Faith Compton Mackenzie on Kristina sending Marquis Orazio de Bourbon del Monte to Sweden (1672) and on his sudden passing (1688)

Source:

The Sibyl of the North: The Tale of Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 250 to 251, by Faith Compton Mackenzie, 1931; original scan at the Universal Digital Library

https://archive.org/details/sibylofthenortht008021mbp/page/n265/mode/2up

The account:

In 1672 she had sent the Marquis del Monte to Sweden to see to her affairs. Somehow he managed to return in a year with so large a sum of ready money that he was made Grand Master of the Horse, a post which had been vacant since the death of Monaldesco. Her insistence that del Monte should henceforth be addressed as Excellency by the rest of the suite led to the immediate retirement of the Duke of Poli. Though she was never allowed to forget the execution at Fontainebleau (it cropped up especially in the Polish throne period), the family of the unfortunate Marquis itself apparently bore no grudge, for she arranged very amicably a marriage between del Monte's son and a daughter of Monaldesco.

It was while the battle of the Quarters was going on that Christina gave a great entertainment for the new French Ambassador, M. Lavardin. Being united against the Pope in this matter, they made a great public show of the excellent terms they were on. On this occasion del Monte, who still organized all entertainments, had surpassed himself. An amphitheatre was built in the garden surrounded by little boxes, for it was summer-time, and delightful music was played by the finest musicians in Rome, among them, probably, Archangelo Corelli, who was much patronized by the Queen at that time. Among the singers was Mariouche, the daughter of del Monte and Françoise Landini, who was now the star among Christina's singers. The evening was so successful that Christina commended the Marquis before her guests had gone. Next morning he was found dead of an apoplexy. The shock to Christina was very severe, and she never really recovered from it. Del Monte had been a close friend, and no doubt since that spoke put in his wheel by Adami he had been more prudent with the Queen's affairs.

"What are we? Ashes, dust, nothing", she wrote to his son.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Henri-Charles de Beaumanoir de Lavardin.

Above: Arcangelo Corelli.

Above: Faith Compton Mackenzie.