The Medieval Heart

The Medieval Heart

Author: Heather Webb

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0300153937

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Heather Webb studies medieval notions of the heart to explore the "lost circulations" of an era when individual lives and bodies were defined by their extensions into the world rather than as self-perpetuating, self-limited entities. Drawing from the works of Dante, Catherine of Siena, Boccaccio, Aquinas, and Cavalcanti and other literary, philosophic, and scientific texts, she reveals medieval answers to such fundamental questions as: Where is life located? What does it consist of? Where does it begin? And how does it end? Against the modern idea of the isolated self, the medieval heart provides a model for rethinking the body's relationship to the world it inhabits.


Book Synopsis The Medieval Heart by : Heather Webb

Download or read book The Medieval Heart written by Heather Webb and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Heather Webb studies medieval notions of the heart to explore the "lost circulations" of an era when individual lives and bodies were defined by their extensions into the world rather than as self-perpetuating, self-limited entities. Drawing from the works of Dante, Catherine of Siena, Boccaccio, Aquinas, and Cavalcanti and other literary, philosophic, and scientific texts, she reveals medieval answers to such fundamental questions as: Where is life located? What does it consist of? Where does it begin? And how does it end? Against the modern idea of the isolated self, the medieval heart provides a model for rethinking the body's relationship to the world it inhabits.

The Feeling Heart in Medieval and Early Modern Europe

The Feeling Heart in Medieval and Early Modern Europe

Author: Katie Barclay

Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG

Published: 2019-12-02

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1501513273

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The heart is an iconic symbol in the medieval and early modern European world. In addition to being a physical organ, it is a key conceptual device related to emotions, cognition, the self and identity, and the body. The heart is read as a metaphor for human desire and will, and situated in opposition to or alongside reason and cognition. In medieval and early modern Europe, the “feeling heart” – the heart as the site of emotion and emotional practices – informed a broad range of art, literature, music, heraldry, medical texts, and devotional and ritual practices. This multidisciplinary collection brings together art historians, literary scholars, historians, theologians, and musicologists to highlight the range of meanings attached to the symbol of the heart, the relationship between physical and metaphorical representations of the heart, and the uses of the heart in the production of identities and communities in medieval and early modern Europe.


Book Synopsis The Feeling Heart in Medieval and Early Modern Europe by : Katie Barclay

Download or read book The Feeling Heart in Medieval and Early Modern Europe written by Katie Barclay and published by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. This book was released on 2019-12-02 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The heart is an iconic symbol in the medieval and early modern European world. In addition to being a physical organ, it is a key conceptual device related to emotions, cognition, the self and identity, and the body. The heart is read as a metaphor for human desire and will, and situated in opposition to or alongside reason and cognition. In medieval and early modern Europe, the “feeling heart” – the heart as the site of emotion and emotional practices – informed a broad range of art, literature, music, heraldry, medical texts, and devotional and ritual practices. This multidisciplinary collection brings together art historians, literary scholars, historians, theologians, and musicologists to highlight the range of meanings attached to the symbol of the heart, the relationship between physical and metaphorical representations of the heart, and the uses of the heart in the production of identities and communities in medieval and early modern Europe.

The Book of the Heart

The Book of the Heart

Author: Eric Jager

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2000-08

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 9780226391168

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In today's increasingly electronic world, we say our personality traits are "hard-wired" and we "replay" our memories. But we use a different metaphor when we speak of someone "reading" another's mind or a desire to "turn over a new leaf"—these phrases refer to the "book of the self," an idea that dates from the beginnings of Western culture. Eric Jager traces the history and psychology of the self-as-text concept from antiquity to the modern day. He focuses especially on the Middle Ages, when the metaphor of a "book of the heart" modeled on the manuscript codex attained its most vivid expressions in literature and art. For instance, medieval saints' legends tell of martyrs whose hearts recorded divine inscriptions; lyrics and romances feature lovers whose hearts are inscribed with their passion; paintings depict hearts as books; and medieval scribes even produced manuscript codices shaped like hearts. "The Book of the Heart provides a fresh perspective on the influence of the book as artifact on our language and culture. Reading this book broadens our appreciation of the relationship between things and ideas."—Henry Petroski, author of The Book on the Bookshelf


