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Charlemagne's Dream: A New History of the Carolingians
The dynamic, expansionist dynasty that forged the Middle Ages.
Today, the Carolingians are best known as the dynasty of Charlemagne. In a few remarkable decades spanning the late eighth and early ninth centuries, Charlemagne united much of modern-day Europe through conquest and diplomacy, establishing the continent's first empire since the fall of Rome.
Charlemagne's Dream depicts the entire sweeping arc of the Carolingian dynasty - the men and women who laid the foundations for his achievements, and the colourful heirs who squandered his legacy. They fought and traded with power centres as far-flung as Córdoba, Constantinople, and Baghdad. They gathered scholars and philosophers to drive a cultural and intellectual renaissance. They allied with the pope, forever changing the relationship between church and state. And they dispatched the first missionaries to northern Europe, expanding Christendom's reach farther than ever imagined.
These are the stories of the family that forged Europe, showing how their pursuit of ever-greater power built - but also undermined - one of the world's great empires.
Today, the Carolingians are best known as the dynasty of Charlemagne. In a few remarkable decades spanning the late eighth and early ninth centuries, Charlemagne united much of modern-day Europe through conquest and diplomacy, establishing the continent's first empire since the fall of Rome.
Charlemagne's Dream depicts the entire sweeping arc of the Carolingian dynasty - the men and women who laid the foundations for his achievements, and the colourful heirs who squandered his legacy. They fought and traded with power centres as far-flung as Córdoba, Constantinople, and Baghdad. They gathered scholars and philosophers to drive a cultural and intellectual renaissance. They allied with the pope, forever changing the relationship between church and state. And they dispatched the first missionaries to northern Europe, expanding Christendom's reach farther than ever imagined.
These are the stories of the family that forged Europe, showing how their pursuit of ever-greater power built - but also undermined - one of the world's great empires.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 8, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 15, 2026
I received an advance readers copy from NetGalley in exchange for my review of "Charlemagne's Dream: The Rise and Fall of the Carolingian Empire" by James T. Palmer.
In this book the author provides the reader with a gripping and easy-to-read account of the rise and fall of the Carolingian dynasty. The book is 352 pages long, with fifteen chapters and an Epilogue covering four main periods, along with six maps to assist the reader.
The author covers the many famous and not so famous Carolingian rulers as they expanded their empire and clashed with enemies outside and inside their realm.
We get to read about Charles Martel (The Hammer) who defeated the Umayyad invasion of France at the Battle of Tours, and as such was credited with curtailing the spread of Islam into Western Europe.
We follow on with the reign of Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who expanded the empire and consolidated the Frankish realm. Even though Pepin was considered one of the great kings of that time, he was overshadowed by one of his sons - Charlemagne.
Obviously, the next Carolingian ruler we get to read about is the famous Charlemagne - “Carolus Magnus”. The author takes us on a journey as we follow Charlemagne on his campaigns to subdue the Saxons, Lombards, Avars, and Danes, from the frontier with Spain, across to Italy and deep into Germany.
The author highlights that at times Charlemagne could be ruthless against those who raised the sword against his reign. During one of the campaigns against some rebellious Saxons under the Duke Widukind, Charlemagne was vexed with the numerous ambushes and skirmishes, so:
"Frustrated by one assault in 782, Charles rounded up 4,500 leading men of the Saxons at the town of Verden and had them beheaded - an act that made even early Nazis hesitant about venerating Charles."
The author also provides details of Charlemange's efforts at diplomacy, religious reform, education and law. The author mentioned how literacy was advanced throughout the empire:
"Scriptoria across Germany refined their art and increased production to meet demand. Libraries in Fulda, Lorsch, St Gallen, Wurzburg, and Regensburg, among many others, swelled with new volumes on any and every subject available, both for study and for practical use. Distaste for some writings did not mean they should not be read. As one writer of the generation commented, 'The sayings of pagan poets are like fertilizer: they are not true but they do grow one's understanding of divine eloquence.' What one did was collect resources of all sorts that might prove useful later."
Upon the death of Charlemagne his empire was left in the hands of his son, Louis the Pious.
Poor Louis had to deal with unruly sons, Lothair, Pepin and Louis and various tribes that rebelled on occasion - the Danes, Obotrites, the Slavs of Pannonia, Bretons and Basques. As soon as putting down one rebellion another started and as soon as it seemed all was at peace within the realm, Louis was faced with a number of civil wars with his sons. Louis managed to keep the empire from being torn to pieces, but after Louis' death, the empire was divided among his sons into West, East, and Middle Francia by the Treaty of Verdun.
