Source:
The Sibyl of the North: The Tale of Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 111 to 123 (part 2: "Cap and Bells"), by Faith Compton Mackenzie, 1931; original scan at the Universal Digital Library
Kristina's letter to the Prince de Condé, written in or after June 1654, is here:
Kristina's letter to Pierre Hector Chanut, which she had written on February 17/27 or 18/28 (New Style), 1654, is here:
Kristina's undated letter written in Brussels in 1655 to Ebba Sparre is here:
Kristina's letter of March 30/April 9 (Old Style), 1655 to Karl Gustav is here:
Her letter of April 5/15 (Old Style), 1655 to him is here:
The account:
CHAPTER VII.
THE LABYRINTH
THE journey through Sweden was a dull anti-climax. Only sitting back in her coach that rainy night[,] Christina could console herself with the nearly tangible sensation of all Europe stirring under the superb gesture she had made. But her departure was almost a flight, and so secret did she keep the details of it that even Charles Gustavus, King of Sweden, was deceived.
Imagining that she would go by sea from Kalmar to Germany, he ordered twelve ships of the line to be ready to escort her, but she sent a message at the last moment that[,] owing to contrary winds[,] she had decided to go by land and the Sound to Denmark. What did the commissioning of a battleship more or less matter to her, however exasperated the nation might be at more useless expenditure? So by land she went, and, disguised as the son of Count Dohna, who, with the faithful Steinbergh, was in attendance on her, she did most of the journey on horseback, her gun slung over her shoulder, a red scarf worn in the Spanish manner and her pistols at her side. Only four of her gentlemen attended her, and none of them had any idea where she was going. Clairet Poisonnet knew, for he had gone ahead as Marshal of her lodgings.
When she arrived at Helsingborg, the port for Denmark, an emissary from Charles Gustavus made a final but half-hearted appeal on his behalf that she would change her mind at last and marry him. He must have felt fairly secure on this point. Christina's reply was naturally a refusal. It was not likely she would care to return to Sweden as a mere consort after reigning as Queen. But it was quite a clever move of Charles's, and left an excellent impression, even on Christina herself, who was more than half taken in by it.
In spite of her disguise, the news of her arrival in Denmark spread like wildfire. Curiosity to see this famous figure drove the Queen of Denmark to disguise herself as a maid and wait on Christina at a country inn. This was Sophie Amalie of Brunswick, whose jealousy had driven Christina's friends, the Ulfelds, from the Danish Court. Christina talked of nothing but the iniquities of the Danish Queen all through the meal. Though she said when told of the identity of her waiting-maid: "What! that cabaret maid, the Queen of Denmark! Well, listeners never hear good of themselves. It serves her right", there is a strong suspicion that she knew of the plot beforehand, and rewarded the royal eavesdropper with much more than she bargained for. Probably Clairet was responsible for the whole affair.
The talk of Europe, though it was concerned with one burning topic, was a babel of diverse theories.
"Who is this lady who light-heartedly resigns what most of us fight and long for in vain?" cried Condé.
Christina had been anxious enough about his opinion to write to him before her abdication, hoping for the continuance of his admiration in spite of her change of state. She was sure to meet him at last in Flanders.
That her abdication was the act of a saint — that she had to renounce the throne because Sweden was getting too hot for her — that on the other hand her principal motive was to escape the horrible climate of her native land — that her aversion from marriage with her cousin which was being forced upon her drove her forth — that her vanity was not satisfied with the attention she attracted in Sweden — that she wanted to scandalize the world — that she was becoming a Papist because she wanted to be Queen of Rome — these were only a few of the theories propounded by the wise.
Christina was prepared for all this. She wrote to Chanut:
"I leave it to everyone to judge the affair according to his own lights. I don't know how I could withhold this liberty from anyone, and if I did, I shouldn't want to. I am not ignorant that some people will judge me favourably, and I am glad to think that you are one of that small number. As for the rest of the world[,] they don't know my character nor my mood, as I have not explained myself to anyone but you and one great man among my friends [probably Pimentelli] as understanding as yourself."
When she had stood before the silver throne in her plain white silk garment, her royal robes and her crown gladly surrendered, she saw herself a free woman, a citizen of the world who[,] by her own greatness[,] would conquer men's minds and hearts. Her vast self-confidence would not even contemplate the possibility of any loss of prestige resulting from this voluntary resignation of her high estate.
She was Christina — unique and unassailable; and it was because she was Christina that, freed from the throne, she was going to be so much more astonishing a figure in history than she could ever have been as Queen of Sweden, slave to her Parliament, her people and her throne. Her last State document was signed — her abdication, in which she discharged her people from the oath they had sworn to her.
