Source:
The Sibyl of the North: The Tale of Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 93 to 107, by Faith Compton Mackenzie, 1931; original scan at the Universal Digital Library
The account:
CHAPTER VI
ABDICATION, 1654
THE Commonwealth Ambassador, puzzled but ignorant of the upheaval that was threatening Sweden, persevered conscientiously in his mission, cultivating the right people, lecturing his suite on the folly of late nights, the evil of carousing and the sacred duty of Lord's Day observance, and getting a little impatient of the Chancellor Oxenstierna's procrastination. His audiences with the Queen were frequent, and it was at one of these that he complained of the difficulties he had with the Chancellor. Knowing well the reason for this, she listened and questioned him for a while; then drew her stool nearer to him and said:
"I shall surprise you with something which I intend to communicate to you; but it must be under secrecy."
"Madam, we that have been versed in the affairs of England do not use to be surprised with the discourse of a young lady. ..."
"I have great confidence in your honour and judgment, and therefore, though you are a stranger, I shall acquaint you with a business of the greatest consequence to me in the world, and which I have not communicated to any creature; nor would I have you to tell anyone of it — no, not your General, till you come to see him; and in this business I desire your counsel."
"Your Majesty does me in this the greatest honour imaginable, and your confidence in me I shall not, by the grace of God, deceive in the least measure ... and wherein Your Majesty shall judge my counsel worth your receiving, I shall give it with all sincerity, and according to the best of my poor capacity."
"Sir, it is this. I have it in my thoughts and resolution to quit the crown of Sweden, and to retire myself unto a private life, as much more suitable to my contentment than the great cares and troubles attending upon the government of my kingdom."
The Punchinello secret was out.
"I am sorry to hear Your Majesty call it a resolution; and if anything would surprise a man, to hear such a resolution from a lady of your parts, power and judgment, would do it. But I suppose Your Majesty is pleased only to droll with your humble servant."
"I speak you the truth of my intentions; and had it not been for your coming hither, which caused me to defer my resolution, probably it might have been done before this time."
Whitelocke remonstrated warmly against the project, and asked her if she could forsake her people that loved her.
"It is my love to the people which causeth me to think of providing a better governor for them than a poor woman can be, and it is somewhat of love to myself, to please my own fancy by private retirement."
Christina could be humble when it suited her.
After much improving discourse on both sides, the practical Whitelock said:
"Madam, let me humbly advise you, if any such thing should be, as I hope it will not, to reserve that country in your possession out of which your reserved revenue shall be issued; for when money is to be paid out of a prince's treasury, it is not always ready and certain."
Prophetic Whitelock!
Christina replied:
"The Prince Palatine is full of justice and honour; but I like your counsel well, and shall follow it, and advise further with you in it."
Whitelock went on:
"Suppose, Madam, as the worst must be cast, that by some exigencies or troubles your lessened revenues should not be answered and paid to supply your own occasions. You that have been mistress of the whole revenue of this Crown, and of so noble and bountiful heart as you have, how can you bear the abridging of it, or, it may be, the necessary supplies for yourself and your servants to be wanting to your quality?"
"In case of such exigencies, notwithstanding my quality, I can content myself with very little; and for servants, with a lackey and a chambermaid."
The Chancellor's tardiness was explained. He was trying to hold off the final stages of the Alliance until this period of transition was over and the Prince on the throne. Besides, he was much engaged, sadly, on the business of the Queen, whose decision he now knew to be irrevocable. He was a sick old man, though still active at the head of affairs.
Soon after this audience the Queen invited Whitelock to come and hear some music, when some excellent Italian singers and a French lady, Madame de Bar [sic], and her brother amused the company with music "very rare". It was a diverting evening. Montecuculi[,] from the Court of Austria[,] was there. Among the ladies was Ebba Sparre[,] "the beautiful Countess". The Queen brought her to Whitelock.
"Discourse with this lady, my bed-fellow, and tell me if her inside be not as beautiful as her outside."
Whitelock gladly tested the quality of the lovely lady's soul, while Christina seized her gloves and tore them in four pieces, dividing them between Pimentelli, the Italians and Count Tott. Whitelock gallantly responded to this with a present next day to Ebba of a dozen pairs of English white gloves, much prized among the fair sex.
