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Apr 18, 2024 · Christina (born Dec. 8, 1626, Stockholm, Swed.—died April 19, 1689, Rome [Italy]) was the queen of Sweden (1644–54) who stunned all Europe by abdicating her throne. She subsequently attempted, without success, to gain the crowns of Naples and of Poland.
- Ruth Stephan
- Christina was the daughter and sole heir of Gustavus Adolphus and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. Her father, who reigned as the king of Sweden from...
- Christina became queen-elect of Sweden at age six upon the death of her father, King Gustavus Adolphus, in 1632. She was instructed in politics by...
- Lutheranism was Sweden’s official state religion, and Christina’s secret conversion to Roman Catholicism may be one of the reasons that she abdicat...
- One of the wittiest, most-learned women of her age, Christina is remembered for her lavish sponsorship of the arts and influence on European cultur...
- Early Life
- Queen
- Reigning
- Relationships
- Abdication
- Rome
- Failed Schemes
- Legacy
- Sources
Christina was born Dec. 18, 1626, to King Gustavus Adolphus Vasa of Sweden and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, now a state in Germany. She was her father's only surviving legitimate child, and thus his only heir. Her mother was a German princess, daughter of John Sigismund, elector of Brandenburg, and granddaughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Pruss...
When her father was killed in battlein 1632, the 6-year-old girl became Queen Christina. Her mother, who was described as being "hysterical" in her grief, was excluded from being part of the regency. Lord High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna ruled Sweden as regent until Queen Christina was of age. Oxenstierna had been an adviser to Christina's father a...
Even during the regency, Christina followed her own mind. Against Oxenstierna's advice, she initiated the end of the Thirty Years' War, culminating with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. She launched a "Court of Learning" by virtue of her patronage of art, theater, and music. Her efforts attracted French philosopher Rene Descartes, who came to Stock...
Queen Christina appointed her cousin Carl Gustav (Karl Charles Gustavus) as her successor. Some historians believe that she was romantically linked to him earlier, but they never married. Instead, her relationship with lady-in-waiting Countess Ebbe "Belle" Sparre launched rumors of lesbianism. Surviving letters from Christina to the countess are ea...
Difficulties with issues of taxation and governance and problematic relations with Poland plagued Christina's last years as queen, and in 1651 she first proposed that she abdicate. Her council convinced her to stay, but she had some sort of breakdown and spent much time confined to her rooms. She finally abdicated officially in 1654. Supposed reaso...
Christina, now calling herself Maria Christina Alexandra, left Sweden a few days after her official abdication, traveling disguised as a man. When her mother died in 1655, Christina was living in Brussels. She made her way to Rome, where she lived in a palazzo filled with art and books that became a lively center of culture as a salon. She had conv...
In 1656, Christina launched an attempt to become queen of Naples. A member of Christina's household, the marquis of Monaldesco, betrayed plans of Christina and the French to the Spanish viceroy of Naples. Christina retaliated by having Monaldesco executed in her presence. For this act, she was for some time marginalized in Roman society, though she...
Queen Christina's "abnormal" interest (for her era) in pursuits normally reserved for males, occasional dressing in male attire, and persistent stories about her relationships have led to disagreements among historians as to the nature of her sexuality. In 1965, her body was exhumed for testing to see if she had signs of hermaphroditism or intersex...
Buckley, Veronica."Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric." Harper Perennial, 2005.Mattern, Joanne. "Queen Christina of Sweden." Capstone Press, 2009.Landy, Marcia and Villarejo, Amy. "Queen Christina." British Film Institute,1995."Christina of Sweden."Sep 22, 2023 · Gustaf II Adolf was killed in battle before Christina reached six years old, and as his only surviving heir, the throne of Sweden fell to her. She was not of an age to rule alone, so the influential Lord High Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna and four other ministers ruled in her name until adulthood.
Mar 16, 2023 · Christina (also spelled Kristina), Queen of Sweden, made life-changing decisions that rocked the Europe of her time. War, peace, art, literature, philosophy, and political intrigue followed her every step as she navigated and rejected the etiquette of 17th-century Europe.
Pronunciation: VAH-sa. Born Kristina Augusta Wasa on December 8, 1626 (December 18, by the Gregorian calendar now in use), in Stockholm, Sweden; died in Rome on April 19, 1689 (Gregorian); daughter of Gustavus II Adolphus (1594–1632), king of Sweden (r. 1611–1632), and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg (1599–1655); never married; probably the ...
Mar 20, 2018 · Christina, Queen of Sweden was born on December 18, 1626, in Tre Kronor. She was the daughter of King Gustav II Adolf and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. Christina is known for abdicating her throne. She also attempted, without success, to gain the crowns of Naples and of Poland.
Christina of Sweden 1626–1689 Queen of Sweden. Crowned queen in 1644, Christina of Sweden was a patron* of the arts and a lifelong scholar. She became heir to the throne at the age of six after her father, King Gustavus Adolphus, died in battle.
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