Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 1, page 41, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751; original at the National Library of the Netherlands (Koninklijke Bibliotheek)
Drotning Christinas Arbeten och Märkwärdigheter, volume 1, page 102, translated by Carl Christoffer Gjörwell, 1760
Christina, Königinn von Schweden, und ihr Hof, volume 1, page 47, by Wilhelm Heinrich Grauert, 1837
Vi Christina med Guds nåde, page 42, by Py Sörman, 1942
Queen Christina, page 53, by Georgina Masson, 1968 (1974 edition)
The letter:
ILlustrissime Princeps, Affinis Charissime. Ex literis Vestris Dilect: Vestram salvam & incolumem esse mihi volupe fuit cognoscere. Ego cum meis per Dei gratiam recte valemus. Deus Vos in posterum quoque ab omni malo et incommodo clementer conservare dignetur. Adventum Dilect: Vestræ & Mater & Ego avide expectamus. Quod si autem serius expectatione nostra Dilectio Vestra accesserit, non voluntati sed occupationibus Dilect: Vestræ adscribendum esse libenter agnoscimus. Judicium meum super reditum filii, Consanguinei mei charissimi, ex literis Præceptoris licet cognoscere. Reliqua autem quæ ad res vestras privatas spectent, ad mutuum nostrum colloquium differri posse censeo. Interea Dilect: Vestram divinæ protectioni commendo. Raptim in Vlfsund d. 28. Junii A. 1639.
Dilectioni Vestræ
Addictissima
Christina R. S.
Jam jam venit Magistra aulæ Domina Beata Oxenstierna & Ejus filia. Quò plures, eò peius.
With modernised spelling:
Illustrissime Princeps,
Affinis carissime,
Ex litteris Vestris Dilectionem Vestram salvam et incolumem esse mihi volupe fuit cognoscere. Ego cum meis, per Dei gratiam, recte valemus. Deus vos in posterum quoque ab omni malo et incommodo clementer conservare dignetur!
Adventum Dilectionis Vestræ et mater et ego avide expectamus. Quod si autem serius expectatione nostra Dilectio Vestra accesserit, non voluntati sed occupationibus Dilectionis Vestræ adscribendum esse libenter agnoscimus.
Judicium meum super reditum filii, consanguinei mei carissimi, ex litteris præceptoris licet cognoscere. Reliqua autem quæ ad res vestras privatas spectent, ad mutuum nostrum colloquium differri posse censeo. Interea Dilectionem Vestram divinæ protectioni commendo. Raptim in Ulvsund, die 28 junii anno 1639.
Dilectioni Vestræ
addictissima
Christina, R. S.
Jamjam venit magistra aulæ domina Beata Oxenstierna et ejus filia. Quo plures, eo pejus.
French translation (by Arckenholtz):
Illustrissime Prince, mon très-cher Cousin. J'ai été charmée d'apprendre, par votre lettre, que Votre Dilection est en fort bonne santé. Pour ce qui est de moi & des miens, nous nous portons fort bien. Dieu veuille vous préserver aussi à l'avenir de tout mal & de tout facheux accident! Nous attendons ma Mère & moi avec empressement l'arrivée de Votre Dilection; mais si vous arrivez plus tard que nous ne vous attendons, nous voulons bien attribuer ce retardement plûtôt à vos occupations qu'à votre manque de volonté. Vous avez appris, par la lettre de mon Précepteur, le jugement que j'ai fait du retour de votre fils, mon très-cher Cousin; Mais pour ce qui concerne vos affaires privées, je pense qu'elles peuvent être différées, jusqu'à ce que nous pussions nous en entretenir de bouche. En attendant je recommande à la protection Divine Votre Dilection, à la hâte à Vlfsund.
de Votre Dilection
La très-dévouée
CHRISTINE Reine de Suède.
La grande Maitresse de la Cour, Madame Beate Oxenstierna & sa fille arrivent dans le moment: plus il en vient, tant pis c'est.
Swedish translation (by Gjörwell):
Durchlauchtigste Förste, Kärälskelige Frände.
Utaf Eders Kärlighets bref har jag med nöje förnummit Eder goda wälmåga. Jag mår tillika med de mina, Gudi lof, rätt wäl; och önskar, at den Aldrahögste likaledes täckes nådeligen bewara Eder ifrån alt ont och all olägenhet. Både min Moder och jag wänta med längtan på Eders Kärlighets hitkomst. Sker denna senare, än wi önska, äro wi dock försäkrade, at det kommer af Eders Kärlighets många gjöromål och ej af brist på god wilja. Utaf min Lärmästares bref kan min mening inhämtas angående Eders Sons, min kärälskeliga Syßlings, återkomst. Hwad eljest angår Ed. Kärlighets öfriga och enskylta angelägenheter, tycker jag, at dermed kan upskjutas, tils wi munteligen få råkas; Emedlertid befaller jag Eders Kärlighet i Guds beskydd, och är
Eders Kärlighets
tilgifnaste
CHRISTINA. R. S.