After numerous coups, sudden deaths, mostly natural or accidental, we get to Charles the Fat, who was the last Carolingian emperor of legitimate birth and the last to rule a united kingdom of the Franks.
Throughout the book we read how the different rulers of the Carolingian Empire operated, we read about how the empire functioned, how it dealt with various Popes, its interactions with the Byzantium Emperor and with the Muslim rulers close by. The author provides details of the numerous clerics sent out by the Carolingian rulers to preach to the pagans to the north and to try and establish peaceful relations with the Danes and other tribes.
We read about the numerous Viking raids along the French coast, the Great Viking Army, the attack on Paris, and how different Frankish kings dealt with that threat, not always to the liking of the Frankish people.
Overall, this was a very interesting and fun read of this short-lived (751 to 887) but highly influential dynasty that impacted the medieval period in Europe.
In this book the author provides the reader with a gripping and easy-to-read account of the rise and fall of the Carolingian dynasty. The book is 352 pages long, with fifteen chapters and an Epilogue covering four main periods, along with six maps to assist the reader.
The author covers the many famous and not so famous Carolingian rulers as they expanded their empire and clashed with enemies outside and inside their realm.
We get to read about Charles Martel (The Hammer) who defeated the Umayyad invasion of France at the Battle of Tours, and as such was credited with curtailing the spread of Islam into Western Europe.
We follow on with the reign of Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, who expanded the empire and consolidated the Frankish realm. Even though Pepin was considered one of the great kings of that time, he was overshadowed by one of his sons - Charlemagne.
Obviously, the next Carolingian ruler we get to read about is the famous Charlemagne - “Carolus Magnus”. The author takes us on a journey as we follow Charlemagne on his campaigns to subdue the Saxons, Lombards, Avars, and Danes, from the frontier with Spain, across to Italy and deep into Germany.
The author highlights that at times Charlemagne could be ruthless against those who raised the sword against his reign. During one of the campaigns against some rebellious Saxons under the Duke Widukind, Charlemagne was vexed with the numerous ambushes and skirmishes, so:
"Frustrated by one assault in 782, Charles rounded up 4,500 leading men of the Saxons at the town of Verden and had them beheaded - an act that made even early Nazis hesitant about venerating Charles."
The author also provides details of Charlemange's efforts at diplomacy, religious reform, education and law. The author mentioned how literacy was advanced throughout the empire:
"Scriptoria across Germany refined their art and increased production to meet demand. Libraries in Fulda, Lorsch, St Gallen, Wurzburg, and Regensburg, among many others, swelled with new volumes on any and every subject available, both for study and for practical use. Distaste for some writings did not mean they should not be read. As one writer of the generation commented, 'The sayings of pagan poets are like fertilizer: they are not true but they do grow one's understanding of divine eloquence.' What one did was collect resources of all sorts that might prove useful later."
Upon the death of Charlemagne his empire was left in the hands of his son, Louis the Pious.
Poor Louis had to deal with unruly sons, Lothair, Pepin and Louis and various tribes that rebelled on occasion - the Danes, Obotrites, the Slavs of Pannonia, Bretons and Basques. As soon as putting down one rebellion another started and as soon as it seemed all was at peace within the realm, Louis was faced with a number of civil wars with his sons. Louis managed to keep the empire from being torn to pieces, but after Louis' death, the empire was divided among his sons into West, East, and Middle Francia by the Treaty of Verdun.
After numerous coups, sudden deaths, mostly natural or accidental, we get to Charles the Fat, who was the last Carolingian emperor of legitimate birth and the last to rule a united kingdom of the Franks.
Throughout the book we read how the different rulers of the Carolingian Empire operated, we read about how the empire functioned, how it dealt with various Popes, its interactions with the Byzantium Emperor and with the Muslim rulers close by. The author provides details of the numerous clerics sent out by the Carolingian rulers to preach to the pagans to the north and to try and establish peaceful relations with the Danes and other tribes.
We read about the numerous Viking raids along the French coast, the Great Viking Army, the attack on Paris, and how different Frankish kings dealt with that threat, not always to the liking of the Frankish people.
Overall, this was a very interesting and fun read of this short-lived (751 to 887) but highly influential dynasty that impacted the medieval period in Europe.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Delightful and fascinating history of the Carolingian dynasty in 8th-9th C Europe bringing to lovers of history (and to anyone) a much needed reminder that even great dreams are temporal. I was drawn to the book’s title (thank you NetGalley and Basic Books for granting me access to this ARC) because of having visited Charlemagne’s tomb in Aachen when I was very young and enamored of chivalry and all that stuff. This book brought that memory full circle.
