(cid:2) EMPEROR OF THE WORLD EMPEROR OF n THE WORLD CHARLEMAGNE AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF IMPERIAL AUTHORITY, 800–1229 Anne A. Latowsky CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS Ithaca and London Copyright © 2013 by Cornell University All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published 2013 by Cornell University Press Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Latowsky, Anne Austin. Emperor of the world : Charlemagne and the construction of imperial authority, 800–1229 / Anne A. Latowsky. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8014-5148-5 (cloth : alk. paper) 1. Charlemagne, Emperor, 742–814—Legends— History and criticism. 2. Charlemagne, Emperor, 742– 814—Influence. 3. Holy Roman Empire—Kings and rulers. 4. Literature, Medieval—History and criticism. 5. Authority in literature. 6. East and West in literature. 7. East and West—History—To 1500. I. Title. PN687.C5L38 2013 809'.93351—dc23 2012025569 Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further information, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu. Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For David, Julia, and Jonathan (cid:2) Contents Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations xi Introduction 1 1. Carolingian Origins 19 2. Relics from the East 59 3. Benzo of Alba’s Parallel Signs 99 4. In Praise of Frederick Barbarossa 139 5. The Emperor’s Charlemagne 183 6. “Charlemagne and the East” in France 215 Epilogue: The Remains of Charlemagne 251 Bibliography 259 Index 281 (cid:2) Acknowledgments Three days before I sent the first full manu- script of this book to Cornell University Press for consideration in May 2011, I learned that my mentor and friend, Eugene Vance, had died in a solo plane crash. I had been waiting to tell him that I had finally completed the book, but never got the chance. Gene was a passionate reader of the medieval world, and it is my hope that this book will in some way bear witness to his legacy as a teacher. During my years in graduate school, he always allotted me the freedom to plot my own course, happily tolerating the time I spent in the classics department, and, even more so, the time I spent in the history department with Robert Stacey, who taught me to be a medieval historian. My aim in this book has been to navigate the often murky waters between literature and history, and I look back with gratitude to those who prepared me for that endeavor. At the University of South Florida, my colleagues have patiently given me the time and space I have needed to write this book. I am particularly grateful to Christine Probes for her generosity and friendship over the years. Among the historians who have welcomed me into their fold, I wish to acknowledge Matthew Gabriele, Jace Stuckey, Eric Goldberg, Paul Dutton, David Ganz, Patrick Geary, Paul Hyams, Jinty Nelson, and Damien Kempf, who has been kind enough to share work in progress. I especially want to thank Valerie Garver, who has been a great help in the publication process, and Tom Noble for his support over the past five years. This book would not have been possible without the support of a National Endowment for the Humanities Faculty Research fellowship in 2009–10, which allowed me a year to regroup and write what turned out to be a differ- ent book than the one I had intended. I wish to thank the Humanities Insti- tute of the University of South Florida for an important summer of funding for research in 2008. The Department of World Languages at USF has also contributed generously to the publication of this book. The University of Wisconsin Libraries at Madison have provided me with a summer home on several occasions. Without their generous policies for temporary patrons, my ix