Kristina's letter to Count Per Brahe, dated February 9, 1669

Source:

Mémoires concernant Christine, volume 2, page 132, Johan Arckenholtz, 1751

https://books.google.com/books?id=Fef0dKNmyggC&dq=reine%20christine%20de%20suède%20ferrario%20savant%20d%27italie%201653%20lettre&source=gbs_book_other_versions

The letter:

Mon Cousin. J'ai tant de confiance en votre amitié que je ne fais pas difficulté de demander votre secours pour l'intérêt dont il s'agit entre le Roi votre Maître & moi; Je me persuade que Vous remédierez par votre autorité aux préjudices réciproques qui pourroient arriver & à moi & au Roi votre Maître par la résolution qu'on a prise à notre commun préjudice, & je Vous crois trop prudent pour vouloir vous charger de toutes les facheuses suites de notre mesintelligence. Il me semble que nous devons être amis & on devroit ne se brouiller pas pour des bagatelles. Si Vous prénez la peine de considérer toute l'importance de l'affaire, je ne doute pas que votre prudence & votre amitié ne vous parlent en ma faveur, d'autant plus que je suis persuadée que c'est rendre un service au Roi votre Maître que de le faire souvenir, qu'on ne peut toucher à mes droits san préjudicier notablement aux siens, & que ce n'a pas été l'intention des Etats de Suède de m'outrager si sensiblement. Au surplus je me remèts à ce que vous dire le Sr. de Rosenbach, priant Dieu, qu'il vous tienne en sa sainte garde. Rome ce 9. Février 1669.

CHRISTINE ALEXANDRA.

English translation (my own):

My Cousin,

I have so much confidence in your friendship that I have no difficulty in asking for your help for the interest in question between the King your master and me; I am convinced that you will remedy by your authority the reciprocal prejudices which could happen to me and to the King your master by the resolution that has been taken to our common prejudice, and I believe you are too prudent to wish to take charge of all the bothersome consequences of our misunderstanding. It seems to me that we should be friends and we should not fall out over trifles. If you take the trouble to consider the importance of the affair, I have no doubt that your prudence and your friendship speak to you in my favour, especially since I am convinced that it is to render a service to the King your master to remember that, that my rights cannot be affected without significantly prejudicing his, and that it was not the intention of the Estates of Sweden to outrage me so appreciably. In addition, I am going back to what Sir von Rosenbach is telling you, praying to God that He will keep you in His holy protection. Rome, February 9, 1669.

Kristina Alexandra.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Per Brahe.

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.