Anna Brownell Jameson's biography of Kristina, part 15

Source:

Memoirs of celebrated female sovereigns, volume 1, pages 83 to 87, by Anna Brownell Jameson, 1831; original at the University of Toronto

https://archive.org/details/memoirsofcelebra02jameuoft/page/82/mode/2up

The biography:

She was received on her return to the Papal Court with a great display of external respect; and as she suffered continual embarrassment from the want of money and her careless habits, the Pope at length granted her a yearly allowance of 12,000 crowns, and appointed the Cardinal Azzolini to be the comptroller of her household. While Azzolini was in fact a kind of spy on all her proceedings, he contrived to insinuate himself completely into her confidence. He had a very pleasing person, bland and polished manners, a lively wit, and sufficient learning to be able to appear much more learned than he really was. These qualities imposed on Christina: although he was false, superficial, interested and avaricious, he obtained an influence over her mind, which he knew how to improve to his own advantage, and which ended only with her life.

Cardinal Azzolini managed her affairs with prudence and economy, and she was thenceforth spared a repetition of those vexations and degrading expedients which had so frequently lowered her in the eyes of the Italians. Notwithstanding the philosophical contempt she sometimes affected for all outward state, she entertained at Rome a numerous and royal train: she was sometimes reduced to the necessity of pledging her jewels, plate, medals &c., for the support of her household, merely because on public occasions she could not bear to be eclipsed in splendour by the Italian nobles, whom she affected to despise.

Although Christina accepted of the pension granted by the Pope, and had some reason to be grateful for such a seasonable mark of his beneficence, they were not therefore better friends. Alexander was weak, artificial, trifling; Christina was careless, petulant, and haughty; continual subjects of discontent arose between them, which it required all the subtle and insinuating genius of Azzolini to set right. Her journey to France, and the number of French and Spaniards entertained in her suite, had excited the jealousy of the Papal Court, and she was continually watched, and contradicted about trifles. On one occasion, she required permission for two Frenchmen of rank to view the Castle of St. Angelo, which was refused: Christina sent back the messenger with this reply: "Tell the Holy Father that I am not less the daughter of the Great Gustavus!" There was indeed a time when the very sound of that mighty name had shaken to its foundation the spiritual and temporal power of the Roman Pontiff, and made his tiara tremble on his palsied head: — that time was past; and Alexander only smiled at the impotent sarcasm from one whom he held in dependence upon his bounty. Christina had negociated a marriage between her Major Domo, Santinelli, (the same who had stabbed Monaldeschi [sic],) and the Duchess de Ceri, a noble and beautiful Roman heiress. The Pope intimated his disapproval — Christina persisted: the Pope interfering in a summary manner, shut the young duchess up in a convent, and ordered Santinelli to leave Rome. The queen then dismissed all the Italians from her train, quitted the Palazzo Mazarin, and took up her lodgings in a convent. Here she found herself under the continual espionage of the ecclesiastics. She fretted with inward impatience, but she was in a situation where remonstrance was useless, complaint degrading, and resistance dangerous. It was necessary to study a new and bitter lesson; to be quiet, and to submit. In the midst of these contentions, she maintained a certain appearance of respect and decorum, mingled several times in the public processions, and begged and received the benediction of his Holiness. As if instigated by the spirit of contradiction, she took some pains at this time to conciliate the good will of the Romans: she was liberal, magnificent, and courteous, in all her actions, and defeated the attempts to intimidate or to irritate her by the most resolute self-control.

It must be remarked as a part of Christina's character, or rather of that inconsistency which bordered on disease, that with her no mode of conduct, no tastes or inclinations, or aims, or pursuits, were permanent. Her love of literature and art, for which, it is said, she sacrificed her throne, had the appearance of a caprice taken up from time to time; and for a long period together she would devote herself to the most trifling amusements; — to the dreams of alchemy, or astrology, or to political intrigues.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Anna Brownell Jameson.

Letter forwarded by Kristina to Azzolino, dated March 16/26 (New Style), 1667

Source:

Riksarkivet, page 17 in K 429 (Nr 36)/Alchimia et Astrologia; Azzolinosamlingen; Kungliga arkiv

https://sok.riksarkivet.se/nad/?postid=Arkis+7cffa879-0ccb-49d4-a8be-ac58d745b94e&s=Balder

The letter (with Kristina's handwriting in italics):

Ambstelodami 26 Martij 1667.

Peregrinus Philosophus in uili habitu. Doctori Heluetio remonstrauit, Se lapidem intra triduum perfecisse, biduum in præparacione salis impendit, quod difficillimum est, et medium tantum diem in præparatione sulphuris et mercurij, quod pro puerorum lusu reputandum, totum Simul non expetit sumptus maiores tribus florenis hollandicis.

