This is a solid analysis of an intriguing episode in Late Carolingian history that not only examines the juridical aspects of the case but also pays much attention to realpolitik. In Heidecker's lucid treatment, the ninth-century scandal becomes a fascinating study of family dynamics, changing mental attitudes, and Carolingian reform. Most of all, Heidecker exposes the tensions between crown and ... Read morenobility, Church and state, when it came to royal marriage. The crisis caused by Lothar's divorce prompted a major attempt by the Church to impose its rules on marriage at the expense of Germanic and aristocratic concepts of family alliances, in itself a major development in European notions of monogamous marriage. -Walter Simons, Dartmouth College Heidecker provides an accessible, lucid, and well-researched account of this notorious affair . . . . Now that Heidecker's valuable contribution to the history of politics, marriage, and law in the Carolingian world is available in English, it should gain the wider audience it deserves. The inclusion of some relatively long source selections, with original Latin passages in footnotes, makes the book ideal for graduate seminars. The book's genealogical charts are indispensible for understanding the text, especially for anyone not well versed in this period of Carolingian history. -Valerie L. Garver, Early Medieval Europe (Vol. 19, No. 3, 2011) Heidecker argues that Lothar's divorce action was a critical episode in the development of the medieval matrimonial doctrines that defined marriage as monogamous and indissoluble, His judgment is borne out by the dozen or so reference to the case in the Decretum Gratiani. . . . His narrative flows smoothly and his analysis of the whole affair is cogent. Heidecker's work represents a welcome and important contribution to the history of medieval marriage doctrine, as well as to the history of the later Carolingian monarchy. -James A. Brundage, Journal of Ecclesiastical History, January 2011 Show Less