"Christina, by the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden, of the Goths and Vandals, Princess of Finland, etc." Only four years ago the herald had cried:
"The most powerful Christina is crowned. Herself and no other!"
And now she stood stripped of her glory, bravely defying Fate. She, who had never been anything but Queen, had never known, had not even dimly visualized anything but absolute dominion, complete security. She did not see that, with the purple robe that slid to her feet and the crown she so firmly removed from her own head, went defences that never again could be summoned for her protection.
Heinsius, her honest philosopher, was profoundly right when he wrote to her:
"You have cast away your shield; of your flatterers few praised Christina, most the Queen."
Position is a surer guard than character; it is the only thing the world respects. Though Christina's morals had always been freely discussed throughout Europe, whatever criticism came to her ears only amused her. She knew she was invulnerable, and eagerly listened to the latest bit of gossip about herself; the more exaggerated it was, the more she was amused. But now the shield was gone; every shaft was going to hurt.
By the time she reached Hamburg[,] the rumour of her conversion convulsed Sweden. The clergy demanded that her revenue should be reduced; indeed there was a strong movement that she should be deprived altogether for her breach and change of faith if the rumour were a true one. The fact that she was travelling en cavalier was also a vexation to her late subjects. Tales of her extravagant behaviour were already drifting into Sweden.
She had certainly thrown off her yoke with a vengeance. At Hamburg Pimentelli had arranged for her to lodge in the Jew Texiera's house, which was enough to scandalize the Lutherans. Christina was quite satisfied with her lodgings and host, and when she heard of the expostulations of the clergy from their pulpits, she remarked that[,] after all[,] Jesus Christ was a Jew and consorted with Jews all His life. She made Texiera her agent, and he played an important part in her subsequent battles over revenue.
At Hamburg she resumed feminine attire for a time, and there was no public sign of her conversion. She attended in state the church of St. Peter's, accompanied by the Landgrave of Hesse. Here a sermon was preached in her honour, comparing her to the Queen of Sheba. She presented the preacher with a gold chain; but his gratification was tempered by the discovery of a finely-bound Virgil in her pew, which she received with a smile when it was restored to her.
That was really rather a good joke.
She did not linger long in Hamburg. After a gorgeous entertainment in her honour "without the walls" given by the Landgrave of Hesse on July 30, which lasted until early morning, she set off, in male attire again, on her journey to Antwerp, accompanied by Steinbergh and her four other gentlemen, the rest of the retinue being ordered to meet her in Amsterdam later.
At Münster the Jesuit College was visited by a young gentleman of quality, who was shown and took a lively interest in the library, the church and the precincts generally. He chaffed the holy father on the morals of the Order, and its members being "all things to all men". He heard Mass with his attendants, and after refusing the refreshment of a cup of wine, saying, "I am no wine-bibber", departed, leaving everyone the better for his cheerful company. One of the Fathers, who had a portrait of Christina, saw through the black wig, big hat and high boots of her disguise, but he kept his own counsel until she was gone. Next day she sent a hundred ducats, which no doubt consoled the brotherhood for this feminine intrusion.
Holland was traversed incognita. She would not consent to a royal reception. She had little interest in that country, and only wished to get through this part of the journey as fast as possible. A girl she met on the road fell in love with her, and gave her a little amusement, but she was glad to get to Antwerp, where she became a woman again.
Here she lodged with a rich merchant, Gerard Salian, and her first visitor was the Archduke Leopold, who governed the Low Countries for Spain. She received him with great ceremony, going to the foot of the stairs to meet him, addressing him as Highness, and at the end of the audience conducting him again to the bottom of the stairs. They conversed in Italian. Because he represented Spain, Christina could not do him enough honour.
Condé was in Brussels, and naturally was as eager to meet Christina as she was to know him. The usual preliminaries were observed. Condé demanded the same ceremonial reception as the Archduke had had. Christina flatly refused to give it, knowing well how this attitude would please the Spaniards. Both were equally obstinate; it was a deadlock. But Condé's curiosity was not to be denied. He went to one of her receptions in the suite of a friend. Christina's keen eyes and instinct were not to be deceived. Apart from the obvious greatness of Condé, she had a nose for royal blood, and as soon as she saw him she approached him. He retired hastily[,] but she pursued him. When she still followed him and came close, he muttered "All or nothing!" and escaped.
