Sources:
A journal of the Swedish ambassy, volume 2, pages 259 to 263, by Bulstrode Whitelocke, published in 1772
Christina, Queen of Sweden: The Restless Life of a European Eccentric, pages 158 to 159, by Veronica Buckley, 2004
Kristina's full abdication speech is here:
The diary entry excerpt:
... Wrangell came back this night from Ubsale, and severall other persons, though very late, having stayed the solemnityes of the queen's resignation, and the coronation of the new king, which they related to Whitelocke to be done this day, and in this manner and solemnity.
About nine a'clocke this morning the queen, being attyred in her royall apparell and robes, of purple velvet, with her crown uppon her head, and attended by all her officers and servants, came into the roome prepared for that occasion; where was sett a table with a rich carpet, and five great cushions layd uppon it: most of the grandees and officers were present.
Uppon one of the cushions was layd the sword of state, uppon the second cushion was layd the scepter, uppon the third cushion was layd the ball, and uppon the fourth cushion were layd the keyes.
The queen, being come into the room, after a little pause made a short speech to the company to this effect:
"My lords and gentlemen,
You have, before this time, bin acquainted with my resolution to resigne the crowne and governement of this kingdome into the hands of my most deare cousen the prince, heer present with me, uppon my earnest request to the ricksdagh now convened. After long debates, and much sollicitation, to disswade me from it, yett att length, though unwillingly, they have assented to this my resolution; and I am now come to putt the same in execution, before all these honorable wittnesses heer prese[n]t: and to you, my most deare cousen, I doe heartily wish all happines and good successe in the management of the publique affayres of this kingdome."
Having thus spoken, the queen desired that some of them would take the crown from off her head; butt none would doe it: she then called to Grave Tott and the baron Steinbergh, expresly commaunding them to doe it; butt they refused, till againe earnestly commaunded by her; they then tooke the crown from off her majesty's head, and layd it down uppon the fifth cushion on the table.
After that was done, some others, by her commaund, tooke off the royall robes with which she was cloathed, and layd them downe uppon the table: then the queen, having thus divested herselfe of these ensignes of royalty, and resigned her crown, being now in her private habit, made cour[t]sey to the prince, and to the rest of the company, and retired into her owne chamber.
An act of a strange constancy and fixednes of resolution, going through with this great worke of her own abdication, without the least outward show of reluctancy for what she had done, butt with the same behaviour and confidence as att all other times, in her perticular and private affayres!
For this act of the queen's resignation they had no precedent: for the solemnity of the king's coronation they had many: and the same is att large, with all the circumstances and ceremonies therof, sett down by one of their authors, Wexionius epit. descriptionis Sueciæ, l. 5. c. 6. from which the ceremonies of this coronation were not much different, and thus shortly related unto Whitelocke.
After the queen was withdrawn to her private chamber, the ricks officers and senators humbly desired the prince, that he would be pleased to walke to the cathedrall church, where the archbishop, and other prelates, were ready to attend his royall highnes, and to performe the solemnities of his coronation. The whole company went thither in this order.
The officers and servants of the court went first, in a very great number, togither with many officers of the army, and other gentlemen.
After them came the nobility, the gentlemen, barons, and earls, members of the ricksdagh; then followed the ricks senators, two and two in rank. After them came the five ricks officers; first the ricks scatz-master, or high treasurer, who carryed the keyes; next to him the ricks chancellor, who carryed the globe; after him came the ricks admirall, who carryed the scepter; then one in the place of the feldthere, or generall, who carryed the sword; and, lastly, the ricks droitsett, or chiefe justice, who carryed the crowne.
After the chiefe justice came the king himselfe, in his ordinary habit, with a huge troupe following him, and the windowes and streets crowded with multitudes of people: the guards and soldiers stood in their armes as the company passed by.
Being thus come to the cathedrall, att the doore stood the archbishop, with a horne of oyle in his hand, accompanyed with other bishops, superintendents, and many clergymen. He received the prince att the church doore, and conducted him up to the high altar, where they had prayers, and then the archbishop anointed the prince with the oyle; they putt uppon him the royall apparell, putt the crown uppon his head, the scepter in his right hand, and the ball into his left hand, and so he was invested into the royall dignity, and declared, with all his titles, king of Swedes, Gothes, and Vandales, &c. drummes, trumpets, and lowde acclamations of the people adding to the proclayming of their new king: not many dayes past they laboured to hinder the doing of it, now they shout for joy that it is done; thus are the minds and practice of the multitude, whom nothing pleaseth long, nothing more then novelty.
The ceremonies being performed att the cathedrall, the new king, with all his new subjects and servants, returned from thence into the castle in the same order as he came hither; by the way he was saluted with the lowd acclamations of the people, "God save the king": thus comming to his court, as he entered it, the abdicated queen lookes out of her windowe, and, with a cheerfull countenance, and voyce heard by the company, she wished her cousen joy of his crown and governement.
The king retires for a while to his private chamber, then is called forth to a sumptuous feast; where most of the nobility and senators did attend uppon him, and rejoyce with him, and afterwards did sweare fealty, homage, and allegiance to him.
Butt this relation was not so pleasing to Whitelocke, as the thoughts of his departure from this place [Stockholme], and his longing to proceed in his voyage homewards.
