A near-contemporary cleric presents a life of an English king, tracing lineage, upbringing, a pilgrimage to Rome, encounters with invading forces, and the ebb and flow of military and political fortunes. The account records efforts at legal and ecclesiastical reform, the promotion of learning and translation work, and administrative initiatives, while offering moral and character assessment. The narrative blends material drawn from annals with original, often ornate Latin commentary, mixing documentary detail and occasional rhetorical or legendary embellishment within a broadly laudatory portrait.