 The history is composed of sixteen books and extends from the time of the founders of the Danish people, Dan I of Denmark and Angul into about the year 1187.The first four are concerned with the history of the Danes before Christ, the next four with the history after Christ, books 9–12 Christian Denmark and 13–16 promote Lund and the exploits early before and during Saxo's own lifetime.It is assumed that the last eight books were written first, as Saxo drew heavily on the work of Absalon (who died in 1201, before the work was completed) for evidence of the age of Saint Canute and Valdemar I.