Kristina's letter to Charles Honoré d'Albert de Luynes, Duke of Chaulnes, dated August 29/September 8 (New Style), 1666

Source:

Mémoires concernant Christine, reine de Suède, volume 3, pages 274 to 275, compiled and edited by Johan Arckenholtz, 1759; original at the National Library of Naples (Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III)

https://books.google.com/books?id=K4jbZ_vZt5wC&printsec=frontcover&dq=mémoires+concernant+christine+reine+de+suède&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwihy5i5htjmAhXaJzQIHVI2CuwQuwUwA3oECAQQBA#v=onepage&q=mémoires%20concernant%20christine%20reine%20de%20suède&f=false

Kristina's letter of September 9/19 (New Style), 1666 to the Duchesse de Chaulnes is here:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2021/04/kristinas-letter-to-jeanne-marie.html

"Pour faire accroire combien grand étoit alors son penchant pour la Cour de France, Christine écrivit une Lettre de politesse au Duc de Chaulnes, Ambassadeur du Roi Très-Chrétien à Rome, & une autre à la Duchesse son Epouse, en ces termes (Lettere a' suoi Ministri, p. 51.)."

"To demonstrate how strong her penchant for the court of France was at that time, Kristina wrote a letter of courtesy to the Duke de Chaulnes, the Most Christian King's ambassador in Rome, and another to the Duchess, his wife, in these terms (Lettere ai suoi ministri, p. 51.)."

The letter:

Le 8. Septembre 1666.

Mon Cousin, je vous rends grace d'avoir voulu me témoigner vous-même par votre Lettre, la disposition que vous avez d'être de mes amis. J'accepte vos offres avec reconnoissance, vous assurant que je suis impatiente d'être à Rome, pour pouvoir connoître un aussi honnête homme que vous; car votre réputation, répondant au choix du Roi de France Mon Frére, je suis persuadée que vous méritez toute estime, & je suis toute disposée à vous rendre justice, espérant que vous me serez témoin que je mérite l'amitié du Roi votre Maître, telle qu'elle est, par la sincére & véritable amitié que je lui marquerai dans toutes les occasions. Je prie Dieu qu'il vous tienne, Mon Cousin, en sa sainte & digne garde.

English translation (my own):

September 8, 1666.

My cousin,

I thank you for having wished to testify to me yourself by your letter your disposition to be a friend of mine. I accept your offers with gratitude, assuring you that I am impatient to be in Rome, to be able to know such an honest man as you; because your reputation, responding to the choice of the King of France my brother, I am persuaded that you deserve all esteem, and I am quite ready to do you justice, hoping that you will be a witness to me that I deserve the friendship of the King your master, such as it is, by the sincere and true friendship which I will mark to him on all occasions. I pray to God that He will keep you, my cousin, in His holy and worthy protection.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Charles Honoré d'Albert de Luynes, Duke of Chaulnes.

Note: In accordance with the nobility's ideals in the early modern era, kings and queens considered themselves siblings; when talking to someone of a lower rank than their own, they would refer to that person as "my cousin", regardless of whether or not they were related.

This letter has sadly since been lost from the Montpellier Collection.