ABSTRACT
Frontispiece from Ludvig Holberg's literary debut, introduction to the History of the Most Prominent European States. Even if the sheer volume of Holberg's historical authorship precludes detailed treatment of every work, a short presentation of his oeuvre is useful. The first and largest group consists of general histories that present well known material for the benefit of the growing Danish reading public. The second group is made up of national history and consists of his Description of Denmark and Norway, which includes a substantial chapter on the history of the Danish kings. According to Holberg himself, the History of Denmark had been a great success and met with universal approval of his choice of style as well as of contents, the only critic being disqualified by being both a publisher and a Swede. The grand narrative is the emergence of the modern dynastic and absolutist state of which the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway are a prime example.
