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A review by michael5000
Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire by Peter H. Wilson
4.0
The Holy Roman Empire is a fairly ghostly figure in the working-Joe's understanding of Western Civ, since it doesn't seem quite "like" any other entity on the historical stage, and because it -- well, try this: When and how did the Holy Roman Empire come to an end? Do you know? I sure didn't.
So, what we have here is a good-as-comprehensive analytic history of the HRE, weighing in at about one page per year of the Empire's existence. Don't expect each year to get its own page, of course, because as most reviews on GR point out this is not a chronicle. Many reviewers seem kind of offended that it isn't a chronological treatment, but I have to say going year by year through this material seems like it would be absolutely stultifying, whereas Wilson always has something interesting to say in his thematic approach.
Key Ideas, which Wilson tends to hammer on a bit because he's trying to correct some 19th and 20th century misconceptions of the HRE, include:
--> IT ISN'T JUST A DISORGANIZED VERSION OF GERMANY ALREADY
--> JUST BECAUSE IT WAS STRUCTURALLY WEIRD DOESN'T MAKE IT BAD
--> DON'T DISMISS IT AS A FAILURE! ~YOU~ TRY LASTING A THOUSAND YEARS!
You certainly come out of Heart of Europe reminded that the modern nation-state isn't the only, or necessarily a great, way to organize things. Plus you get exposed to some other unexpected ideas along the way. One standout is that the trend towards violent physical punishment in the late middle ages was thought of as a reform movement, the logic being that a fine hurts a peasant much worse than a lord, but public torture or execution is equally unpleasant for rich and poor alike. Ouch!
The audiobook version is read with terrific energy and enthusiasm, which is a big help with a historical treatment of this length and sophistication.
So, what we have here is a good-as-comprehensive analytic history of the HRE, weighing in at about one page per year of the Empire's existence. Don't expect each year to get its own page, of course, because as most reviews on GR point out this is not a chronicle. Many reviewers seem kind of offended that it isn't a chronological treatment, but I have to say going year by year through this material seems like it would be absolutely stultifying, whereas Wilson always has something interesting to say in his thematic approach.
Key Ideas, which Wilson tends to hammer on a bit because he's trying to correct some 19th and 20th century misconceptions of the HRE, include:
--> IT ISN'T JUST A DISORGANIZED VERSION OF GERMANY ALREADY
--> JUST BECAUSE IT WAS STRUCTURALLY WEIRD DOESN'T MAKE IT BAD
--> DON'T DISMISS IT AS A FAILURE! ~YOU~ TRY LASTING A THOUSAND YEARS!
You certainly come out of Heart of Europe reminded that the modern nation-state isn't the only, or necessarily a great, way to organize things. Plus you get exposed to some other unexpected ideas along the way. One standout is that the trend towards violent physical punishment in the late middle ages was thought of as a reform movement, the logic being that a fine hurts a peasant much worse than a lord, but public torture or execution is equally unpleasant for rich and poor alike. Ouch!
The audiobook version is read with terrific energy and enthusiasm, which is a big help with a historical treatment of this length and sophistication.