Book Synopsis The Book of the Heart by : Eric Jager

Download or read book The Book of the Heart written by Eric Jager and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2000-08 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In today's increasingly electronic world, we say our personality traits are "hard-wired" and we "replay" our memories. But we use a different metaphor when we speak of someone "reading" another's mind or a desire to "turn over a new leaf"—these phrases refer to the "book of the self," an idea that dates from the beginnings of Western culture. Eric Jager traces the history and psychology of the self-as-text concept from antiquity to the modern day. He focuses especially on the Middle Ages, when the metaphor of a "book of the heart" modeled on the manuscript codex attained its most vivid expressions in literature and art. For instance, medieval saints' legends tell of martyrs whose hearts recorded divine inscriptions; lyrics and romances feature lovers whose hearts are inscribed with their passion; paintings depict hearts as books; and medieval scribes even produced manuscript codices shaped like hearts. "The Book of the Heart provides a fresh perspective on the influence of the book as artifact on our language and culture. Reading this book broadens our appreciation of the relationship between things and ideas."—Henry Petroski, author of The Book on the Bookshelf

Medieval Bodies

Medieval Bodies

Author: Jack Hartnell

Publisher: Profile Books

Published: 2018-03-29

Total Pages:

ISBN-13: 178283270X

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A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A triumph' Guardian 'Glorious ... makes the past at once familiar, exotic and thrilling.' Dominic Sandbrook 'A brilliant book' Mail on Sunday Just like us, medieval men and women worried about growing old, got blisters and indigestion, fell in love and had children. And yet their lives were full of miraculous and richly metaphorical experiences radically different to our own, unfolding in a world where deadly wounds might be healed overnight by divine intervention, or the heart of a king, plucked from his corpse, could be held aloft as a powerful symbol of political rule. In this richly-illustrated and unusual history, Jack Hartnell uncovers the fascinating ways in which people thought about, explored and experienced their physical selves in the Middle Ages, from Constantinople to Cairo and Canterbury. Unfolding like a medieval pageant, and filled with saints, soldiers, caliphs, queens, monks and monstrous beasts, it throws light on the medieval body from head to toe - revealing the surprisingly sophisticated medical knowledge of the time in the process. Bringing together medicine, art, music, politics, philosophy and social history, there is no better guide to what life was really like for the men and women who lived and died in the Middle Ages. Medieval Bodies is published in association with Wellcome Collection.


Book Synopsis Medieval Bodies by : Jack Hartnell

Download or read book Medieval Bodies written by Jack Hartnell and published by Profile Books. This book was released on 2018-03-29 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A SUNDAY TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 'A triumph' Guardian 'Glorious ... makes the past at once familiar, exotic and thrilling.' Dominic Sandbrook 'A brilliant book' Mail on Sunday Just like us, medieval men and women worried about growing old, got blisters and indigestion, fell in love and had children. And yet their lives were full of miraculous and richly metaphorical experiences radically different to our own, unfolding in a world where deadly wounds might be healed overnight by divine intervention, or the heart of a king, plucked from his corpse, could be held aloft as a powerful symbol of political rule. In this richly-illustrated and unusual history, Jack Hartnell uncovers the fascinating ways in which people thought about, explored and experienced their physical selves in the Middle Ages, from Constantinople to Cairo and Canterbury. Unfolding like a medieval pageant, and filled with saints, soldiers, caliphs, queens, monks and monstrous beasts, it throws light on the medieval body from head to toe - revealing the surprisingly sophisticated medical knowledge of the time in the process. Bringing together medicine, art, music, politics, philosophy and social history, there is no better guide to what life was really like for the men and women who lived and died in the Middle Ages. Medieval Bodies is published in association with Wellcome Collection.