Everything was now in train for Christina's abdication. It was quite obvious to everyone around her that all business of the Crown was odious to her. When the secretaries came to her with papers to sign, she cried:
"When I see these people it's like seeing the devil. ... I want to give up government to one who has strength enough for it. The King of Sweden should be able to lead his armies."
This was ever her modest cry. In her heart she was sure she could lead an army as well as anyone else, but just now she was not going to admit it.
Pimentelli was again dismissed a month or so before her abdication. She followed him with letters full of violent expressions of affection, which were opened and read by various people en route, and a M. Borsel [sic], writing to a M. de Witt in Paris, declares that if he did not know the virtue of the Queen, one might arrive at the false impression that the particular letter which M. Borsel had had the honour of reading was prompted by un amour tout charnel. The fact was that Pimentelli was not dismissed as far as Christina was concerned, but was engaged on important business for her in Flanders.
The Whitelock affair was at last settling itself, and, as soon as Christina was assured that the alliance between England and Sweden was concluded, she sent for Whitelock and suggested a secret article by which, if Sweden neglected its obligations to her, the Protector should not be bound by the treaty. Whitelock was not in favour of this — saw, naturally, little advantage to his own country in it, but assured the Queen that as the Protector was a great maintainer of justice and honour, he could be depended upon to be a true friend to her in any difficulties that should come to her.
"Wherewith, poor lady, she seemed much comforted, having brought her affairs to so low an ebb as this was."
Yes, this was where Christina's doubts were deepest; the question of finance, the ability and willingness of her country to supply her with a revenue — the possibility, however firmly signed and sealed the contract, that when the whole truth was out, obligations to an errant Queen who was also a Papist might be regarded as negligible. This was the only flaw in the pattern of Christina's future, but it was a very big one, and was capable of marring the whole. She made huge demands, probably on the principle that the more you ask[,] the more you will eventually get. To begin with, following Whitelock's advice, she asked as her absolute property certain lands, including the port of Gothenburg. The suggestion was summarily refused. Only the revenue from the lands would be bestowed upon her, and Gothenburg was certainly too great a treasure to be sacrificed.
Finally she was granted the revenue from the fertile island of Öland, where Charles Gustavus had spent most of his days in a castle of beautiful stone like marble, which was quarried from the island itself and in great demand for fine buildings: the island of Gottland, larger than Öland, but of less importance and little value: the islands of Ösel, Wollin and Usedom: the town and castle of Wolgast, and some lands in Pomerania were ceded to her, and the whole would bring in an income of two hundred thousand crowns.
In those days there might be seen great wagons rolling through the forest, skirting the lake with its four thousand islands — rolling along to Gothenburg, piled high with the treasures that Christina was taking out of the country. This activity had been going on so long and so secretly that few people realized the extent of it until it was too late to protest. Not only did she take the whole of her priceless library, and quantities of pictures and statues in marble and brass, the greater part of which she had collected herself, but she denuded the royal palaces of their finest furniture, gold and silver pieces of enormous value, and a vast quantity of jewellery and bijouterie which was the property of the Crown. In fact, she took away exactly what she wanted, without regard to anyone.
Marie Eleanore, meanwhile, had been in residence at Nyköping, and Christina had not altogether neglected her. Whitelock writes of her, wrapped up warm with furs, driving in her sledge over rivers and lakes and arms of the sea, to visit her mother, alas! as was often the case, in spite of Whitelock's remonstrances, on the Lord's Day. The last of these visits was made to announce her coming abdication. She took Charles Gustavus with her, and in the presence of the Court, told her mother that the time had come for them to part, and that in losing a daughter she was gaining a son. Charles was formally presented as that son, and Christina resolutely kissed her mother — a farewell salute — coldly and without a trace of emotion. Marie Eleanore, true to tradition, burst into tears, was led to her room and cried throughout the night. Again Christina was called to her bedside and attempted to console her. In the early hours of the morning she left Nyköping, and Marie Eleanore never saw her again.
