Page:History of the Literature of the Scandinavian North.djvu/118

100 Still, even when Latin language and culture flourished most luxuriantly, there was fortunately not an entire lack of historical taste in Denmark. Several Danish kings of the middle age took the deepest interest in the history of their country, and were themselves well versed in it. Thus Svend Estridson, for instance, was able to contribute to Adam of Bremen many of the facts incorporated by the latter in his chronicle of the Bremen bishopric concerning Danish affairs, which had happened before his time, and King Valdemar I also studied the past and its monuments with the deepest interest. But the chief credit for diffusing a taste for national history and for securing to it at least some exquisite fruit belongs to Archbishop (1128-1201), the great servant of that great king. This man, equally eminent as a prelate and as a warrior, made his powerful influence felt in the establishment and propagation of foreign science in Denmark, but he was none the less impressed with the necessity of preserving the ancient monuments. Thus at his orders the monks in Sorö compiled annals of the most remarkable events in Denmark. This chronicle writing, which also was enjoined on other convents, was however chiefly limited to dry annals, a few biographies, stories of convents, etc., but matters of historical value they did not furnish. We are also indebted to Absalon's zealous efforts for the two most important works that were produced in Denmark in the middle age, namely the chronicles of Svend Aageson and of Saxo, the latter of which is a work of the highest value, and would be an ornament to the literature of any country. Both of these men wrote at the direct request of Absalon.

belonged to one of the richest and noblest families descended from Palnatoke. Archbishop Eskild in Lund (1137-1178) was his father's brother. But little is known concerning him, beyond the fact that he was a clergyman, and probably a "canonicus" in Lund. His book, ," is the first attempt at a connected presentation of the history of Denmark, and em-