The Royal Academy of Åbo (Turku) was the first university in Finland and the only Finnish university founded when the country was still a part of Sweden. It was founded by the fifteen-year-old Kristina in 1640 at the proposal of Count Per Brahe on the basis of the Åbo Cathedral School. It was the third university in the Swedish Empire after Uppsala University and the Academia Gustaviana, which is now the University of Tartu in Estonia. When Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917, Åbo Academy moved and became the University of Helsinki.
The regency council signed this charter in Kristina's name on March 26/April 5 (Old Style), 1640.
Sources:
A Finnish translation:
The English translation was made by my friend Henna from the above Finnish translation.
The letter (italics my own):
Wij CHRISTINA medh Gudz nåde Sweriges Göthes och Wendes vthkorade Drottningh och Arffurstinna, Storfurstinna till Finland, Hertiginna vthi Estland och Carelen, Fröken uthöffuer Ingermanneland. Göre witterligen, efter som vthj alle werldennes tijder derföre är hollet att Scholer och Academier ähre lijka som Seminaria och plantegårder, der vthur bokelige konster, goda seder och dygder draga dheres första vhrsprung och begynnelse till att rätteligen bliffua lärde och drefne, iämwäl vthur hwilke alle Regementer i werlden till dheres bättre widh macht hollande behöffue till styrckias och städfastas; Så haffue fördenskull i förra tijder icke allenest hedningarna till dhet högsta warit bekymbrade om sådana Scholer till stiffta och inrätta; Men och på andre orter där någon Gudz kunskap och kännedomb haffuer warit, altidh bliffuit hollet wedh dhetsamma; Enkannerligen sedan Christendomen begynte till lysa vthj werlden, hafwe åthskillige Christne Konungar och Regenter icke minder winlagdt sigh der om till dhet högsta, wärderandes och skattandes den institution op vptuchtelse, som vthj Scholerne först begynnes, sedan vthj Gymnasier och Academierne wijdare kommer till bruk och öfning, wara dhe säkreste fundament och medell, hwar igenom såsom härrörande där vthur godh politia och ordning, landh och folck i lekammeligh motto kunne bliffua förståndne och regerade, så och i alt annat dhet dhem till Gudz rätta kunskap, till ähra och dygd, och till ett Christeligit leffuerne tiäna kan, läras och vnderwijsas.
Att nu alle andre så fremmande som inrijkes Exempel förbijgå, är nogsampt synt och för ögonen, med hwadh synnerligh nijt, Kongeligh ijffuer och åhuga Hans Maij:tt wår Sahl. Käre Herfader, Konung Gustaff Adolph hin store, högstberömmeligh vthj åminnelse, haffuer ibland andre sine heroische loffwärdige acter och gärninger låtit sigh wara anlaget om Scholæ wäsendet här vthj Rijkedt i sitt rätta och ordentelige skick att bringa, till den ända förnyat och förbättradt Academien i Ubsala; sedan en ny Academia vthj Dorpt i Liffland, sampt åthskillige Gymnasia här vthj Rijkedt funderat och stifftadt, Men i synnerheet för den Finske Vngdomen i Åbo stadh låtit anordna, på dhet Scholæ wäsendet vthj Finland som deels war förfallet, deels monde stå på lutande fötter igen motte wara till ophielpa och sättia i dhet lagh som Gudz Försambling och dhet werldzlige Regementedz tienst skäligen fordrade, och elliest den provinciens nödtorfft icke minder der vthj war interesseradh.
Wi påminnandes oss hwadh i så motto aff Högstbe:te H. M:t berömmeligen är giordt och förordnat, haffue iämwäl tagit denne saken i nådigt betänckiande, och aff samma affection beweekte till frije bokelige konsters ytterligare cultur och öfning, så och wårt Storfurstendömme Finland till heder och prydnadt, nådigst gott funnet be:te Gymnasij wilckor att öka, förmehra och bättra, och i dess ställe vthj berörde wår Stadh Åbo en Academiam eller Universitet, vthj hwilkedt dhet allgemene Studium i alle oförbudne Faculteter, såsom den Heliga skrifft, lagh och rätt, läkare och andre frije boklige konster, skole må lärde och dreffne bliffua, welat nämbna och constituera, som wij här medh och i detta wårt öpne brefs krafft bemelte Academiam nämbne, constituere och förordne, och att man vthj den samma skall må promovera Doctores, Magistros, och Baccalaureos, effter som i andre wälbestälte Christelige Academier där medh i loffligit bruk är kommet.
Wij effterlåte och här medh nådigst samma wårt Universitet i Åbo, så wäl Professorer som Studenter, så lärare som åhörare, att niuta samma privilegier, frij- och rättigheter, som wår Academia i Ubsala ähr medh begåffuadh, och så wijda dhe till denne äre att tillämpa, effter som wij dhet alt framledes genom wårt special breff wele förklara.