For My Lady's Heart

For My Lady's Heart

Author: Laura Kinsale

Publisher: Open Road Media

Published: 2014-04-01

Total Pages: 1147

ISBN-13: 1497620279

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A princess sparks devotion in a chivalrous knight in this medieval romance by a New York Times–bestselling author who “creates magic” (Lisa Kleypas). With Princess Melanthe di Monteverde widowed, a political marriage would tip the balance of power to any kingdom that possessed her. Determined to return to England alive and unwed, she hides behind a mask of witchery. Protecting her is Ruck d’Angleterre, a chivalrous knight who never wavers—and the only man Melanthe wishes could lift the veil of her disguise. He once desired her, but now his gaze reveals distrust. As they flee her enemies, Melanthe’s impossible love for the Green Knight grows. Ruck has remained chaste for thirteen miserable years, since his wife entered a nunnery, continuing to honor their marital vows. In that dark hour, when the church stripped him of his spouse and his possessions, the princess secretly came to his aid with two emeralds. Her safety is his duty, yet his heart is not pure. Each time he gazes upon Melanthe’s sable hair and twilight eyes, he wants more Showcasing Laura Kinsale’s gift for bringing unforgettable characters to life on the page, For My Lady’s Heart is yet another winner from the author of Flowers from the Storm, chosen as one of the “Greatest Love Stories of All Time” in a poll of Washington Post and Glamour magazine readers.


Book Synopsis For My Lady's Heart by : Laura Kinsale

Download or read book For My Lady's Heart written by Laura Kinsale and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 1147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A princess sparks devotion in a chivalrous knight in this medieval romance by a New York Times–bestselling author who “creates magic” (Lisa Kleypas). With Princess Melanthe di Monteverde widowed, a political marriage would tip the balance of power to any kingdom that possessed her. Determined to return to England alive and unwed, she hides behind a mask of witchery. Protecting her is Ruck d’Angleterre, a chivalrous knight who never wavers—and the only man Melanthe wishes could lift the veil of her disguise. He once desired her, but now his gaze reveals distrust. As they flee her enemies, Melanthe’s impossible love for the Green Knight grows. Ruck has remained chaste for thirteen miserable years, since his wife entered a nunnery, continuing to honor their marital vows. In that dark hour, when the church stripped him of his spouse and his possessions, the princess secretly came to his aid with two emeralds. Her safety is his duty, yet his heart is not pure. Each time he gazes upon Melanthe’s sable hair and twilight eyes, he wants more Showcasing Laura Kinsale’s gift for bringing unforgettable characters to life on the page, For My Lady’s Heart is yet another winner from the author of Flowers from the Storm, chosen as one of the “Greatest Love Stories of All Time” in a poll of Washington Post and Glamour magazine readers.

The Book of The Love-Smitten Heart

The Book of The Love-Smitten Heart

Author: Rene D'Anjou

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-01-11

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 1136543872

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Available only in Middle French and German translation until now, this volume constitutes the first full-length , French-English bilingual edition of Rene of Anjou's Livre du cuers d'amours espris, including all sixteen of the celebrated color plates, a critical introduction, notes on the translation, and a comprehensive bibliography. The book tells the tale of desire and adventure as Heart -- part of Rene torn from his body by Love -- travels a complex allegorical landscape in quest of the lady Mercy, who is being held prisoner by a band of miscreants led by Refusal and Shame. Rene begs the reader to help him determine which of three entities is responsible for his torment: Fortune led him to the lady whom he loves; once he arrived, Love, in the guise of his lady's gaze, struck his heart; and Destiny insists that he reflect upon her alone. In addition to being a compelling courtly page-turner, The Book of the Love-Smitten Heart represents the rare instance in which a medieval love story is told simultaneously in three frameworks: autobiographical letter, dream vision, and quest romance. This structure makes clear the multiple logics within which the author's psychology is reflected in the story, and illustrates how the symbol of the heart, as it travels through these shifting frameworks, dramatizes vital relations linking self, desire, and writing.


