The Days of His Grace

The Days of His Grace

First US edition
Author	Eyvind Johnson
Original title	Hans nådes tid
Translator	Elspeth Harley Schubert
Language	Swedish
Set in	Italy
Published	1960
Publisher	Vanguard Press (US)
Publication place	Sweden
Published in English	1968
Awards	Nordic Council's Literature Prize of 1962

The Days of His Grace (Swedish: Hans nådes tid) is a 1960 novel by Swedish writer Eyvind Johnson. Set mostly in northern Italy, close to Aquileia, it tells the story of the fate of a Langobard family as their homeland falls under the domination of Charlemagne. The major theme running through the book is the way the actions of the various characters are influenced by love, but also the difficulty of adapting to the arbitrary and overbearing power of absolute monarchy. The novel, translated into English by Elspeth Harley Schubert and published in 1968, is based somewhat on Charlemagne conquering northern Italy in 775. In its introductory remarks, Johnson acknowledges the historical plot, and his altering some dates. The central story follows the Lupigis family and the difficult fates they suffer following a rebellion against Emperor Charlemagne.

The novel received the Nordic Council Literature Prize.^[1] The Swedish National Encyclopedia states that it was presumably of decisive importance for the Swedish Academy's decision to award Johnson the Nobel Prize for Literature.^[2]