Befalle fördenskull allom dem som oss medh hörsamheet och lydno äre förplichtade, aff alle andre respectivé wänligen och nådeligen begärandes, att dhe bemelte wårt Universitet i Åbo, såsom en werckstadh till dygder och frije bokelige konster, i alla motto wele wara bewågne, låta dhet wederfahras sin tilbörlige heder, respect och ähra, så och niuta och bruka dhe immuniteter och frijheter wij samme Universitet nu haffue giffuit eller och framledes giffuandes warde. Sådant wij igen emot hwar och en effter dess stånd och wärde, wele wette till ihugkomma och erkänna; Men dhe wåre göre och effterkomma der medh, hwadh wår nådige befalning är lijkmätigt. Till yttermehra wisso är detta medh wårt Secrets Vnderhängiande, och wåre sampt Sweriges Rijkes respectivé Förmyndares och Regerings Vnderskrifft bekräfftadt. Giffuit vthj Nyköping den Tiugusiette dagh vthj Martij Monadh, åhr effter Christi bördh, Ett Tusend, Sexhundrade på dhet Fyratijonde.
English translation from the Finnish translation (courtesy of Henna; with some corrections by me):
We CHRISTINA, by the grace of God, elected Queen and Hereditary Princess of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, Duchess of Estonia and Karelia, Lady of Ingria, Make it known, that since Schools and Academies have always been considered nursery gardens where literary skills, good manners and virtues are born and begin, and where they are correctly taught and practised, and since all the world's Governments must be strengthened and fortified so that they should stand more steadily; for this reason the pagans in ancient times did not consider the foundation of such Schools a great concern of theirs; but elsewhere, where there has been learning and knowledge of God has always been agreement (of their usefulness); especially after Christianity has begun to enlighten the world, many Christian Kings and Rulers likewise have most successfully seen to it, by greatly valuing this education and upbringing first begun in Schools and practised and cultivated later in Gymnasiums and Academies as the most certain foundation and means, as they create a good governance and order, the Land and the People are guided and governed as well as educated and familiarised with everything else that can help lead them to the knowledge and closeness of the True God, to honour and virtue as well as to Christian life.
Without naming other Examples, neither domestic nor foreign, it has been sufficiently observed and visible to everyone, the excellent diligence and royal enthusiasm and care by which His Majesty, Our Most Beloved late Father, King Gustaf Adolf the Great, praised in memory, among all his other heroic and praiseworthy deeds and actions has seen important to get the Educative system in this Realm to its correct and appropriate condition and therefore improved the Academy of Uppsala, then founded a new academy in Dorpat (Tartu) in Livonia as well as several Gymnasiums in this Realm, but especially for the Youth of Finland has set a Gymnasium in the city of Åbo (Turku), so that the partially decayed School system in Finland, would yet again be improved and returned to such condition that the benefit to of Our Lord’s Parish and that of the secular Government is one that can be required and met with reason, and which otherwise is of rather great importance.
We have, in remembrance of what Our Most Praised Father His Majesty has so excellently done and ordered regarding this matter, most graciously taken the matter into Our consideration, and seen fit, as We are moved by the same sentiment, to cultivate and practise the improvement of literary skills for the Honour and Embellishment of our Grand Duchy of Finland, to increase and improve the status of the aforementioned Gymnasium and in its place, in the mentioned city of Turku set and found an Academy or an University, where common Studies in all legitimate Faculties, such as the Holy Scripture, law, medicine and other literary skills are to be taught and practised.
Therefore, with this Our open letter We decree, found and set the aforementioned Academy and that Doctors, Magistrates and Bachelors are to receive their Promotion there, as is the way in other well-organised Christian Academies. Hereby We most graciously grant that as well the Professors as the Gymnasium Graduates, as well the teachers as the students, are to enjoy the same privileges, liberties and right that belong to Our Academy in Uppsala, in the extent that they are found fit, in the way We wish to declare in a separate letter.
We order all those who are so obliged, to show Us obedience, and ask all the rest most kindly and graciously that they should treat most benevolently Our University of Turku, as a cradle of virtue and free literary skills, and allow it to receive the respect, prestige and reputation that belongs to it, and to enjoy and use all the impunities and liberties which We have granted to this University or will so do in the future. It is Our Will that each and everyone, in accordance to their class and status, will remember and abide by this, as well as that our subjects do and obey that which is in accordance to Our will and order.
For the most certain certainty, this letter is verified and validated with Our seal and by Our signature and those of the Guardians and Government of the Kingdom of Sweden. In Nyköping, on the twenty-sixth day of March in the year 1640 after the birth of Christ.
Above: Kristina.
Above: The seal of the Royal Academy of Åbo.
Notes (July 6, 2023): I stupidly did not think to add the Finnish translation at the time I posted this in 2019, and I sadly cannot do it now, as the page has since been taken down after some changes to the source website. I cannot find the Finnish translation anywhere else, and the one I saved in my notes I left only partially in Finnish as I was attempting my own English translation. When asking Henna for her translation, I only sent her the link and did not transcribe the Finnish text myself for her to translate more directly. My deepest regrets and apologies to any Finnish history buffs and/or Kristina enthusiasts/afficionados out there! I have, however, given Finnish translations to some other relevant things having to do with Kristina (please see the "With Finnish translation" tag). Please note too that at some point in the future I might make my own Finnish translation for this too, to make up for not having gotten the already existing one in full before its deletion.
In addition, I might also try my hand at my own English and French translations, as usual (even though the character limits in tags means I might not be able to tag everything into the proper categories), and then translate my own English into Finnish that way, as my comprehension of Early Modern Swedish has greatly improved from where it was four years ago, enough to make an English translation from it and continue from there. Kiitos!/Tack!/Thank you!
