Carolingian Civilization: A Reader

Readings in Medieval Civilizations and Cultures #1

by Paul Edward Dutton (Editor)

The period between 770 and 880 experienced an explosion of words signalling the documentary reawakening of Western civilization; this anthology offers a plentiful and engaging selection of primary source documents from that vibrant era.

Among the material new to this second edition are Rimbert's Life of Anskar, with its detailed account of the Carolingian missionary contact with Scandinavia, Ratramnus's study of the dog-headed men, the monk Bernard's Journey to Jerusalem, new specimens of popular beliefs, Audradus Modicus's complete Book of Revelations, and new maps and illustrations.

Genres: History, Medieval, Medieval History, France, Nonfiction, Carolingian

549 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1993

About the author

Paul Dutton is a professor of Humanities at Simon Fraser University (BC, Canada).

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Paul Dutton. He is the best, with a lovely and unique take on things, and this collection of sources from the Carolingian period just bolsters my faith in how awesome he probably is.

I read it for a class on the Carolingian period - we'd read a couple of selections out of it each week - and it's the perfect sort of book for that. Dutton provides good, readable translations and he also offers up some good questions for thought and discussion. Probably best, though, is the sheer variety of sources in here. You have the standards, like Einhard's Life of Charlemagne, but there's also some artistic sources, religious writings, and a couple of great poems.

It's not the sort of book you'd pick up for fun and read cover-to-cover, but it's a wonderful source book for a class and it's a fun volume to have just to pick up and read selections at random.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preface to the second edition -- Introduction to the first edition -- The time of Pepin the Short (741-768). A list of superstitions and pagan practices ; The correspondence of Boniface, missionary and martyr ; The elevation of Pepin the Short ; The reanointing of Pepin in 754 ; The donation of Constantine -- The time of Charlemagne (768-814). Pope Stephen scolds Charlemagne and Carloman ; Einhard's Life of Charlemagne ; Pepin's victory over the Avars ; Epitaphs and eulogies ; The equestrian statue of Theoderic ; The Lateran Palace of Pope Leo III ; Charlemagne and Pope Leo ; Capitularies ; An exhortation to the faithful ; The Iconodule controversy in Francia ; Theodulf's mosaic of the ark ; Theodulf and the antique vase ; Six short poems by Theodulf ; Theodulf of Orléans: precepts for the priests of his diocese ; Letters of Alcuin ; Five poems of Alcuin ; Alcuin's dialogue with young Prince Pepin ; Charlemagne's division of his kingdoms ; The Diet of Aachen in 813 -- The time of Louis the Pious (814-840). Lament on Charlemagne's death ; Thegan's Life of Louis ; Benedict of Aniane: his life and times ; The Ordinatio Imperii of 817 ; The vision of the poor woman of Laon ; Louis's public penance in 822 ; The Polyptyque of St.-Germain-des-Prés ; The Polyptyque of the Church of Marseilles ; Agobard of Lyons and the popular belief in weather magic ; Of bread and provisions in the statutes of Adalhard of Corbie ; A royal judgment of Pepin ; Claudius of Turin's complaint ; The penitential of Haltigar ; St-Riquier (Centula): its precious goods ; The Emperor Louis's Palace at Ingelheim ; Freculf dedicates his book to Empress Judith ; The astronomer's account of the rebellions ; Paschasius Radbertus's Defense of Wala ; Rudolf of Fulda's The life of Saint Leoba ; The final days and death of Louis the Pious --
The time of the Civil War (840-843). Nithard's history ; Engelbert at the Battle of Fontenoy ; The Treaty of Verdun ; Dhuoda's advice to her son -- The time of the three kings and their sons (844-877). The annals of Xanten for the year 844 to 862 ; Audradus Modicus and his Book of Revelations ; Gottschalk and the Predestination controversy ; Popular and learned beliefs: two specimens ; The epitaphs of Ermengard and Lothar ; Sedulius Scottus's On Christian rulers ; Lothar II's divorce ; The Susanna crystal of King Lothar ; Otfrid of Weissenburg on Old High German ; Anskar and his mission to Scandinavia ; Ratramnus and the dog-headed humans ; The vision of Charlemagne ; Letters of Lupus of Ferrières ; The wandering monks of St-Philibert ; The monk Bernard's journey to Jerusalem : A judicial dispute in the Loire Valley ; A charter of immunity from Charles the Bald ; Saint Remi's protection of people and property ; The coronation of Charles the Bald as King of Lotharingia ; Eriugena's Periphyseon: the beginning and end ; Wulfadus's library ; Wulfadus goes to court ; Charles the Bald grants a benefice ; The capitulary of Quierzy, 877 ; The death of Charles the Bald -- The time of Charles the Fat (878-888). The annals of St-Vaast for the years 882 to 886 ; The song of Louis: Ludwigslied ; Abbo's account of the Siege of Paris by the Northmen ; Hincmar of Rheims's On the governance of the palace ; Notker the Stammerer addresses Charles the Fat ; The Saxon poet's thoughts on Charlemagne ; The vision of Charles the Fat ; Last thoughts.