Kristina's handwritten letter to unknown recipient on the death of the Maréchal de Turenne, year 1675

Source:

Mémoires concernant Christine, reine de Suède, volume 4, page 138, compiled and edited by Johan Arckenholtz, 1760

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The letter:

Mon Cousin, je prends part à la juste douleur que vous donne la perte de Mr. de Turenne, & je vous assure que c'est me rendre justice, que d'être persuadé, comme vous l'êtes, que je suis sensiblement touchée de la mort d'un si grand homme. Je n'entreprends point d'en consoler V. E. Je dirai seulement que j'ai reçu avec estime tout ce que vous me dites d'obligeant dans la Lettre que vous m'avez écrite en cette funeste occasion; vous assurant qu'en toutes celles que vous me donnerez, je vous ferai connoître que je suis véritablement, mon Cousin,

Votre bonne Amie

Christina Alessandra.

L'Abbé Santini.

Swedish translation (my own):

Min kusin,

Jag tar del av den rättvisa sorg som förlusten av monsieur de Turenne ger Er, och jag försäkrar Er att det gör mig rättvisa att, som Ni är, bli övertygad om att jag är djupt berörd av en så stor mans död. Jag åtar mig inte att trösta Ers Excellens. Jag skall endast säga att jag med aktning har mottagit alla de vänliga ord som Ni sagt till mig i det brev Ni skrivit till mig vid detta ödesdigra tillfälle; försäkrande Er att i allt Ni ger mig skall jag låta Er veta att jag verkligen är, min kusin,

Er goda kusine

Kristina Alessandra.

Abboten Santini.

English translation (my own):

My cousin,

I take part in the just grief that the loss of Monsieur de Turenne gives you, and I assure you that it does me justice to be persuaded, as you are, that I am deeply touched by the death of such a great man. I do not undertake to console Your Excellency. I will only say that I have received with esteem all the kind words you have said to me in the letter you wrote to me on this fatal occasion; assuring you that in all that you give me, I will let you know that I am truly, my cousin,

Your good cousin

Kristina Alessandra.

Abbot Santini.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Henri de la Tour d'Auvergne, le Maréchal de Turenne.

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.