The Lay of Havelok the Dane

The Lay of Havelok the Dane, Middle English metrical romance of some 3,000 lines, written c. 1300. Of the literature produced after the Norman Conquest, it offers the first view of ordinary life. Composed in a Lincolnshire dialect and containing many local traditions, it tells the story of the English princess Goldeboru and the orphaned Danish prince Havelok, who defeats a usurper to become king of Denmark and part of England.

This article was most recently revised and updated by J.E. Luebering.

Citation Information

Article Title: The Lay of Havelok the Dane

Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published: 19 February 2018

URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Lay-of-Havelok-the-Dane

Access Date: February 22, 2025