Post diuturnas preces P[h]ilosophus 36 vel quadraginta annorum in hollandia occidentali prope Sparendam natus, modicum de lapide com̄unicauit seminis milij dimidium, à quo Philosophus adhuc medietatem abstulit, atqz in ignem coniecit, dicens medietatem sufficere, ita ut quasi impalpabilis athomus fuerit, quod Heluetius ceræ inclusit, et sequenti die in præsentia multorum supra quantitatem plumbi in crucibulo liquefacti proiecit, et statim optimum aurum confecit: inconsiderate odiecerat aliquid argenti Heluetius, quod per crucibulum instar aureorum florum se dispersit. Accepit deinde de hoc acero pondus trium solidorum anglicorum, et cum pondere quindecim argenteorum fudit, atqz in aqua forti separauit, hos tres solidos aceri, duos de argento tinxisse reperit, quod aurum in testa cum septem partibus antimonij probatum est, et optimum repertum, at modo nemo scit, quo se Philosophus ille contulerit ⸓

H[el]vetius est vn Medecin de la princesse dorange [sic] qui a escrit Contre la piere[.]

Je vous envoy la Copie de cette lettre qui est escrit[e] dvne homme digne de foix.

With modernised spelling (with Kristina's grammar and spelling mistakes preserved as much as possible):

Amstelodami, 26 martii 1667.

Peregrinus philosophus in vili habitu. Doctori Helvetio remonstravit, se lapidem intra triduum perfecisse, biduum in præparatione salis impendit, quod difficillimum est, et medium tantum diem in præparatione sulphuris et mercurii, quod pro puerorum lusu reputandum, totum simul non expetit sumptus majores tribus florenis Hollandicis.

Post diuturnas preces philosophus 36 vel quadraginta annorum in Hollandia occidentali prope Sparendam natus, modicum de lapide communicavit seminis milii dimidium, a quo philosophus adhuc medietatem abstulit, atque in ignem conjecit, dicens medietatem sufficere, ita ut quasi impalpabilis atomus fuerit, quod Helvetius ceræ inclusit; et sequenti die in præsentia multorum supra quantitatem plumbi in crucibulo liquefacti projecit, et statim optimum aurum confecit. Inconsiderate odjecerat aliquid argenti Helvetius, quod per crucibulum instar aureorum florum se dispersit.

Accepit deinde de hoc acero pondus trium solidorum Anglicorum, et cum pondere quindecim argenteorum fudit, atque in aqua forti separavit. Hos tres solidos aceri, duos de argento tinxisse reperit, quod aurum in testa cum septem partibus antimonii probatum est, et optimum repertum. At modo nemo scit, quo se philosophus ille contulerit.

H[el]vétius est un medecin de la princesse d'Orange [sic] qui a écrit contre la pierre.

Je vous envoie la copie de cette lettre, qui est écrit[e] d'une homme digne de foix [sic].

French translation (my own; Kristina's original French in italics and with regular modernised spelling and grammar):

Amsterdam, le 26 mars 1667.

Un philosophe itinérant, vêtu de vêtements bon marché, montra au docteur Helvétius qu'il avait achevé la pierre en trois jours, passé deux jours à préparer le sel (très difficile) et seulement une demi-journée à préparer le soufre et le mercure (un jeu d'enfant), le tout pour un coût n'excédant pas trois florins hollandais.

Après de longues prières, le philosophe, âgé de 36 ou 40 ans et né dans l'ouest de la Hollande, près de Spaarndam, partagea un peu de la pierre, une demi-graine de millet. Il en retira encore la moitié et la jeta au feu, affirmant que la moitié suffisait. Il en réduisit la quantité à un atome presque impalpable, qu'Helvétius enferma dans de la cire. Le lendemain, devant une foule nombreuse, il jeta un surplus de plomb dans un creuset de plomb en fusion et obtint aussitôt de l'or pur. Helvétius avait imprudemment jeté un peu d'argent, qui se répandit dans le creuset comme des fleurs d'or.

Il prit ensuite de cet érable l'équivalent de trois shillings anglais, les mélangea à quinze pièces d'argent et les sépara dans de l'eau concentrée. Il constata que ces trois shillings étaient teintés avec de l'érable, et que deux d'entre eux étaient en argent. Ce dernier, testé dans un récipient contenant sept parties d'antimoine, se révéla être le meilleur. Mais à ce jour, nul ne sait ce qu'est devenu ce philosophe.

H[el]vétius est un medecin de la princesse d'Orange [sic] qui a écrit contre la pierre.

