Charlemagne was a warrior king, who preferred clothes made of animal skin to gowns of silk. But although he could not read or write, he encouraged scholarship on his lands and contact with other nations. On Christmas Day 800 A.D., he was crowned ruler of the greatest empire since Ancient Rome. Charlemagne lived in troubled times. Peoples were migrating across continents, rival warlords struggled for power, and Viking raiders terrorized the northern seas. Yet in many parts of the world, such as China and Muslim Middle East, this was an age of great achievements in learning and the arts. Using paintings, manuscripts, and pictures of contemporary objects, this book gives a fascinating account of the world from 700 to 900 A.D.
