Charles I, often known as Charlemagne, is one of the most extraordinary figures ever to rule an empire. Driven by unremitting physical energy and intellectual curiosity, he was a man of many parts, a warlord and conqueror, a judge who promised 'for each their law and justice', a defender of the Latin Church, a man of flesh-and-blood. In the twelve centuries since his death, warfare, accident, vermin, and the elements have destroyed much of the writing on his rule, but a remarkable amount has survived. Janet Nelson's wonderful new book brings together everything we know about Charles, sifting through the available evidence, literary and material, to paint a vivid portrait of the man and his motives. Charles's legacy lies in his deeds and their continuing resonance, as he shaped counties, countries, and continents, founded and rebuilt towns and monasteries, and consciously set himself up not just as King of the Franks, but as the head of the renewed Roman Empire. His successors--in some ways even up to the present day--have struggled to interpret, misinterpret, copy, or subvert his legacy.

In these essays Carolingian government is explored through the workings of courts and assemblies; through administrative texts; through contemporaries' historical writing; through the rituals, looking back to Roman times and reflecting the long continuity of administration in the areas constituting Francia that supplemented and reinforced social and political solidarities; and through the ideological and material dilemmas confronted by ninth-century churchmen: the material wealth of the church, a necessary precondition to its influence, attracted a variety of private interests that inhibited its ability to perform its public duty. Janet Nelson extends her perspective to include the settlement of disputes, often without recourse to courts or to conflict, and the application of law. An introduction sets Francia in context and outlines its main features. More recent work on gender history is represented here by studies of the political, intellectual and religious activities of women in the Frankish world. Although circumscribed, the activities of women acting on their own will can be clearly detected. While the male authorship of nearly all early medieval texts has usually been taken for granted, Janet Nelson makes a case for the possibility that a number were written by women.

This important and long-awaited study is the first full-scale biography of Charlemagne's grandson, King of the West Franks from 843 to 877, and Emperor from 875. Posterity has not been kind to Charles or his age, seeing him as a fatally weak ruler in decadent times, threatened by Viking invaders and overmighty subjects. Janet Nelson, however, reveals an able and resourceful ruler who, under challenging conditions, maintained and enhanced royal authority, and held together the kingdom that, outlasting the Carolingians themselves, in due course became France.

A major theme in the volume of articles by Janet Nelson is the usefulness of gender as a category of historical analysis. Papers range widely across early medieval time and geographical as well as social space, but most focus on the Carolingian period and on royalty and elites. The workings of dynastic political power are viewed in social as well as political context, and the author explores the realities of gendered power, which while constraining women, gave them distinctive possibilities for agency. These papers offer new perspectives on the Carolingian world in general and on Charlemagne's reign in particular.

A major theme in the present volume of articles by Janet Nelson is the usefulness of gender as a category of historical analysis. Some papers range more widely across early medieval time and geographical as well as social space, but most focus on the Carolingian period and on royalty and elites. The workings of dynastic political power are viewed in social as well as political context, and the author explores the realities of gendered power, which while constraining women, gave them distinctive possibilities for agency. These papers offer new perspectives on the Carolingian world in general and on Charlemagne's reign in particular.

This collection of highly original essays by leading early medieval historians honors the work and career of Dame Janet (Jinty) Nelson, one of the most respected and influential scholars of her generation. The essays build on the spirit of Janet Nelson’s work by linking the study of Francia with at least one other area or general theme of early medieval history. The papers range across all of the regions of Europe affected by Frankish culture and explore themes which reflect the cutting edge of the work she inspired: memory, queenship, the treatment of prisoners of war, penance, the use of property, historiography, palaeography, prosopography, religious organization. The volume includes an appreciation of her career, and is rounded off by a topical index to highlight its thematic aspects. The contributors are drawn from those who have worked alongside Janet Nelson and from some of her former students. They include David Bates, Stephen Baxter, Wendy Davies, Paul Fouracre and David Ganz.

Carol, regele francilor, este una dintre figurile cele mai remarcabile care au condus vreodată un superstat european. De aceea este numit adesea Carol cel Mare: „Charlemagne“ de către francezi și „Karl der Grosse“ de către germani. Tăria lui de caracter a fost considerată remarcabilă încă de la începutul lungii sale domnii. Războaiele și accidentele, dăunătorii și vremea au distrus o mare parte dintre dovezile domniei sale în cele 12 secole care au trecut de la moartea lui, dar încă au rămas remarcabil de multe. Janet L. Nelson pune laolaltă, în această minunată carte, tot ceea ce știm despre Charlemagne și cerne dovezile pentru a ne ajuta cât se poate de mult să înțelegem cine a fost omul și motivele din spatele faptelor sale. Nelson se bucură de o înțelegere extraordinară a izvoarelor și mare parte din acest volum este un fel de poveste cu detectivi, cercetând și interpretând resturi materiale și adesea greu de descifrat, de la cărți de rugăciune la schelete, bârfe și opere de artă. Mai presus de orice, moștenirea lui Carol este vizibilă în faptele sale și în rezonanța lor continuă, formând ducate și comitate, reconstruind și întemeind orașe și mănăstiri și declarându-se nu doar rege al francilor, ci și nou împărat al Imperiului Roman. Succesorii lui – din unele puncte de vedere, până în ziua de azi – s-au străduit să interpreteze, să copieze sau să distrugă moștenirea lui Charlemagne. Nelson ne aduce pe cât de aproape am putea spera să ajungem de o figură reală, așa cum era ea înțeleasă la vremea ei. „Au existat numeroase studii despre Charlemagne în multe limbi... dar puține au fost atât de ambițios biografice precum cel al lui Nelson. Istoricii Europei Evului Mediu Timpuriu sunt învățați să înțeleagă indicii și fragmente răzlețe; Nelson se numără printre cei mai buni.“ London Review of Books „O realizare imensă – documentată genial și de o înțelepciune profundă, este relevantă în privința practicii istoriei, dar și a marelui om însuși.“ History Extra „Experții... vor saluta această realizare importantă.“ Sunday Telegraph „Rege și împărat are ceva din suspansul unui bun roman cu detectivi, dar și din profunzimea unei lucrări de istorie... Janet L. Nelson se apropie cât se poate de mult de cunoașterea acestui om extraordinar.“ Wall Street Journal „Janet Nelson a reușit să îi ofere «o nouă viață» lui Carol. Biografia sa îndelung așteptată ne invită să înțelegem omul în moduri care sunt originale și profunde.“ Financial Times „Nelson a produs un text erudit remarcabil, cum nu a făcut-o nici un alt studiu dedicat lui Carol cel Mare din ultimii ani.“ Sunday Times JANET L. NELSON, Dame of the British Empire, este profesor emerit de istorie medievală la King’s College, Londra, unde a predat mulți ani. A scris și a tradus multe lucrări despre Europa Evului Mediu Timpuriu, printre acestea numărându-se Charles the Bald (1992), The Frankish World (1996) și Courts, Elites, and Gendered Power in the Early Middle Ages (2007). Locuiește la Londra.

Janet Nelson describes her career in higher education, her move from Hattiesburg to the Gulf Coast, the pre-Katrina evacuation process, the loss of her Long Beach home and possessions to the storm, the decision to remain on the Coast, and difficulties with recovery efforts, including FEMA and insurance.