Source:
Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 238 to 241, by Francis William Bain, 1890; original at the University of Connecticut Library
Kristina's act of abdication, dated June 6/16 (Old Style), 1654, is here:
Karl Gustav's letter of assurance to Kristina, of the same date, is here:
Kristina's farewell speech is here:
The account:
At length the day came. On June 6, Christina and the king-elect entered the Senate, and the Act of abdication was read, by which she resigned the crown for ever, herself and her posterity, and recognized Charles as her successor, provided that he maintained her rights to her revenues. She was tied by no conditions except that of doing nothing injurious to the State; she was to be subject and accountable to no one, and was to reserve supreme power and jurisdiction over her domestics and the members of her household. This, and another Act, in which the Prince promised to observe these conditions, being signed, the grand officers clothed the Queen in her royal robes and placed the crown on her head; she took in her right hand the Sceptre, and in her left the Golden Ball; two Senators, representing the Grand Marshal and the Treasurer, went before her, carrying the Sword and the Key. In this state she entered the grand hall of the Castle, where all the Estates of the realm, the foreign ambassadors, and the ladies of the Court were assembled. She mounted the daïs, and sat for the last time in the silver throne: behind her were her Grand Chamberlain and her Captain of the Guard; on her left, the Prince.
Schering Rosenhane then read in a loud voice the two Acts, which he handed respectively to the Queen and the Prince. Then, at a given signal, the grand officers came forward to receive the royal insignia. But Count Brahé would not take the crown off her head, and she had to do it herself. Then she removed the royal mantle, which was seized by the nearest spectators, and torn into a thousand pieces: each one wishing to carry away a memorial of the Queen they were never again to see. Divested of her royal trappings, Christina, no longer the Queen, stepped forward in a dress of plain white silk, and spoke to the assembly, bidding them farewell in an affecting speech: — "I thank Almighty God, who caused me to be born of a royal stock, and raised me to be Queen over so large and mighty a kingdom: and for that he has granted me so uncommon a measure of success and blessing. I thank, too, those nobles who preserved the State when I was in tender years, and likewise the Senate and the Estates for the fidelity and attachment they have shown me." She then recounted all that had been done in Sweden during the ten years of her reign, and solemnly affirmed that in a difficult position she had done nothing for which she had to reproach herself; she had sacrificed her own time and repose to the welfare of her people. She spoke of her father, Gustavus Adolphus, and what he had done for Sweden; then[,] turning to the Prince, she praised his fine qualities, and predicted that he would increase the national glory. She bade them transfer to him the fidelity they had shown to her, and renew to him the oaths, from which she now released them, that they had taken to herself.
Her speech was received with profound emotion; few could restrain their tears. Schering Rosenhane made answer for the Estates, for the Chancellor would take no part in the ceremony. They were obliged to consent to a measure they disliked against their will; yet they thanked her for the trouble she had taken in their behalf. Then[,] addressing Charles Gustavus, the Queen bade him keep his eye fixed upon the great examples of his ancestors, protesting that his worth, and not his kinship, had caused her to choose him for her successor. She wished for no other recompense than that he would be kind and attentive to her mother, and those of her friends whom she had recommended to him. The Prince begged her to re-ascend the throne; but[,] finding this of no avail, he thanked her for her goodness to him, and promised to observe all her wishes. He next addressed the Senate and the Estates, who, through the mouth of Rosenhane, assured him of their love and obedience. Then[,] taking Christina by the hand[,] he led her back to her room.
The same afternoon his own coronation was performed, very simply, owing to the exhausted state of the finances. He caused a medal to be struck, to commemorate his gratitude. On the obverse was himself, as king — "CAROLUS GUSTAVUS REX"; on the reverse, a picture of Christina crowning him, with the motto: "A DEO ET CHRISTINA."
The reign of Christina had come to an end.
Above: Kristina.
Notes: Although the legend is famous and widespread, in reality Per Brahe did not refuse to take the crown off of Kristina's head, and Kristina did not take the crown off herself.
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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