One of Christina's last acts before she abandoned the throne was one of her most astonishing, because gratuitous. It showed the direction in which her mind was at the moment almost fanatically set. She sent a messenger by diligence to Stockholm, with a secret paper of which no one but she knew the contents. The messenger was to go to the Portuguese Resident, to open the paper and read it to him without letting him see it or handle it. The messenger found himself obliged to tell the amazed Resident that his employment at the Court was useless, because Christina had decided not to recognize the Duke of Braganza as King of Portugal, that title belonging to Philip IV of Spain and to him and his successors alone; that she had always considered Braganza as a usurper; that she thought it better to warn the Resident of this resolution so that he might have leisure to prepare for departure from a country in which he could no longer be received in a manner fitting to his position; that the Prince, her successor, would be in accord with her in this. Apart from her infatuation for Pimentelli, Spain was for the moment more important than any other nation, because Philip IV was interesting himself in her conversion, and because she was intending to spend some time in the Low Countries on her journey South. Her progress must be one long triumph, and everything should be concentrated on that.
The Senate was shocked when it heard of the insult to the harmless Portuguese Resident, but the conclusion was that it was Christina's way of getting the right side of Spain for her own purposes, purposes which were not quite clear to her Ministers, ignorant as they were of her ultimate intentions. The fact that this event happened only eight days before her abdication seemed to imply that as soon as Charles came to the throne relations could be re-established with Portugal, and the Minister, after lying low for a space, reinstalled. Meanwhile Christina would have achieved her object, and no one would be any the worse. Whether this was what Christina did mean or not, it was what happened, and by the time she was out of Sweden she did not mind what became of Portugal or its Resident.
Still[,] the financial side of things kept her uneasy. It was fairly certain that Charles Gustavus would be punctual with his obligations — he could hardly do otherwise after all that she had done for him. But supposing he did not marry, and had no heirs and predeceased her? Anyone might come into power, and what was to prevent the repudiation of her claims? With no absolute property she was utterly dependent on the good faith of those at the head of Sweden, whoever they might be. Accidents must be guarded against.
A stipulation that she had made when she first made Charles Gustavus her heir was accepted by the Senate. It was that his brother Duke Adolphus, whom she disliked, should not inherit under any circumstances. Charles Gustavus might die young — he might be killed in battle. She decided that Count Tott must be nominated successor to Charles if he died without heirs. Tott had Vasa blood, being descended from Eric XIV, whose daughter married a Tott, and he was one of her most faithful friends. When Christina laid this proposal before the Senate, she was thanked for her solicitude for the throne, but was assured that since she had renounced it she renounced forever all authority in Sweden, either for herself or possible descendants. In other words[,] she was not to dictate to them who should or should not succeed Charles Gustavus. Then she wanted to make Tott a duke, and to bestow a like honour upon Pierre Brahe, the First Senator, and the Chancellor Oxenstierna. All three declined and protested that their honour was satisfied in serving their country faithfully, without vain titles to hand down to their children, who should also be satisfied with the high places in their country's services they might be called upon to fill.
After this vain groping for a secure foothold, Christina was compelled to leave the future to Fate, and to hope that Charles would live to a ripe old age and do his duty by his generous cousin and benefactor.
Before her abdication the Senate asked her to withdraw the sentence of banishment she had passed on Magnus de la Gardie. It was pointed out that his offences so far as they knew did not merit such severe punishment. He was, after all, a Grand Officer of the Realm, and it would be a gracious act to pardon him before she laid down her crown.
"I have other things to think about", she said. "When I am gone the Prince can do as he likes, but please do not speak to me of de la Gardie again."
She refused to say good-bye to him, though she gave an audience of farewell to his wife. The result of this was that de la Gardie made a great noise about his delight at Christina's abdication, and declared that he would soon take office again. Charles Gustavus repudiated the possibility of reinstating one who had offended his benefactress. Nevertheless, Christina had not long been out of the kingdom before de la Gardie was back at Court and in high favour. This was not altogether surprising, since his wife was the King's sister.
For the great meeting of the Senate at which Christina was formally to abdicate, the stage was carefully set. The hall was hung with splendid arras, some of it from Whitelock's house; red cloth-covered forms were ranged for the senators, and at the upper end was the silver chair of state, with a rich cushion upon it, and a canopy of crimson velvet above it. First to enter were the Boors — members of the Council — about eighty of them, led by their Marshal. Then followed a hundred and twenty Citizens, led by their Marshal. All took their places and were covered. Then by the same door entered the Marshal of the Nobility, followed by about two hundred gentlemen of the first families. At their approach the Boors and Citizens rose and uncovered. Then came the Archbishop of Upsala with his Bishops and Clergy, while all the rest stood uncovered. When all were seated, the Queen's Guard entered, and many of her servants.