The situation was so very ridiculous between these two fine people, who should have known better, that their friends arranged a chance meeting where formality could be dispensed with. This took place when Christina was on a visit to Brussels. They met, and their disappointment with each other was not concealed. They walked up and down the Mall in the Brussels Park, talking very frankly and coldly. No one knows what they discussed, but whatever it was, they never discussed it or anything else again.
Another person who was curious to see, but not to meet, Christina, was Elizabeth of Bohemia, who travelled from the Hague for that purpose. She had not forgiven Christina for the death of Descartes, and she sat through an evening at the theatre, gloomily regarding the levity of her late rival in the royal box, and returned to the Hague but little consoled by the sight of her. Chanut also came from the Hague, bidden by Christina, who was anxious to see her old friend. This visit was at once construed as having political significance. It was at once assumed that Chanut was wanting Christina to intercede for peace between France and Spain. Chanut, horrified by this interpretation of a simple, friendly visit, wrote begging her to give the lie to the rumour publicly. She made matters worse by writing a violent letter of vituperation against France. Though Chanut's reply to this was a model of dignity and diplomacy, he thought it necessary to lay the whole correspondence before the Court of Sweden. King Charles Gustavus and his Ministers could only protest that they knew nothing about the matter, and understood less. It was evidently another of Christina's moves to flatter the Spaniards, and as she was no longer in power in Sweden[,] they were not responsible for her vagaries.
Christina stayed in Antwerp until December, combining a great deal of amusement with the serious business of her conversion. Her desire was to be received privately into the Catholic Church, and for the safety of her revenue, keep the matter secret, even though she should visit Rome. Innocent X was Pope at the time, and communication with the Vatican had for some time been established through Philip of Spain and Pimentelli, but there was not much hope that Rome would consent to keep so important a conversion secret. Meanwhile, rumour grew ever more insistent in Sweden, and there is little doubt that the rumour was a death-blow to the old Chancellor Oxenstierna, already sick and discouraged as he was. That Christina should cast aside the sacred trust of the crown left her by Gustavus Adolphus had been a bitter disillusion to the old man; but that she should forsake the faith that her father had so fanatically loved was almost sacrilege. He could not face this, and in August, only two months after her abdication, he died.
The journey from Antwerp to Brussels was made by canal, and at the head of the procession was the gorgeous State barge, gilded and richly decorated, in which sat Christina and the Archduke. The banks were lined with people and soldiers who fired volleys in her honour. The sun set on all this magnificence, and Christina, as she floated through the stillness, could see through the twilight the city of Brussels far away across the flat country, lit by bonfires and thousands of torches, shining each moment more brightly like a great star on the horizon. An elaborate illumined "set piece" over the gates, was discerned as they approached, with two angels holding up a laurel wreath crowned with the name of Christina. Cannon roared, rockets flared[,] and all the bells of the city clanged and crashed as Christina went through the carpeted streets to the Archduke's palace, at three o'clock in the morning.
Later that day, Christmas Eve, in a private apartment of the Palace, she made her secret profession of the Catholic Faith.
Pimentelli was there, and so were Montecuculi and the Archduke. It was regarded as a miraculous coincidence that the artillery, which had had orders that all the guns of the city were to fire a volley at some time during the ceremony, hit upon the very moment when Christina was being absolved by the Dominican Père Guêmes who had been in attendance on Pimentelli in Sweden.
For seven weeks Christina was the guest of the Archduke. Her days and nights were filled with charming amusements. Mazarin sent a company of French players to entertain her. There were balls and hunting parties, tournaments and endless fireworks. Nor were the savants lacking. Vossius came to pay his respects, and was commissioned to buy more books, so he was able to add to his own library in the usual way. Gassendi, Bochart and Heinsius were among the faithful. But most of her protégés of the scholarly days became her bitterest enemies, and were responsible for much of the slander that was let loose in Europe, as soon as she abdicated, in lampoons and pasquinades, in striking contrast to the panegyrics of Stockholm.
Christina had wanted the Ulfelds to join her suite, but they had refused. There were other adventures in store for them. Ebba Sparre, too, had hurt Christina by declining to come with her. From Brussels she wrote to her:
"How supreme would be my good fortune if I could share it with you, and if you could see my happiness. I assure you that the gods might envy me if I could only have the joy of seeing you. But as I cannot have this satisfaction, I can only pray you to believe that wherever I am in this world, I shall treasure your precious memory, and that over there, beyond the mountains, I shall carry with me the passion and tenderness I have always felt for you.
Keep me at least in your dear memory, and do not spoil by forgetfulness the happiness of the one being in all the world who honours you most.
Adieu, Belle.
Remember your CHRISTINA.
