Austin

"The Making of Saint Louis is a fine new analysis of one of the most important dynastic cults of the Middle Ages. M. Cecilia Gaposchkin focuses on liturgical sources to provide a new picture of the evolution of the cult of Saint Louis, which is perhaps the most attractive crystallization point of the idea of Christian rulership."--Gábor Klaniczay, Collegium Budapest and Central European University --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 408 pages
• Publisher: Cornell Univ Pr; illustrated edition edition (January 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080143890X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801438905
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,895,403 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Biography on An Overlooked Carolingian, June 12, 2011

By 

Stuart McCunn (New Haven, CT) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817-876 (Hardcover)

Louis the German never gets as much attention as his brother Charles the Bald or his father Louis the Pious or his grandfather Charlemagne. At least not in English. So this book serves as a welcome addition to the books on the Carolingians. What this book offers is basically a look at how the Empire operated in the 9th Century. It was run on very much an ad hoc basis although the goals and methods were similar throughout. Unlike many scholarly books who have been strongly influenced by the German school, this book does not divide the reign into different topics but goes through it chronologically. I generally prefer that in a biography since it allows you to see how things changed throughout the reign rather than making generalizations on specific topics from the entire period. This book reads very well indeed. While a great deal of it is repetitive that's because much of Louis' life was repetitive. His entire story was an attempt to gain power and influence at the expense of his brothers and neighbors. Generally Louis gets a bad rap since he was the enemy of Charles the Bald, a man who if not liked is at least sympathized with for he had to face the brunt of the Viking attacks. Louis got off easier but his lack of chroniclers makes his reign vaguer. This book offers as much information on Louis as is available, presenting his actions and goals in a historical context.

At the end of the day I can say that I know no more about Louis' personality than I did before reading the book, but I do know a great deal more about his kingdom and his efforts to rule it. That's as good as you can get for any man of this period.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goldberg illuminates those 'dark' years, January 18, 2011

By 

Luis Eugenio Espinosa (SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817–876 (Conjunctions of Religion and Power in the Medieval Past) (Paperback)

A brilliant combination of academic research and a delightful reading. I have been looking for something contemporary, with the right amount of nuances and methodological precisions, and easy to follow for a non-expert but a fan of early medieval history
Mr. Goldberg, I am waiting for your next publication!

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READING, January 23, 2012

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Great Pyr (OR) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict Under Louis the German, 817–876 (Conjunctions of Religion and Power in the Medieval Past) (Paperback)

One of the best books on the Carolingian era. Excellent reading for a reader with an interest in the era and has fine notes for the serious student of the time. The end maps add to the understanding of the texts. Covers an area that has had little attention.