Book Synopsis The Book of The Love-Smitten Heart by : Rene D'Anjou

Download or read book The Book of The Love-Smitten Heart written by Rene D'Anjou and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-01-11 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Available only in Middle French and German translation until now, this volume constitutes the first full-length , French-English bilingual edition of Rene of Anjou's Livre du cuers d'amours espris, including all sixteen of the celebrated color plates, a critical introduction, notes on the translation, and a comprehensive bibliography. The book tells the tale of desire and adventure as Heart -- part of Rene torn from his body by Love -- travels a complex allegorical landscape in quest of the lady Mercy, who is being held prisoner by a band of miscreants led by Refusal and Shame. Rene begs the reader to help him determine which of three entities is responsible for his torment: Fortune led him to the lady whom he loves; once he arrived, Love, in the guise of his lady's gaze, struck his heart; and Destiny insists that he reflect upon her alone. In addition to being a compelling courtly page-turner, The Book of the Love-Smitten Heart represents the rare instance in which a medieval love story is told simultaneously in three frameworks: autobiographical letter, dream vision, and quest romance. This structure makes clear the multiple logics within which the author's psychology is reflected in the story, and illustrates how the symbol of the heart, as it travels through these shifting frameworks, dramatizes vital relations linking self, desire, and writing.

Shadowheart

Shadowheart

Author: Laura Kinsale

Publisher: Open Road Media

Published: 2014-04-01

Total Pages: 962

ISBN-13: 1497630940

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Swept up in political intrigue, an assassin and a princess embrace a passionate love in this fourteenth-century romance by a New York Times–bestselling author. As the last unmarried princess of Monteverde, Elayne is trapped in a marital bond when her hand is promised to the land’s ruler. On the voyage to meet her future husband, she is captured by Allegreto Navona—the living embodiment of the dark angel she’s seen in dreams. Endowed with godlike beauty, his eyes burn bright with sin. A woman of modesty would flee such a man. But try as she might, a wanton hunger binds her to his side . . . Trained as an assassin, Allegreto is the bastard son of an ambitious lord who raised him to murder for control of Monteverde. Now that his father is dead, if Allegreto can make Elayne his wife, it will cleanse his tainted blood, and the country will be his, but she is no mere maiden to be possessed. Unexpectedly, he falls in love with her, finding in her quick mind and azure eyes the conqueror of his heart. But will his dark past scare her off? With a legendary ability to create lovers you’ll never forget, the author of Flowers from the Storm offers a lively historical romance.


Book Synopsis Shadowheart by : Laura Kinsale

Download or read book Shadowheart written by Laura Kinsale and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 962 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Swept up in political intrigue, an assassin and a princess embrace a passionate love in this fourteenth-century romance by a New York Times–bestselling author. As the last unmarried princess of Monteverde, Elayne is trapped in a marital bond when her hand is promised to the land’s ruler. On the voyage to meet her future husband, she is captured by Allegreto Navona—the living embodiment of the dark angel she’s seen in dreams. Endowed with godlike beauty, his eyes burn bright with sin. A woman of modesty would flee such a man. But try as she might, a wanton hunger binds her to his side . . . Trained as an assassin, Allegreto is the bastard son of an ambitious lord who raised him to murder for control of Monteverde. Now that his father is dead, if Allegreto can make Elayne his wife, it will cleanse his tainted blood, and the country will be his, but she is no mere maiden to be possessed. Unexpectedly, he falls in love with her, finding in her quick mind and azure eyes the conqueror of his heart. But will his dark past scare her off? With a legendary ability to create lovers you’ll never forget, the author of Flowers from the Storm offers a lively historical romance.