Ulfsunda, d. 28 Jun. 1639.
P. S. Nu på stunden kommer Öfwer-Hofmästarinnan Fru Beata Oxenstierna med sin doter. Ju flera de äro, desto wärre blir det.
Modern Swedish translation (my own):
Durchlauchtigaste Prins, min käre kusin,
Det glädde mig att lära av Ert brev att Ers Kärlighet är vid mycket god hälsa. När det gäller mig och min mor mår vi mycket bra. Må Gud också skydda Er i framtiden mot allt ont och all olycka! Min mor och jag väntar ivrigt på Ers Kärlighets ankomst; men om Ni anländer senare än vi förväntar oss, vill vi hellre tillskriva Er fördröjning Er upptagenhet än till Er brist på vilja. Ni har lärt från min preceptors brev den bedömning jag gjorde om att Er sons, min käre kusins, återvände; men när det gäller Era privata saker tror jag att de kan skjutas upp tills vi kan tala om dem muntligen. Under tiden befaller jag Ers Kärlighet till gudomligt skydd, hastigt från Ulvsunda den 28 juni 1639.Ers Kärlighets
mycket hängiven
Kristina, Sveriges Drottning.
Överhovmästarinnan fru Beata Oxenstierna och hennes dotter anländer just nu. Ju fler av dem som kommer, desto värre.
English translation (my own, from Arckenholtz's French translation):
Most Illustrious Prince, my dear Cousin,
I was delighted to learn from your letter that Your Lovingness is in very good health. As for me and my mother, we are doing very well. May God also protect you in the future from all evil and all misfortune! My mother and I eagerly await Your Lovingness's arrival; but if you arrive later than we expect, we would rather attribute this delay to your occupations than to your lack of will. You have learned from my tutor's letter the judgment I made of the return of your son, my dear cousin; but as far as your private matters are concerned, I think they can be deferred until we can talk about them by mouth. In the meantime I commend Your Lovingness to divine protection, in a hurry from Ulvsunda on June 28, 1639.Your Lovingness's
very devoted
Kristina, Queen of Sweden.
The Grand Mistress of the Court, Lady Beata Oxenstierna and her daughter are arriving in the moment. The more of them that come, the worse it is.
French translation (my own):
Illustrissime Prince,
Très cher Oncle,
Sa lettre m'a fait le plaisir d'apprendre que Votre Dilection est saine et sauve. Moi et mes proches, par la grâce de Dieu, nous portons bien. Que Dieu daigne vous préserver clémentement de tout mal et de toute indisposition, maintenant et à l'avenir!
Ma mère et moi attendons avec impatience l'arrivée de Votre Dilection. Mais si Votre Dilection arrive plus tard que prévu, nous reconnaissons volontiers que cela ne dépend pas de sa volonté, mais de ses affaires.
Mon jugement sur le retour de votre fils, mon très cher cousin, se trouve dans la lettre de mon précepteur. Mais je pense que le reste, qui concerne vos affaires privées, peut être différé jusqu'à notre entretien mutuel. Cependant, je recommande Votre Altesse à la protection divine. En hâte à Ulvsunda, le 28 juin 1639.
De Votre Altesse
la très dévouée
Christine, reine de Suède.
La maîtresse de la cour, Madame Béate Oxenstierna, et sa fille arrivent immédiatement. Plus elles sont nombreuses, plus la situation est pire.
Swedish translation (my own):
Durchlauchtigaste Furste,
Käraste Frände,
Av Ert brev har det behagat mig att förnimma att Ers Kärlighet är säker och frisk. Jag och de mina mår, av Guds nåd, bra. Må Gud täckas att nådigt bevara Er från allt ont och opasslighet nu och i framtiden!
Mor och jag väntar båda ivrigt på Ers Kärlighets ankomst. Men om Ers Kärlighet kommer senare än vad vi förväntat oss, erkänner vi gärna att det inte är att tillskriva Ers Kärlighets vilja, utan Ers Kärlighets angelägenheter.
Min bedömning om Er sons, min käraste kusins, återkomst kan Ni förnimma av min preceptors brev. Men jag tror att resten, som hänför sig till Era privata angelägenheter, kan skjutas upp till vårt gemensamma samtal. Emellertid befaller jag Ers Höghet till gudomligt skydd. I hast vid Ulvsunda, den 28 juni 1639.
