Anna Brownell Jameson's biography of Kristina, part 7

Source:

Memoirs of celebrated female sovereigns, volume 1, pages 50 to 51, by Anna Brownell Jameson, 1831

https://archive.org/details/memoirsofcelebra02jameuoft/page/50/mode/2up

The biography:

It was in the year 1651 that Christina began to entertain seriously the idea of resigning her crown: the remonstrances of the senate and the arguments of Oxenstiern, who rose from a bed of sickness to combat her intention, induced her to lay it aside for the present; but her resolution was taken, and the contradiction she met with only served to confirm it.

In the same year an accident occurred which gave her an opportunity of displaying that intrepidity for which she was remarkable, though it had nearly terminated her life and reign together. One day when she was preparing to visit her fleet in the harbour of Stockholm, and passing along a narrow plank laid from her barge to the vessel, the admiral, Herman Fleming, upon whose arm she leaned, slipped from his footing, and they were both precipitated into the water, which was there thirty feet deep. The queen was extricated with some difficulty by her equerry, Antony Steinberg, for the admiral had seized her petticoat, and held it fast. Christina, without losing her presence of mind, desired them to save the admiral, who had sunk; and when those about her blamed him for his conduct in seizing her dress, and thus endangering her life, she excused him on the principle of self-preservation; and added, laughing, that he deserved praise rather than blame, for he had certainly been drowned had he acted otherwise. She afterwards changed her dressed with her usual celerity, and dined in public as if nothing had happened. This was not her only escape: the year before her coronation [sic], as she was at prayers in her chapel, a wretched maniac forced his way through the guards and attendants, and attempted to strike at her with a knife, but was seized and disarmed by Count Brahe: the queen immediately perceiving his real condition, would not allow him to be hurt, and he was placed under proper restraint.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Anna Brownell Jameson.

Notes: Kristina's accident at the harbour happened in 1652, not in 1651.

The assassination attempt on Kristina happened in 1647, not in 1649. The assailant was Christoffer Presbeckius.