What do you think?
Rate this book
The Danish History, Books I-IX: Legends and Chronicles of Ancient Denmark
The Danish History, Books I-IX by Grammaticus Saxo : A significant historical text that chronicles the early history of Denmark and its legendary figures. Composed by the renowned Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus in the 12th century, this comprehensive work covers nine books filled with myths, legends, heroic tales, and accounts of historical events. It provides valuable insights into the cultural, political, and social landscape of medieval Denmark, shaping the understanding of Danish history and mythology for generations to come. Key Aspects of the Book "The Danish History, Books I-IX":
Medieval Danish The book offers a detailed account of Denmark's early history, providing a window into the political structures, cultural practices, and societal dynamics of the time.
Mythology and Saxo Grammaticus weaves together myths, legends, and heroic tales, showcasing the rich tapestry of Danish folklore and its influence on the collective consciousness of the nation.
Historical "The Danish History" holds immense historical value as a primary source for studying the early medieval period, contributing to our understanding of Scandinavian history and mythology. Grammaticus Saxo was a Danish historian and writer who lived in the 12th century. Not much is known about his personal life, but his significant contribution to Danish historiography lies in his work "The Danish History." This ambitious and extensive work aimed to preserve the historical and mythological heritage of Denmark, offering valuable insights into the early medieval period of Danish history. Saxo's meticulous research and storytelling skills made him a foundational figure in Danish literature and historical studies.
Medieval Danish The book offers a detailed account of Denmark's early history, providing a window into the political structures, cultural practices, and societal dynamics of the time.
Mythology and Saxo Grammaticus weaves together myths, legends, and heroic tales, showcasing the rich tapestry of Danish folklore and its influence on the collective consciousness of the nation.
Historical "The Danish History" holds immense historical value as a primary source for studying the early medieval period, contributing to our understanding of Scandinavian history and mythology. Grammaticus Saxo was a Danish historian and writer who lived in the 12th century. Not much is known about his personal life, but his significant contribution to Danish historiography lies in his work "The Danish History." This ambitious and extensive work aimed to preserve the historical and mythological heritage of Denmark, offering valuable insights into the early medieval period of Danish history. Saxo's meticulous research and storytelling skills made him a foundational figure in Danish literature and historical studies.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 22, 2017
90 people are currently reading
220 people want to read
About the author
Saxo Grammaticus
115 books32 followersborn perhaps 1150
died perhaps 1220
Gesta Danorum , a chronicle of legendary and historical Danish kings, of Saxo Grammaticus contains the story of Hamlet. See Hamlet .
Saxo Grammaticus served as secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, archbishop of Lund and foremost advisor to Valdemar I, or so people also know or think. He authored the first full book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxo_Gr...
died perhaps 1220
Gesta Danorum , a chronicle of legendary and historical Danish kings, of Saxo Grammaticus contains the story of Hamlet. See Hamlet .
Saxo Grammaticus served as secular clerk or secretary to Absalon, archbishop of Lund and foremost advisor to Valdemar I, or so people also know or think. He authored the first full book.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxo_Gr...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 1, 2016
Not the easiest read, and some chapters/books were easier to follow than others. Chapter/Book 2 consisted of the story of a prince who attempted to avenge the killing of his father by his uncle, which Shakespeare took some significant elements from and turned into Hamlet. Chapter/Book 9 was about Ragnar Lodbrok and his sons which is always fun to read about. There was a lot of singing, drinking, killing. . . goodtimes. I might wait a while before rereading it, but I'm definitely glad that I did.
May 17, 2018
Ég las sumsé Gutenberg útgáfuna.
Það að lesa Saxo vekur hjá manni virðingu fyrir stíl íslensku fornritanna. Saxo er almennt frekar stirður og langdreginn þó ég viti auðvitað ekki hvort það sé þýðandinn sem ber ábyrgð á því eða Saxo sjálfur.
Það er annars skemmtilega kaldhæðnislegt að sá hluti bókarinnar sem átti að vera til dýrðar velgjörðarmönnum Saxo fylgi ekki einu sinni með. Síðan er gaman þegar Íslendingar taka þátt í stríðum sem eiga að hafa átt sér stað löngu áður en Ísland byggðist.
Sögurnar af Starkaði eru líklega hápunktur bókarinnar.
Það að lesa Saxo vekur hjá manni virðingu fyrir stíl íslensku fornritanna. Saxo er almennt frekar stirður og langdreginn þó ég viti auðvitað ekki hvort það sé þýðandinn sem ber ábyrgð á því eða Saxo sjálfur.
Það er annars skemmtilega kaldhæðnislegt að sá hluti bókarinnar sem átti að vera til dýrðar velgjörðarmönnum Saxo fylgi ekki einu sinni með. Síðan er gaman þegar Íslendingar taka þátt í stríðum sem eiga að hafa átt sér stað löngu áður en Ísland byggðist.
Sögurnar af Starkaði eru líklega hápunktur bókarinnar.
July 13, 2025
Got to say, I had a tough time reading this one. Felt like the King James but vikings. He seems to switch subjects (people) without saying anything and you go on reading about someone else. Maybe it's just me. Anyway it was interesting if not what I was expecting.Just a difficult read
January 6, 2016
Che faticaccia leggere la storia cronologica di un popolo priva di un qualsiasi riferimento se non vago a eventi o date che permettano di contestualizzare correttamente gli eventi stessi! Ma il fascino delle gesta di questi uomini grezzoni è tanto.
Interessante il libro dedicato ad Amleth, futuro Hamlet di più grande fama, che praticamente è una versione in prosa della tragedia shakespeariana. Interessante anche notare come si pone un autore cristianizzato come Saxo rispetto al passato pagano della propria nazione (hint: si pone malissimo).
Interessante il libro dedicato ad Amleth, futuro Hamlet di più grande fama, che praticamente è una versione in prosa della tragedia shakespeariana. Interessante anche notare come si pone un autore cristianizzato come Saxo rispetto al passato pagano della propria nazione (hint: si pone malissimo).
October 14, 2020
A little difficult to read, and obviously the mix of myth, legend and fact doesn't provide conclusive evidence for some of the presented material, but it did provide a good read of how life was during the Viking Age and opened the door to more investigation and inquiry on my part. For that, it's worth the read.
May 20, 2018
Instrumental source in understanding Scandinavia in the medieval period
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews