Eric J. Goldberg on Struggle for Empire in Medieval Europe12:00AM / Wednesday, April 05, 2006
In his new book "Struggle for Empire: Kingship and Conflict under Louis the German, 817-876" (Cornell University Press, 2006), Eric J. Goldberg, assistant professor of history at Williams College, gives life to the struggle for power in medieval Europe that followed the death of Charlemagne. Goldberg approaches this era, which shaped Europe for centuries to come, through the reign of Louis the German, Charlemagne's little-understood grandson.
"Louis the German's relentless effort in building a kingdom in the harsh environment of early medieval Europe comes into clear focus," said Stuart Airlie, senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow about the book. "This is a fine study of medieval rulership."
The book establishes Goldberg "as a leader in the new political history of the early Middle Ages," said Patrick J. Geary, professor of history at University of California at Los Angeles.
Louis the German reigned for 50 years, one of the longest tenures of the Carolingian kings, and he oversaw a period of remarkable political consolidation and cultural creativity. Yet in the end, he failed to reunify the empire created by Charlemagne, after whom he modeled his rule. "Struggle for Empire" chronicles the dynamic spirit of change that flourished under Louis in areas such as warfare, diplomacy, and the arts.
At Williams, Goldberg teaches courses on the Vikings, the world of Charlemagne, knighthood and chivalry, and the First Crusade. In addition to his work on Carolingian kingship and politics, his research also focuses on the medieval nobility, court culture, and hunting. He is currently working on his second book, "Hunting and the Birth of Europe, 100-1100."
Goldberg received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991 and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia in 1998. His essay, "Popular Revolt, Dynastic Politics, and Aristocratic Factionalism in the Early Middle Ages: the Saxon Stellinga Reconsidered," published in 1995, won the Medieval Academy of America's Van Courtlandt Elliot Prize. He is a recent recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Council of Learned Societies. |
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