PS. — I forgot to tell you that I am perfectly well, and that I am the object of a thousand honours here, and on good terms with all the world, except the Prince de Condé, whom I only see at the play and the Court. My occupations are to eat well, sleep well, study a little, talk, laugh and see the French, Italian and Spanish comedies, and to pass the time agreeably. Lastly, I hear no more sermons; I distrust orators, and I agree with Solomon that all is vanity, and everyone should eat, drink and be merry."
.......
That miraculous volley of guns at the moment of her absolution had not only made a deep impression on the Faithful, but the occasion of it could not well be kept from the world in general. What happened in Brussels was immediately known in Sweden. There were spies everywhere, and it is not likely that so loudly proclaimed an event should not reverberate in Stockholm. The rumour of her conversion had now become a certainty, and another event put the possibility of any more secrecy out of the question. Innocent X, who had not definitely insisted on the immediate public proclamation, died, and was succeeded by Cardinal Fabio Chigi, as Alexander VII. The King of Spain had been trying to negotiate her secret reception in Rome, but when Alexander came into power[,] he made it clear at once that she must openly avow her change of faith.
Christina again became seriously alarmed for her future. She knew the feeling that was growing in Sweden, and she could not ignore the reasonable resentment of her late Lutheran subjects at her duplicity. The Senate sent Count Tott to Brussels, hoping that his representations and the sight of one of the pleasantest people she had left behind her in Sweden might persuade her to change all her plans and come and spend the income they were going to be obliged to give her in her native land, and forget all about Rome and the Catholic religion. Few converts to Rome have escaped the futile eleventh-hour appeal from distracted relations and friends, and Christina was naturally less influenced than most by such a thing.
From Tott she gained a clear insight into the state of feeling in Sweden, and was driven to write an urgent letter to Charles X:
"SIR AND BROTHER, — Count Steinbergh, who is returning to Your Majesty's side, will assure you by word of mouth of the goodwill that I feel towards your Person and the Crown. I shall always preserve these sentiments, and I should deem myself unworthy of life if I were capable of losing the love I have for my country, and the friendship I feel for Your Majesty. These are sentiments that will last longer than my life. And I beg you to believe that I should be happy to render some service to my country by which I could acquit myself of the obligations of my birth. Meanwhile, I pray you to continue to give me your friendship, and to believe that I shall live and die,
Sir and Brother, etc.
CHRISTINA.
BRUSSELS,
March 30, 1655."
This letter was closely followed by another, more explicit, in which she frankly begs him to look after her interests, at the same time assuring him that she will never do anything that could prejudice the honour of the country she has left, and that all the evil rumours as to her conduct were false. She did not mention her conversion.
The progress of affairs with Rome went slowly, and Christina, after her visit to the Archduke, moved to the Palace of the Duc d'Egmont, where she began to live at her own expense. She had not been there long when all gaieties were suspended by the news of her mother's death in Stockholm. She retired to the country for three weeks, and when she returned to Brussels her life was much quieter, and the desire to move on towards Rome became keener. It was no use wasting money in Brussels which could be spent in Rome. There was nothing for it but to proclaim herself to the world and risk the consequences. The Pope was elated by the prospect of welcoming so distinguished a convert, and the advantages of her living in Rome were obvious.
Christina therefore started on her journey South in September. She had meanwhile collected her retinue, which was a very mixed assembly. The star was Don Antonio Pimentelli, who, as Ambassador Extraordinary to his Catholic Majesty Philip IV, was attended by a suite of twenty persons. Don Antonio de la Cueva y Silva was Grand Equerry, and his wife, of Flemish birth, chief lady-in-waiting to. Their suite consisted of eighteen persons. A good many odd people attached themselves in various capacities, in order to travel at Christina's expense to whatever destination on the road suited them. There were only four Swedes in the whole company, which amounted to about two hundred souls, including a guard of twenty-five, the Dominican Father Guêmes, only five women, and, of course, Italian musicians who were an absolute necessity to the Queen wherever she was.
France was gracefully represented by, among others, Gabriel Gilbert, the Parisian, her secretary. He was the author of plays good enough for Molière and Racine to dip into and help themselves when at a loss for quelques bons mots, and plenty of ingenious light verse, from which the following quatrain will serve to speed Christina and her cheerful company on their way:
"A LA REINE DE SUÈDE APRÈS SON ABDICATION
En servant cette Reine égale aux Amazones
Je n'aurai pas perdu six ans:
Car qui sçait donner des couronnes
Sçait bien faire d'autres presens."
Above: Kristina.
Above: Ebba Sparre.
Above: Karl Gustav.
Above: Claes Tott.
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