This easy-to-read history begins with Charles Martel whose victory at Tours is credited for stopping the advance of Islam in Western Europe gave back some credibility to the waning Merovingian dynasty - he’s also credited with bringing feudalism to the people - but upon his death his territory was divided between his two sons: Pippin - whose son is Charles, later known as Charlemagne ( “Carolus Magnus”) and Carloman. It was also a time when faith was more important than personal failings and Charlemagne did have deep faith. Upon his coronation as the first Holy Roman Emperor - uniting the old Roman Empire with those who conquered it - Charlemagne realized his rather previous cruel ways had to change and he took his new role seriously. In that role he had a duty to stand up for Christendom and promote good order wherever he could. His forty-seven year reign was “almost” unprecedented as well. This was the acme of the dynasty. However after he died, Charlemagne’s heirs and theirs brought the 137 year Carolingian reign to its nadir. This is not to say the dynasty hadn’t brought about change; it made its mark on Europe - it defined “kingship, religion, and social life” that would shape medieval Europe for centuries.
I enjoyed this book immensely not just for bringing a period of European history to life but for its broadness in its rendering of defining why the medieval ages were what they were: such a revealing background. The writing is perfect - serious but with a bit of whimsey (such as the comments on Charlemagne’s personal life). I think about the only criticism I can point to - and it’s not the author’s fault - are all the difficult names of that period: Theuderic, Ragamfred, Wiilibrod, Eudo (I imagine though it any of these people came to the 21st C they would equally be concerned about our names LOL!)
But deep within this history rings a cautionary tale. As the author notes in his conclusion the dream of providing strong collaborative leadership to people could not be sustained because in the adage attributed to Lord Action: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Today’s leaders seem to have forgotten this too.
I gave this book five stars for its well researched topic, for bringing to life a period in history so incredibly fresh and earnest and for the great enjoyment I got in reading it. Kudos to the author.
This easy-to-read history begins with Charles Martel whose victory at Tours is credited for stopping the advance of Islam in Western Europe gave back some credibility to the waning Merovingian dynasty - he’s also credited with bringing feudalism to the people - but upon his death his territory was divided between his two sons: Pippin - whose son is Charles, later known as Charlemagne ( “Carolus Magnus”) and Carloman. It was also a time when faith was more important than personal failings and Charlemagne did have deep faith. Upon his coronation as the first Holy Roman Emperor - uniting the old Roman Empire with those who conquered it - Charlemagne realized his rather previous cruel ways had to change and he took his new role seriously. In that role he had a duty to stand up for Christendom and promote good order wherever he could. His forty-seven year reign was “almost” unprecedented as well. This was the acme of the dynasty. However after he died, Charlemagne’s heirs and theirs brought the 137 year Carolingian reign to its nadir. This is not to say the dynasty hadn’t brought about change; it made its mark on Europe - it defined “kingship, religion, and social life” that would shape medieval Europe for centuries.
I enjoyed this book immensely not just for bringing a period of European history to life but for its broadness in its rendering of defining why the medieval ages were what they were: such a revealing background. The writing is perfect - serious but with a bit of whimsey (such as the comments on Charlemagne’s personal life). I think about the only criticism I can point to - and it’s not the author’s fault - are all the difficult names of that period: Theuderic, Ragamfred, Wiilibrod, Eudo (I imagine though it any of these people came to the 21st C they would equally be concerned about our names LOL!)
But deep within this history rings a cautionary tale. As the author notes in his conclusion the dream of providing strong collaborative leadership to people could not be sustained because in the adage attributed to Lord Action: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Today’s leaders seem to have forgotten this too.
I gave this book five stars for its well researched topic, for bringing to life a period in history so incredibly fresh and earnest and for the great enjoyment I got in reading it. Kudos to the author.
October 5, 2026
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review.
Charlemagne's Dream by James T. Palmer drops you off, quite literally, into a dream. In it, Charlemagne is approached by a mysterious man holding a sword with "four ominous and mostly untranslatable Germanic words: raht, radoleiba, nasg, and enti." Palmer decodes them as this: an age of abundance, an age of sudden failure, an age of great disorder, and then the end.
These ages are also how the book is structured, as you follow the founders of the dynasty, onto Charlemagne, and then his descendants. We, as readers, witness the dynasty slowly fall apart. Palmer does a great job at bringing these medieval figures to life, presenting them as what they probably were- multifaceted individuals, bogged down by the weight of their legacy, but also those around them who were all vying for something.
