Ada Harrison's biography of Kristina, part 2

Source:

Christina of Sweden, pages 16 to 18, by Ada Harrison, 1929

https://books.google.com/books?id=xJvrtq4DCv0C&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=memoires+concernant+christine+1760&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The biography:

In 1644 Christina attained her majority and the regency came to an end. Though young to become a reigning queen, she was at eighteen so well primed by her own long assiduity and that of her teachers that she was reasonably well qualified for her position. Nor was she in the least daunted by it. Nothing ever overwhelmed Christina. Hers was not the head that wore a crown uneasily. She wore it with zest, and my armies, my victories, my ministers rang musically in her ears. She wore the crown too with a strong sense of responsibility, and was determined to take her full share in the government of the State. Womanlike, she stuck to her duties even more earnestly than a man would have done — she was indefatigable in her attention to business and her attendance at council — but she was not, womanlike, to be complimented for assiduity and dismissed. Hers was an active voice in affairs, and she is said often to have swayed the whole council to her mind. Her judgment and clearheadedness were considered a marvel for her age and sex; she was, in fact, a brilliant and vigorous young woman, and in matters which did not concern her personally was able to show to striking advantage against a background of greybeards. Chanut, ambassador of Louis XIV to the court of Sweden, wrote of her in astonished admiration: 'She deliberates in the Senate upon all matters concerning the government of the state. It is incredible how powerful she is in her council, for she joins to the quality of queenliness, grace, authority on her subject and power of persuasion, so that often the Senators themselves are astonished at the power that she has over their opinions.'

The Senators, especially Oxenstiern, were more astonished than delighted. Oxenstiern, by the time Christina attained her majority, had been long accustomed to his vast prestige and power. Christina, at eighteen, stepped forth eager to attack exhaustively and single-handed the business of being queen. They were both in a sense the heirs of Gustavus, but where Oxenstiern had actually built up the present kingdom, had fought in the war, negotiated treaties, helped to reform the constitution, and to promote trade and open up roads and mines, Christina had simply sailed into her brilliant inheritance, and considered it a fit adjunct to herself. Although they respected one another as the great king's chancellor and the great king's daughter, friction between them was inevitable.

One of their most important points of difference was the question of liquidating the Thirty Years' War. By the time Christina came of age, peace negotiations were in progress among some of the many powers involved. The queen was anxious for Sweden to enter these, and to make peace with all her enemies as soon as possible. There was no doubt about the country's need for it. Sweden had not suffered the fearful fate of Germany in being the actual theatre of the war, but the strain on her resources had been intolerably heavy. Though her victories had made her a great power, she was not intrinsically so. With France she had succeeded in raising up a counterpoise to the Empire, but her resources did not compare with those of her chief ally or her chief enemy. Thus Christina's policy, which Oxenstiern strongly opposed, was for Sweden to take and be satisfied with what she could get, rather than prolong the war by haggling. The chancellor saw the thing differently. To him Sweden was a victor. She had suffered, but she should push the war to its limits and then stand out in the peace treaties for every scrap of compensation for her suffering. There is no doubt that Christina's was the better policy. She clung to it with great spirit and courage in the face of the opposition from the chancellor's party, and finally carried the day. Her motives were mixed. They were partly high and humanitarian; but there entered also the feeling that the war was Oxenstiern's chief field of influence, and that as long as it continued he would have too much power. Sweden sent two envoys to the protracted peace negotiations. These were Salvius, the queen's choice, and Baron Oxenstiern, son of the chancellor. From home the two principals directed their men. 'I exhort you to hold that unruly horse with a tight rein', wrote Christina to Salvius, 'for fear he should jump over the pole.' Oxenstiern held out for his terms as long as he could, but in the end was induced to lower them. Peace was concluded in 1648. It is possible that Christina curtailed the gains of Sweden, but the war had already gone on for thirty years, and the intermittent peace negotiations for seven.

Above: Kristina.