Conrad II

Conrad II 990-1039: Emperor of Three Kingdoms by Herwig Wolfram, translated by Denise Kaiser, 475 pages

Conrad II was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in Rome in 1027.  At that point, he was already the ruler of the Frankish kingdoms of Germany and Italy - in 1033, he became King of Burgundy as well.  Upon his death in 1039, he passed the imperial title on to his son, Henry III, thus inaugurating the Salian dynasty.

Disappointingly for Conrad II, its subject was not a terribly interesting monarch.  He was neither a great conqueror nor a great saint.  Although he was not the direct heir of his predecessor as emperor, there were no major rivals competing for the title.  Changes were afoot during his reign - a shift towards a transpersonal monarchy, the beginnings of monastic reform - but nothing abrupt.  There is little excitement in this book.  Where Wolfram shines is the picture he gives of the reign of Conrad as an era rather than as a narrative.  I particularly appreciated the chapters on the imperial regalia and Conrad's ecclesiastical policies.

This is a rather scholarly (as opposed to popular) biography, and as such, it is a success.  Those with a scholarly interest in Conrad will find it a terrific source.  Those looking for information on life in the Holy Roman Empire in the 11th century will be greatly edified.  Those looking for a enjoyable read will not be entertained.