Lastly came the Queen, also with her head bare, and walked up the lane made by her attendants to her silver chair. Everyone except members of the Council then left the hall and the doors were closed.
Christina sat a moment in her chair, all eyes upon her, before she beckoned to the Chancellor. He came to her with respect, and after a short colloquy returned to his place. The Queen sat, pale and evidently deeply chagrined. Then she rose courageously and[,] "advancing with a good grace and confidence", says Whitelock, addressed the assembly in a speech that was entirely extempore. The Chancellor, whose duty it was to announce the cause of the Council being summoned, had, without warning her beforehand, refused point-blank to do it.
When, some days later, Whitelock alluded to this incident, the Chancellor explained that by reason of the oath he had taken to Gustavus Adolphus to keep the crown on his daughter's head, he desired to be excused from making the proposal. Whitelock remarked:
"Indeed, Her Majesty spake with an excellent grace and spirit, which was a wonder to see it done by a young lady to so great and grave an assembly; and the matter of her speech was pertinent and full of weight."
"Indeed", said the Chancellor, "she spake very well and materially, and like a prince."
After the Queen's excellent little speech, the Archbishop spoke at great length, begging her to desist from her intention of resigning the government, but at the same time extolling the virtues of the Prince, her heir. He was followed by the Marshal of Nobility and the Marshal of the Citizens, who both made long and flowery orations.
At last stepped out the Marshal of the Boors, "a plain country fellow, in his clouted shoon, and all other habits answerable, as all the rest of his company were accoutred. This boor, without any ceremony or congés at all, spake to Her Majesty, after this phrase:
"'Oh, Lord God, Madam, what do you mean to do? It troubles us to hear you speak of forsaking those that love you so well as we do. Can you be better than you are? You are Queen of all these countries, and if you leave this large kingdom, where will you get such another? If you should do it (and I hope you won't for all this) both you and we shall have cause, when it is too late, to be sorry for it. Therefore my fellows and I pray you to think better on't, and to keep your crown on your head, then you will keep your own honour and our peace; but if you lay it down[,] in my conscience you will endanger all. Continue in your gears, good Madam, and be the fore-horse as long as you live, and we will help you the best we can to bear your burden.
"'Your father was an honest gentleman and a good King, and very stirring in the world; we obeyed him and loved him as long as he lived; and you are his own child and have governed us very well, and we love you with all our hearts; and the Prince is an honest gentleman, and when his time comes, we shall be ready to do our duty to him as we do to you; but as long as you live we are not willing to part with you, and therefore I pray, Madam, do not part with us.'
"When the boor had ended his speech he waddled up to the Queen without any ceremony, and taking her hand, shook it heartily and kissed it two or three times; then[,] turning his back to her, he pulled out of his pocket a foul handkerchief and wiped the tears from his eyes, and in the same posture as he came up returned to his own place again."
Christina's comment on this episode is interesting. When Whitelock remarked on how highly she was complimented by all the Marshals, especially by the Boor, she said:
"Were you so taken with his clownery?"
"It seemed to me as pure and clear natural eloquence, without any forced strain, as could be expressed."
"Indeed", said Christina, "there was little else but what was natural, and by a well-meaning man, who has understanding enough in his country way. ... I think he spoke from his heart."
"I believe he did, and acted so, too, especially when he wiped his eyes."
"He showed his affection to me in that posture more than greater men did in their spheres."
It was like Christina to describe as clownery what had obviously moved her deeply. Till she was sure of Whitelock's attitude towards the incident[,] she was not going to reveal her own sentiments. The episode of the clumsy boor with his filthy handkerchief and ridiculous tears must have made a diverting story for the Court snobs. Christina would have kept her emotion shut in her heart, not for the world to see. Here was indeed a single gem of value in a vast array of elaborately set imitations. Even Oxenstierna's devotion was more to the throne and the memory of Gustavus Adolphus than to herself. If he had had real affection for her, would he have risked a collapse in the abdication ceremony when, at the outset, he refused to play the part which it was his duty to play? There was no reason why he should not have announced his conscientious scruples before the ceremony, and spared the Queen a situation which only her own wit and savoir-faire saved.
