Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8) The Seventh Boke of the Historie of England

"Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (7 of 8)" by Raphael Holinshed is a historical account written in the late 16th century. The work covers the tumultuous period of English history, focusing on the events surrounding the reign of King Egelred and the ongoing struggles against the Danish invasions. It delves into themes of governance, treachery, and the interplay between various factions within the realm, providing a detailed narrative of the challenges faced by England during this era. The opening of the text introduces King Egelred, who ascends the throne amidst a backdrop of conflict and decline, worsened by the invasions of the Danes. It discusses the failures of Egelred's governance, characterized by idleness and mismanagement, alongside Archbishop Dunstan's prophetic warnings about the king's reign. The narrative highlights the descent into chaos as the Danish incursions continue unabated, leading to significant losses for the English nobles and a general state of despair among the populace. Throughout this opening portion, Holinshed sets the stage for a profoundly troubled epoch in English history, marked by betrayal, foreign invasions, and internal strife. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Raphael Holinshed was an English chronicler, who was most famous for his work on The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande, commonly known as Holinshed's Chronicles. It was the "first complete printed history of England composed as a continuous narrative". The Holinshed Chronicles was a major influence on many Renaissance writers, such as Shakespeare, Spenser, Daniel and Marlowe.