The Medieval Hearts Series

The Medieval Hearts Series

Author: Laura Kinsale

Publisher: Open Road Media

Published: 2018-04-24

Total Pages: 2489

ISBN-13: 1504052986

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The complete medieval romance series by a New York Times–bestselling author who “creates magic” (Lisa Kleypas). In this pair of unforgettable romances set in fourteenth-century Europe, the New York Times–bestselling author and RITA Award winner once again proves “no one—repeat no one—writes historical romance better than Laura Kinsale” (Mary Jo Putney, New York Times–bestselling author). Special to these ebook editions, each novel is presented in two versions, the first re-creating Middle English dialogue with deep period detail, the second reworked by the author to be a tighter read, with more modern words for dialogue. Whichever you decide to read, you’ll come away agreeing with New York Times–bestselling author Julia Quinn: “Laura Kinsale’s work is unfailingly brilliant and beautiful.” For My Lady’s Heart: With Princess Melanthe di Monteverde widowed, a political marriage would tip the balance of power to any kingdom that possessed her. Determined to return to England alive and unwed, she hides behind a mask of witchery. Protecting her is Ruck d’Angleterre, a chivalrous knight who never wavers—and the only man Melanthe wishes could lift the veil of her disguise. He once desired her, but now his gaze reveals distrust. As they flee her enemies, Melanthe’s impossible love for the knight only grows . . . Shadowheart: As the last unmarried princess of Monteverde, Elayne is trapped when her hand is promised to the land’s ruler. But on the voyage to meet her betrothed, she is captured by a pirate, Allegreto Navona—and soon finds her captor impossible to resist. Trained as an assassin, Allegreto is the bastard son of an ambitious lord who raised him to murder for control of Monteverde. If Allegreto can make Elayne his wife, the country will be his. But she is no mere maiden to be possessed. As he finds himself falling in love with her, Elayne will prove his greatest challenge . . .


Book Synopsis The Medieval Hearts Series by : Laura Kinsale

Download or read book The Medieval Hearts Series written by Laura Kinsale and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2018-04-24 with total page 2489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The complete medieval romance series by a New York Times–bestselling author who “creates magic” (Lisa Kleypas). In this pair of unforgettable romances set in fourteenth-century Europe, the New York Times–bestselling author and RITA Award winner once again proves “no one—repeat no one—writes historical romance better than Laura Kinsale” (Mary Jo Putney, New York Times–bestselling author). Special to these ebook editions, each novel is presented in two versions, the first re-creating Middle English dialogue with deep period detail, the second reworked by the author to be a tighter read, with more modern words for dialogue. Whichever you decide to read, you’ll come away agreeing with New York Times–bestselling author Julia Quinn: “Laura Kinsale’s work is unfailingly brilliant and beautiful.” For My Lady’s Heart: With Princess Melanthe di Monteverde widowed, a political marriage would tip the balance of power to any kingdom that possessed her. Determined to return to England alive and unwed, she hides behind a mask of witchery. Protecting her is Ruck d’Angleterre, a chivalrous knight who never wavers—and the only man Melanthe wishes could lift the veil of her disguise. He once desired her, but now his gaze reveals distrust. As they flee her enemies, Melanthe’s impossible love for the knight only grows . . . Shadowheart: As the last unmarried princess of Monteverde, Elayne is trapped when her hand is promised to the land’s ruler. But on the voyage to meet her betrothed, she is captured by a pirate, Allegreto Navona—and soon finds her captor impossible to resist. Trained as an assassin, Allegreto is the bastard son of an ambitious lord who raised him to murder for control of Monteverde. If Allegreto can make Elayne his wife, the country will be his. But she is no mere maiden to be possessed. As he finds himself falling in love with her, Elayne will prove his greatest challenge . . .

Heart of Red, Blood of Blue

Heart of Red, Blood of Blue

Author: Rebecca Belliston

Publisher:

Published: 2018-12-07

Total Pages: 404

ISBN-13: 9780998377650

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Gisela of Steinland was born without color. Behind her back, servants whisper that she is a moon child, a child of the devil. Albino. But as a royal daughter of King Arnold the Red, Gisela is still good for two things: forging marriage alliances and birthing children-sons, of course. If only Gisela did not look like a ghost, her father could have married her off years ago. Instead, her first betrothal started a ten-year-war he is determined to win at all costs, even if he has to bring her out of hiding to do it. Bloodless Kristoff, the savage Krongon commander to the north, does not care what Gisela is, only that she is Steinland's heir. His last kill. With her spilled blood, he can end his revenge on the Reds once and for all. Desperate, Gisela's father is forced into an alliance with a king he despises, and Gisela finds herself betrothed once again, this time to an old brute. Unwilling to be the sacrificial lamb, she goes on the run, throwing herself into a fight for her life, a battle between three kingdoms, and the deep longing to be loved. Can the girl who started the war find a way to end it?