With modernised spelling:
... Wrangel came back this night from Uppsala, and several other persons, though very late, having stayed the solemnities of the Queen's resignation and the coronation of the new King, which they related to Whitelocke to be done this day, and in this manner and solemnity:
About nine o'clock this morning the Queen, being attired in her royal apparel and robes, of purple velvet, with her crown upon her head, and attended by all her officers and servants, came into the room prepared for that occasion; where was set a table with a rich carpet and five great cushions laid upon it. Most of the grandees and officers were present.
Upon one of the cushions was laid the Sword of State, upon the second cushion was laid the scepter, upon the third cushion was laid the ball, and upon the fourth cushion were laid the keys.
The Queen, being come into the room, after a little pause, made a short speech to the company to this effect:
"My lords and gentlemen,
You have before this time been acquainted with my resolution to resign the crown and government of this kingdom into the hands of my most dear cousin the Prince, here present with me, upon my earnest request to the Riksdag now convened. After long debates and much solicitation to dissuade me from it, yet at length, though unwillingly, they have assented to this my resolution; and I am now come to put the same in execution before all these honourable witnesses here present.
And to you, my most dear cousin, I do heartily wish all happiness and good success in the management of the public affairs of this kingdom."
Having thus spoken, the Queen desired that some of them would take the crown from off her head, but none would do it. She then called to Grave Tott and the Baron Steinberg, expressly commanding them to do it; but they refused till again earnestly commanded by her. They then took the crown from off Her Majesty's head and laid it down upon the fifth cushion on the table.
After that was done, some others, by her command, took off the royal robes with which she was clothed and laid them down upon the table. Then the Queen, having thus divested herself of these ensigns of royalty and resigned her crown, being now in her private habit, made curtsy to the Prince and to the rest of the company and retired into her own chamber.
An act of a strange constancy and fixedness of resolution, going through with this great work of her own abdication without the least outward show of reluctancy for what she had done, but with the same behaviour and confidence as at all other times in her particular and private affairs!
For this act of the Queen's resignation they had no precedent; for the solemnity of the King's coronation they had many, and the same is at large, with all the circumstances and ceremonies thereof, set down by one of their authors, Wexionius epit. descriptionis Sueciæ, l. 5. c. 6., from which the ceremonies of this coronation were not much different and thus shortly related unto Whitelocke.
After the Queen was withdrawn to her private chamber, the rix-officers and senators humbly desired the Prince that he would be pleased to walk to the cathedral church, where the Archbishop and other prelates were ready to attend His Royal Highness and to perform the solemnities of his coronation. The whole company went thither in this order:
The officers and servants of the court went first, in a very great number, together with many officers of the army and other gentlemen.
After them came the nobility, the gentlemen, barons and earls, members of the Riksdag; then followed the rix-senators, two and two in rank. After them came the five rix-officers; first the Rix-schatzmaster, or high treasurer, who carried the keys; next to him the Rix-chancellor, who carried the globe; after him came the Rix-admiral, who carryed the scepter; then one in the place of the fältherre, or General, who carried the sword; and, lastly, the riksdrotset, or Chief Justice, who carried the crown.
After the Chief Justice came the King himself, in his ordinary habit, with a huge troop following him; and the windows and streets crowded with multitudes of people. The guards and soldiers stood in their arms as the company passed by.
Being thus come to the cathedral, at the door stood the Archbishop, with a horn of oil in his hand, accompanied with other bishops, superintendents and many clergymen. He received the Prince at the church door and conducted him up to the high altar, where they had prayers, and then the Archbishop anointed the Prince with the oil. They put upon him the royal apparel, put the crown upon his head, the scepter in his right hand, and the ball into his left hand. And so he was invested into the royal dignity and declared, with all his titles, King of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, etc.; drums, trumpets and loud acclamations of the people adding to the proclaiming of their new king. Not many days past they laboured to hinder the doing of it; now they shout for joy that it is done. Thus are the minds and practice of the multitude, whom nothing pleaseth long, nothing more than novelty.
The ceremonies being performed at the cathedral, the new King, with all his new subjects and servants, returned from thence into the castle in the same order as he came hither. By the way he was saluted with the loud acclamations of the people, "God save the King!". Thus coming to his court, as he entered it, the abdicated Queen looks out of her window and, with a cheerful countenance and voice heard by the company, she wished her cousin joy of his crown and government.
The King retires for a while to his private chamber, then is called forth to a sumptuous feast, where most of the nobility and senators did attend upon him and rejoice with him, and afterwards did swear fealty, homage and allegiance to him.
But this relation was not so pleasing to Whitelocke as the thoughts of his departure from this place [Stockholm], and his longing to proceed in his voyage homewards.
Above: Kristina.
Above: Karl Gustav.
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Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
Note: The account of Kristina's abdication combined with the date of May 30 which Whitelocke gives this diary entry doesn't make sense in either the Old Style or New Style.
Regardless, I should add that in the 17th century, the British Isles and the British colonies abroad, since medieval times and until 1752, the New Year was civilly and legally considered to begin on March 25 (Lady Day/the Feast of the Annunciation) in the Julian (Old Style) calendar. This is why Whitelocke's diary entries for the early part of 1654 are dated 1653 (although I have adjusted them for consistency's sake). For example, the day King Charles I was executed was recorded at the time in Parliament as having taken place on January 30, 1648 (Old Style), but in more modern texts the date is given as January 30, 1649, corresponding with the Gregorian calendar (New Style) date of February 9, 1649, the date which Charles' contemporaries on the Continent would have recorded for his execution.
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