I'm currently listening to Tides of History's first season, which partially covers the Fall of Rome, and I do believe Fall is the correct term for the Carolingian Empire as well. There are some similarities, especially when it came to governing a large amount of land filled with many different types of people. These peoples may have been united under the flag of the empire, but in reality spoke different languages and had different cultures from each other.
We also can't leave out how much the Pope factored into some of this - the desire to be Holy and Roman meant the Carolingians were at the will of the Pope. Sometimes, that meant going to defend what the Pope wanted to defend. Sometimes that led to armies and emperors dying, leaving a mess to be cleaned up back at home.
I like my nonfiction to be a little cheeky, and this hit the mark. Some of the bishops were actually hysterical, and I think it really elevates history nonfiction when it is included. We're reading and learning about real people, and including how people felt about them is incredibly important.
This was a 5-star read for me, which I don't give out often. But it was funny, gripping, and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it. I think it is a book you could go into relatively blind as well. Overall, a read I very much recommend!.
Charlemagne's Dream by James T. Palmer drops you off, quite literally, into a dream. In it, Charlemagne is approached by a mysterious man holding a sword with "four ominous and mostly untranslatable Germanic words: raht, radoleiba, nasg, and enti." Palmer decodes them as this: an age of abundance, an age of sudden failure, an age of great disorder, and then the end.
These ages are also how the book is structured, as you follow the founders of the dynasty, onto Charlemagne, and then his descendants. We, as readers, witness the dynasty slowly fall apart. Palmer does a great job at bringing these medieval figures to life, presenting them as what they probably were- multifaceted individuals, bogged down by the weight of their legacy, but also those around them who were all vying for something.
I'm currently listening to Tides of History's first season, which partially covers the Fall of Rome, and I do believe Fall is the correct term for the Carolingian Empire as well. There are some similarities, especially when it came to governing a large amount of land filled with many different types of people. These peoples may have been united under the flag of the empire, but in reality spoke different languages and had different cultures from each other.
We also can't leave out how much the Pope factored into some of this - the desire to be Holy and Roman meant the Carolingians were at the will of the Pope. Sometimes, that meant going to defend what the Pope wanted to defend. Sometimes that led to armies and emperors dying, leaving a mess to be cleaned up back at home.
I like my nonfiction to be a little cheeky, and this hit the mark. Some of the bishops were actually hysterical, and I think it really elevates history nonfiction when it is included. We're reading and learning about real people, and including how people felt about them is incredibly important.
This was a 5-star read for me, which I don't give out often. But it was funny, gripping, and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it. I think it is a book you could go into relatively blind as well. Overall, a read I very much recommend!.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Basic Books for the ARC.
The era of the Carolingians will always hold a place in my historian heart, as they were the first subject of my first college level history course after enduring possibly the worst history teacher and class my final year of high school. That being said, it's also been about 3 years since I've been in a history course, so my recollections and professors' lectures about this period have faded some. My inability to spot possibly conflicting historical narratives aside, this work provided great insights into the dynasty of the Carolingians and the personalities [or lack thereof] that populated it. From the high ruling days of Clovis and the Merovingians, to the inevitable slow decay of the reign of Louis V [I'll never get over how only like 4 names were used for all royals during this time, and later times too, but my god was it a struggle to follow the who's who of this dynasty] we're offered insight into this incredibly rich and decisive time in history. Whether intended by the author, I think what serves this telling specifically well, is how everything is more or less laid out in a similar fashion to a high stakes political drama. Which in turn, humanizes these historical figures more than 1,000 years later. While I did struggle to accept some of the author's decisions when they were discussing possible thought processes and rationale for the actions of these historical figures, and I did feel like there were clear favorites who got more nuanced and positive explorations, overall this was an excellent introduction for those looking to get a foot in the door to understanding one of the most interesting periods in European history.
The era of the Carolingians will always hold a place in my historian heart, as they were the first subject of my first college level history course after enduring possibly the worst history teacher and class my final year of high school. That being said, it's also been about 3 years since I've been in a history course, so my recollections and professors' lectures about this period have faded some. My inability to spot possibly conflicting historical narratives aside, this work provided great insights into the dynasty of the Carolingians and the personalities [or lack thereof] that populated it. From the high ruling days of Clovis and the Merovingians, to the inevitable slow decay of the reign of Louis V [I'll never get over how only like 4 names were used for all royals during this time, and later times too, but my god was it a struggle to follow the who's who of this dynasty] we're offered insight into this incredibly rich and decisive time in history. Whether intended by the author, I think what serves this telling specifically well, is how everything is more or less laid out in a similar fashion to a high stakes political drama. Which in turn, humanizes these historical figures more than 1,000 years later. While I did struggle to accept some of the author's decisions when they were discussing possible thought processes and rationale for the actions of these historical figures, and I did feel like there were clear favorites who got more nuanced and positive explorations, overall this was an excellent introduction for those looking to get a foot in the door to understanding one of the most interesting periods in European history.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Charlemagne’s Dream by James T. Palmern is a history of the Carolingian dynasty, covering the rulers before, during, and after Charlemagne. Rather than focusing on one person, the book provides a broad look at the dynasty through its politics, religion, warfare, education, and culture. The chapters are organized by ruler and broken into smaller sections, making a complex period easier to follow.