Book Synopsis Heart of Red, Blood of Blue by : Rebecca Belliston

Download or read book Heart of Red, Blood of Blue written by Rebecca Belliston and published by . This book was released on 2018-12-07 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gisela of Steinland was born without color. Behind her back, servants whisper that she is a moon child, a child of the devil. Albino. But as a royal daughter of King Arnold the Red, Gisela is still good for two things: forging marriage alliances and birthing children-sons, of course. If only Gisela did not look like a ghost, her father could have married her off years ago. Instead, her first betrothal started a ten-year-war he is determined to win at all costs, even if he has to bring her out of hiding to do it. Bloodless Kristoff, the savage Krongon commander to the north, does not care what Gisela is, only that she is Steinland's heir. His last kill. With her spilled blood, he can end his revenge on the Reds once and for all. Desperate, Gisela's father is forced into an alliance with a king he despises, and Gisela finds herself betrothed once again, this time to an old brute. Unwilling to be the sacrificial lamb, she goes on the run, throwing herself into a fight for her life, a battle between three kingdoms, and the deep longing to be loved. Can the girl who started the war find a way to end it?

Heart of Europe

Heart of Europe

Author: Peter H. Wilson

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2016-04-04

Total Pages: 1025

ISBN-13: 0674058097

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An Economist and Sunday Times Best Book of the Year “Deserves to be hailed as a magnum opus.” —Tom Holland, The Telegraph “Ambitious...seeks to rehabilitate the Holy Roman Empire’s reputation by re-examining its place within the larger sweep of European history...Succeeds splendidly in rescuing the empire from its critics.” —Wall Street Journal Massive, ancient, and powerful, the Holy Roman Empire formed the heart of Europe from its founding by Charlemagne to its destruction by Napoleon a millennium later. An engine for inventions and ideas, with no fixed capital and no common language or culture, it derived its legitimacy from the ideal of a unified Christian civilization—though this did not prevent emperors from clashing with the pope for supremacy. In this strikingly ambitious book, Peter H. Wilson explains how the Holy Roman Empire worked, why it was so important, and how it changed over the course of its existence. The result is a tour de force that raises countless questions about the nature of political and military power and the legacy of its offspring, from Nazi Germany to the European Union. “Engrossing...Wilson is to be congratulated on writing the only English-language work that deals with the empire from start to finish...A book that is relevant to our own times.” —Brendan Simms, The Times “The culmination of a lifetime of research and thought...an astonishing scholarly achievement.” —The Spectator “Remarkable...Wilson has set himself a staggering task, but it is one at which he succeeds heroically.” —Times Literary Supplement


Book Synopsis Heart of Europe by : Peter H. Wilson

Download or read book Heart of Europe written by Peter H. Wilson and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2016-04-04 with total page 1025 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Economist and Sunday Times Best Book of the Year “Deserves to be hailed as a magnum opus.” —Tom Holland, The Telegraph “Ambitious...seeks to rehabilitate the Holy Roman Empire’s reputation by re-examining its place within the larger sweep of European history...Succeeds splendidly in rescuing the empire from its critics.” —Wall Street Journal Massive, ancient, and powerful, the Holy Roman Empire formed the heart of Europe from its founding by Charlemagne to its destruction by Napoleon a millennium later. An engine for inventions and ideas, with no fixed capital and no common language or culture, it derived its legitimacy from the ideal of a unified Christian civilization—though this did not prevent emperors from clashing with the pope for supremacy. In this strikingly ambitious book, Peter H. Wilson explains how the Holy Roman Empire worked, why it was so important, and how it changed over the course of its existence. The result is a tour de force that raises countless questions about the nature of political and military power and the legacy of its offspring, from Nazi Germany to the European Union. “Engrossing...Wilson is to be congratulated on writing the only English-language work that deals with the empire from start to finish...A book that is relevant to our own times.” —Brendan Simms, The Times “The culmination of a lifetime of research and thought...an astonishing scholarly achievement.” —The Spectator “Remarkable...Wilson has set himself a staggering task, but it is one at which he succeeds heroically.” —Times Literary Supplement