Meursius, Johannes (en Latin, Ioannis) Historica Danica pariter, & Belgica; uno tomo comprehensa ... Amsterdam 1638 Willem & Johan Blaeu. Beautiful edition and condition. Folio. Overlapping vellum over boards, flat spine with small defect at front joint, manuscript title on spine (last letters missing), ties preserved, blue edges. Binding tight and secure. Text beautifully printed in two columns on well-preserved paper, little spotting, a few stains. Two marginal damp stains. Small ex library stamp, difficult to decipher. Well engraved portrait of Meursius.. Good copy. Extremely rare on the market. This work may i.a. be found at the BnF, the Kgl. Bibliotek (Copenhague), the Cambridge University Library and at that of Queen’s College. The author, Ioannis Meursius or Johannes Van Meurs in Dutch, (Loosduinen 1579-Sorø 1639), was a well-known scholar and historian. His comprehensive history of Denmark from the first Danish kings until Christian IV was and is a precious source of information. Meurtius/Meurs relied on ancient manuscripts that covered the reigns of the earliest kings and pre-Danish monarchs including some that are often considered legends. Other notable kings and events include those of Valdemar the Great, Cnut the Great and his invasion of England, Valdemar II the Victorious, and many others. It was written at the request of Christian IV who appointed him as his historiographer and professor at the prestigious school at Sorø where he died in 1639. The last two works contained in this volume concern the history of the Netherlands in the 16th century, including the history of the revolt led by Guillaume d’Orange and the history of the Duke d’Alba who tried to repress the revolt. The latter work was much criticized by his compatriots and he later wrote a modified version present here. These conflicts encouraged him to accept the offer of the Danish king to move to Denmark in 1625. According to some sources (e.g. Grand dictionnaire Larousse Universel, 1880) , »... he wrote “…des ouvrages d’histoire d’une rare impartialité… »). Others are more critical, in particular regarding his history of the Duke d’Alba (cf. de Feller). This volume contains, with separate title page and pagination, five works: Historiæ Danicæ, sive De regibus Daniæ, qui familiam Oldenburgicam præcessere, eorumque rebus gestis, à Dano ad Canutum VI, in quo desinit Saxo, libri quinque priores. - 118 pp. -- Historiæ Danicæ continuatio : sive De regibus Daniæ, qui familiam Oldenburgicam præcesserunt, & eorum rebus gestis, à Canuto VI, in quo Saxo desinit, usque ad Christianum I, libri quinque posteriores. - 133 pp. -- Historiæ Danicæ libri III : in quibus res commemorantur gestæ à Christiano I; ac Ioanne, ejus filio: & nepote, Christiano II. - 87 pp. -- Gulielmus Auriacus, sive De rebus toto Belgio tam ab eo, quam ejus tempore, gestis; ad excessum Ludovici Requesensii. Pars primam : tributa in libros decem. - 150, [2] pp. -- Ferdinandus Albanus, sive De rebus eius in Belgio per sexennium gestis, libri IV : in quibus belli Belgici principium : additur De induciis, liber singularis, in quo ejusdem belli finis. – 110 pp (erroneously numbered 112). Additional information and photos upon request.