The next ceremony was the entry of Prince Charles Gustavus into Upsala. The Prince, in a pale grey suit, mounted upon a very brave grey horse, with pistols at his saddle and his sword by his side, waited for the Queen half a league outside the town. The whole Court and all the nobility and gentry in full panoply attended Christina, who "went gallantly mounted, habited in her usual fashion in grey stuff, her hat on her head, her pistols at her saddle bow", says Whitelock, with twenty-four of her Guard in attendance.
When the royal cousins met[,] they both dismounted. He kissed her hand, and stood bare-headed while she spoke to him, very respectful to her as his Queen. After a short parley, they mounted their horses again, and the procession to the town began, Christina turning often and calling to the Prince, who was riding respectfully in attendance on her — his Queen. Then he would ride beside her for a while, but always bare-headed.
So they came through great multitudes to Upsala, and to the Castle[,] where the Prince was conducted to the royal apartments which Christina had given up to him. There was nothing left now but to resign the throne.
On the 6th of June Christina heard the Act of Abdication read in the Senate, Charles Gustavus by her side. She renounced the throne for ever for herself and her posterity, and recognized Charles as her successor, so long as he maintained her rights to her revenues. She promised on her side to do nothing that would injure the State. Another Act, in which the Prince undertook these conditions, was signed, after which Christina was clothed in her royal purple robes and the crown set on her head. Carrying the Sceptre and Ball, and preceded by two senators carrying the Sword and Keys, she entered the grand hall of the Castle and ascended the silver throne. On her left stood the Prince. Then the two Acts were read in a loud voice by Rosenhaue [sic], and handed to each of the cousins. Now was the moment for Christina to deliver up the Royal Insignia. It was the duty of Count Brahe to take the crown from her head.
He refused.
This second unrehearsed incident was boldly faced by the Queen, who took it off with her own hands, and delivered the rest of the insignia to the Marshals. Then she threw off her royal mantle, which was subsequently torn into a thousand pieces by those present for souvenirs, and, in a simple garment of white taffeta, she stood and addressed the assembly in a beautifully delivered and moving speech, which few heard without tears. She then addressed the Prince, with many admonitions, among which was a request that he would not neglect Marie Eleanore, her mother.
The Prince made a pretty effort to lead her up to the throne again, and she smilingly returned the compliment, but he would not have it. Instead, he took her hand and led her back to her apartment, himself retiring to his own, which had so lately been hers.
The same afternoon Charles Gustavus walked in his ordinary habit through the thronged streets to the Cathedral, where he was crowned King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals. After the ceremony, which was of the simplest, the whole city of Upsala rang with cries of "God save the King!" When the procession came to the court of the castle, Christina was seen at her window, with a cheerful countenance, watching the scene, and her deep voice was clearly heard as she wished her cousin joy of his crown and government. She did not appear again, and in the evening all the nobles feasted with "him who was the rising sun".
Christina could not be persuaded to stay a moment longer in Upsala.
"How can you ask me to stay here[,] where till now I have reigned as sovereign, and where I should see another with all the power in his hands?" came from her heart when Brahe begged her to wait.
There was still strong feeling among the people that she should stay and spend her revenues in Sweden, and it was because of this that she announced her departure for the Spa to take the waters. She fretted to get free from all entanglements, and she would not feel safe until she had crossed the border.
While Charles Gustavus and his nobles were still toasting and pledging, Christina stole away from Upsala in a downpour of rain.
Above: Kristina.
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Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.
Above: Ebba Sparre.
Above: Karl Gustav.
Notes: Ösel is the old German and Swedish name for the Estonian island of Saaremaa.
Wollin is the German name for the Polish island of Wolin in the Baltic Sea.
Usedom is the German name for the Polish island of Uznam in the Baltic Sea.
Kristina's coronation robe was not destroyed, but she took it along on travels and later sold it in order to make ends meet during one of her lowest points financially. In fact, it still exists today and can be seen on display at the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) in Stockholm.
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