Ers Kärlighets
hängivnaste
Kristina, Sveriges drottning.
Hovmästarinnan fru Beata Oxenstierna och hennes dotter kommer rättnu. Ju flera, desto värre.
English translation (my own; from the original Latin):
Most Illustrious Prince,
Dearest Uncle,
From your letter it has pleased me to learn that Your Lovingness is safe and sound. Me and those who are mine are, by the grace of God, are doing well. May God deign to clemently preserve you from all evil and indisposition now and in the future!
Mother and I are both avidly awaiting Your Lovingness's arrival. But if Your Lovingness comes later than we expected, we gladly acknowledge that it is not to be ascribed to Your Lovingness's will, but to Your Lovingness's affairs.
My judgement on the return of your son, my dearest cousin, can be learned from my preceptor's letter. But I think that the rest, which pertain to your private affairs, can be deferred until our mutual colloquy. In the meantime I commend Your Lovingness to divine protection. In haste at Ulvsunda, June 28, 1639.
Your Highness's
most devoted
Kristina, Queen of Sweden.
The court mistress Lady Beata Oxenstierna and her daughter are coming right now. The more of them there are, the worse it is.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Beata Oxenstierna.
Above: Johan Kasimir.
Notes: Beata Oxenstierna (1591-1652) was a Swedish court functionary, the daughter of Baron Erik Gabrielsson Oxenstierna (born sometime in the 1540s, died 1594) and Bengta (Benedicta) Gera (died after 1593), and the wife of Erik Jöransson Ulfsparre of Broxvik (1577-1631). She had three children: Göran Eriksson Ulfsparre (1612-1656), Christina Ulfsparre (1615-1684), and Maria Elisabet Ulfsparre (1625-1646; the one Kristina mentions in the postscript to this letter).
Beata was Kristina's chief or grand court mistress, head lady-in-waiting, or mistress of the robes (överhovmästarinna), since February 2, 1639, but only served from 1642 to 1647. She was assigned to be Kristina's new foster mother after the underage monarch's original foster mother and paternal aunt, Princess Katarina, Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken, passed away in December 1638. This resulted in a reorganisation of Kristina's household.
In order to prevent her from becoming dependent on or attached to any one individual and favourite mother figure, the Council decided to split the office of head lady-in-waiting (responsible for the Queen's female courtiers) and the office of royal governess or foster mother into four, with two women appointed to share each office. In 1639, Ebba Leijonhufvud (1595-1654) and Kristin Nilsdotter Natt och Dag (1580-1642) were appointed to share the position of royal governess and foster mother with the title of castigation mistress (upptuktelseförestånderska), while Beata Oxenstierna and Ebba Ryning (1595-1642) were to share the position of head lady-in-waiting; all four women had the formal rank and title of court mistress (hovmästarinna).
The reorganisation of the Swedish royal household turned out to be permanent. Until this point, there had only been one mistress of the robes with the title of court mistress, but Beata was given the additional and newly invented title of chief or grand court mistress (överhovmästarinna), and from Kristina's reign onward, there were to be one court mistress and one chief or grand court mistress at the Swedish royal court.
Nepotism seems to have played some role in the selection of these women for their appointments. Ebba Leijonhufvud was the mother-in-law to Johan Oxenstierna (1611-1657), the son of the Grand Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna (1583-1654). Beata was a member of the Eka and Lindö branch of the Oxenstierna family, and Ebba Ryning also had connections with the Oxenstiernas.
The intention of avoiding Kristina becoming too attached to any of these women seems to have been successful in terms of both nature and nurture. Kristina did not mention any of her female courtiers individually or by name in her memoirs, only ever referring to them collectively as "my women" ("mes femmes") and only mentioning them to present herself as stronger and better than them physically, intellectually and emotionally; and she doesn't seem to have formed attachments to any of them, nor do they seem to have played any part at court after their term of service ended. The only female courtiers whom Kristina formed any level of friendships with or attachments to or felt and showed any kind of personal interest in or affection for during the Swedish period of her life were Ebba Sparre (1626-1662), the Scottish Lady Jane Ruthven (died 1668), and the Dutch Louise van der Nooth (born in the 1630s, died 1654). —
In my opinion, aside from the earliest indication (as far as we know from the surviving documentary evidence) of Kristina's disdain for most women, this might also be the earliest indication (again, as far as the surviving documentary evidence shows) of her known dislike for the Oxenstierna family.