I really enjoyed how Wilson organized this book. Each ruler gets their own chapter, and even the longer chapters are divided into topics such as wars, religion, or education. That made it easy to read in shorter sessions without losing the bigger picture.
I also liked that this isn’t just a biography of Charlemagne. Wilson gives readers a 360-degree view of the Carolingian dynasty, showing what came before Charlemagne, his reign, and the generations that followed. While there are plenty of names and dates, I never felt like I had to remember all of them to understand the main ideas. If you’re looking for an accessible overview of the Carolingian dynasty, I think this book is a solid choice.
Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing an advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
I really enjoyed how Wilson organized this book. Each ruler gets their own chapter, and even the longer chapters are divided into topics such as wars, religion, or education. That made it easy to read in shorter sessions without losing the bigger picture.
I also liked that this isn’t just a biography of Charlemagne. Wilson gives readers a 360-degree view of the Carolingian dynasty, showing what came before Charlemagne, his reign, and the generations that followed. While there are plenty of names and dates, I never felt like I had to remember all of them to understand the main ideas. If you’re looking for an accessible overview of the Carolingian dynasty, I think this book is a solid choice.
Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing an advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a good history of the Carolingian dynasty, the rise, height and slow decline. Of course, this includes the famous Charlemagne but is not limited to him at all. It is easy to read but at the same time is grounded in facts, most of the time. At times, the writer protrays the thoughts of some of the historical figures which may not be to all people's liking. There is also some humor. The people are complicated, some better suited to ruling than others, and there are many competing interests. Portraying things as simple is leaving out much of history because rarely is something so straightforward. There is no doubt that the Carolingians had a huge impact on continental Europe and set the stage for much of what exists now.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The early European Middle Ages are too often skipped past or caricatured, but Charlemagne’s Dream restores that period’s humanity to us. The Franks, through the ruling Carolingian dynasty (including the legendary Charlemagne), come fully to life in these pages. James T. Palmer weaves together a story filled with vivid colors—solemnity and humor, barbarity and grace. This is historical scholarship, and historical storytelling, at its finest.
September 26, 2026
This book is a deeply researched history of the rise and fall of the Carolingian Empire during the early Middle Ages. It may be more those who already have some working knowledge of the period, as the dates and similar names can be at times hard to follow, especially in the post-Charlemagne chapters, but the author does a decent job of engaging the reader.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing an advance copy for review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing an advance copy for review.
October 5, 2026
This history looks beyond Charlemagne to reveal the full rise and decline of the Carolingians. Their courts of learning, far-reaching diplomacy, church-state power shifts, and missionary expeditions to the North reshaped Europe.
Interesting and well-researched, this book filled in a lot of blanks for me. Most histories elide over the period after Charlemagne, just saying that infighting between his heirs squandered his legacy, but it's not that simple. Carolingian rule came to an end because they died out, not because of internal power struggles. All dynasties eventually end. That doesn't make their accomplishments any less meaningful.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Interesting and well-researched, this book filled in a lot of blanks for me. Most histories elide over the period after Charlemagne, just saying that infighting between his heirs squandered his legacy, but it's not that simple. Carolingian rule came to an end because they died out, not because of internal power struggles. All dynasties eventually end. That doesn't make their accomplishments any less meaningful.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
October 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, James T Palmer, and Basic Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! My French is atrocious but it was so fascinating to learn about the Carolingian Empire. Palmer clearly is knowledgeable and presents this period of history in a way that is entertaining and accessible. I had moments when I audibly laughed out loud because I was enjoying myself so much.
I am looking forward to reading more of Palmer’s work!
I thoroughly enjoyed this! My French is atrocious but it was so fascinating to learn about the Carolingian Empire. Palmer clearly is knowledgeable and presents this period of history in a way that is entertaining and accessible. I had moments when I audibly laughed out loud because I was enjoying myself so much.
I am looking forward to reading more of Palmer’s work!
October 10, 2026
Good survey of the Carolingian dynasty. Very approachable prose, but sometimes went a lil too casual for my tastes
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews