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Christina (Swedish: Kristina; 18 December [O.S. 8 December] 1626 – 19 April 1689) was a member of the House of Vasa, and the Queen of Sweden in her own right from 1632 until her abdication in 1654. [a] She succeeded her father Gustavus Adolphus upon his death at the Battle of Lützen in 1632, but began ruling the Swedish Empire when she ...
Apr 3, 2024 · Christina (born Dec. 8, 1626, Stockholm, Swed.—died April 19, 1689, Rome [Italy]) 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. One of the wittiest and most learned women of her age, Christina is best remembered for her ...
- Ruth Stephan
- What were Queen Christina’s parents’ names?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...
- How did Christina come to power?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...
- What was Christina’s religion?Lutheranism was Sweden’s official state religion, and Christina’s secret conversion to Roman Catholicism may be one of the reasons that she abdicat...
- Why is Christina significant?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."Christina (December 8 [1] 1626 – April 19, 1689), later known as Maria Christina Alexandra and sometimes Countess Dohna, was Queen regnant of Sweden from 1632 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden [2] and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. As the heiress presumptive, at the age of six, she ...
Mar 16, 2023 · Queen, Arts Patron, & Political Conniver. A controversial figure in her time who rejected norms and etiquette, Christina, Queen of Sweden, had a fascinating life full of political twists and turns. In an essay written in 1976, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich wrote, “well-behaved women seldom make history.”.
—Queen Christina of Sweden During Christina's minority, the work of ruling the country was handled by a High Council of nobles headed by Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. Dedicated to preserving the old king's dynasty, Oxenstierna was a superb diplomat who "knew the strengths and weaknesses of every European state."
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Christina, Swedish Kristina, (born Dec. 8, 1626, Stockholm, Swed.—died April 19, 1689, Rome), Queen of Sweden (1644–54). The successor to her father, Gustav II Adolf, she was a prime mover in concluding the Peace of Westphalia and ending the Thirty Years’ War. After 10 years of rule, she stunned Europe by abdicating the throne, claiming ...
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