ABSTRACT

This chapter will examine the case of the universal history of Ludvig Holberg, originally written for the students at the University of Copenhagen in (1733) and later published in numerous editions and European translations. It situated itself in a long tradition, which is partly that of Christian universal history and partly that of ars historica, or manuals on “how to read history.” This tradition reaches centuries back, and even included works that competed with Holberg’s in the market for student books. Holberg’s work blended with this tradition but also contributed to its development. As a landmark of historical knowledge in the educational system, it was translated, adapted and reworked throughout the eighteenth century. Textbooks for young readers did not represent cutting-edge historical research or philosophy, but presented the commonplaces and simple truths of historical knowledge, which, today, provide valuable insight into how Early Modern universal history was conceptualized: What did universality mean when it came to history?