Je vous envoie la copie de cette lettre, qui est écrit[e] d'une homme digne de foi.

Dutch translation (my own):

Amsterdam, 26 maart 1667.

Een rondreizende filosoof in goedkope kleren. Hij toonde dokter Helvetius dat hij de steen binnen drie dagen had voltooid, twee dagen had besteed aan de bereiding van het zout, wat zeer moeilijk is, en slechts een halve dag aan de bereiding van de zwavel en het kwikzilver, wat als kinderspel beschouwd mag worden, alles bij elkaar niet meer dan drie Hollandse florijnen kostte.

Na langdurige gebeden deelde de filosoof — die 36 of 40 jaar oud was en geboren in West-Holland, nabij Spaarndam — een klein stukje van de steen af, ter grootte van een halve gierstkorrel. Hiervan verwijderde de filosoof echter nog eens de helft, die hij in het vuur wierp met de woorden dat de helft volstond; zo bleef er slechts een vrijwel ongrijpbaar atoom over, dat Helvetius in was insloot. De volgende dag wierp hij, in het bijzijn van velen, een overmaat aan lood in een smeltkroes vol gesmolten lood, en maakte daaruit onmiddellijk het fijnste goud. Helvetius had onbedachtzaam wat zilver weggeworpen, dat zich als gouden bloemen door de smeltkroes verspreidde.

Vervolgens nam hij van deze esdoorn een gewicht ter waarde van drie Engelse shillings, goot dit samen met een gewicht van vijftien zilverstukken en scheidde het in sterk water. Hij ontdekte dat deze drie shillings met esdoorn waren gekleurd en dat twee ervan uit zilver bestonden; dit werd getest in een vat met zeven delen antimoon en bleek van de allerbeste kwaliteit te zijn. Maar tot op de dag van vandaag weet niemand waar die filosoof naartoe is gegaan.

Helvetius is arts van de Prinses van Oranje [sic], die geschreven heeft tegen de steen.

Ik stuur u een kopie van deze brief, die geschreven is door een man die het vertrouwen waard is.

Swedish translation (my own):

Amsterdam, den 26 mars 1667.

En vandrande filosof i billiga kläder. Han visade doktor Helvetius att han hade färdigställt stenen på tre dagar, tillbringat två dagar med att förbereda saltet, vilket är mycket svårt, och bara en halv dag med att förbereda svavel och kvicksilver, vilket borde betraktas som en barnlek, då allt detta inte krävde mer än tre holländska floriner.

Efter långa böner delade filosofen, som var 36 eller 40 år gammal och född i västra Holland, nära Spaarndam, lite av stenen, ett halvt hirsfrö, från vilket filosofen fortfarande tog bort hälften, och kastade det i elden och sade att hälften var tillräckligt, så att det var nästan en omärkbar atom, som Helvetius inneslöt i vax; och följande dag, i mångas närvaro, kastade han ett överskott av bly i en degel av smält bly och tillverkade omedelbart det finaste guldet. Helvetius hade tanklöst kastat bort lite silver, som spred sig genom degeln likt gyllene blommor.

Sedan tog han från denna lönn en vikt på tre engelska shilling, hällde den med en vikt på femton silvermynt och skilde den i starkt vatten. Han fann att dessa tre shilling var färgade med lönn, och två av dem var gjorda av silver, vilket testades i ett kärl med sju delar antimon och befanns vara det bästa. Men ännu vet ingen vart den filosofen har tagit vägen.

Helvetius är läkare åt prinsessan av Oranien [sic] som har skrivit mot stenen.

Jag sänder Er en kopia av detta brev, som är skrivet av en man värdig tro.

English translation (my own):

Amsterdam, March 26, 1667.

A wandering philosopher in cheap clothes. He showed Dr. Helvetius that he had completed the stone within three days, spent two days in preparing the salt, which is very difficult, and only half a day in preparing the sulphur and mercury, which should be considered child's play, all together requiring no more than three Dutch florins.

After long prayers, the philosopher, who was 36 or 40 years old and was born in western Holland, near Spaarndam, shared a little of the stone, half a millet seed, from which the philosopher still removed half, and threw it into the fire, saying that half was enough, so that it was almost an impalpable atom, which Helvetius enclosed in wax; and the following day, in the presence of many, he threw an excess of lead into a crucible of molten lead, and immediately made the finest gold. Helvetius had thoughtlessly discarded some silver, which scattered itself through the crucible like golden flowers.

He then took from this maple a weight of three English shillings, and poured it with a weight of fifteen silver pieces, and separated it in strong water. He found that these three shillings were dyed with maple, and two of them were made of silver, which was tested in a vessel with seven parts of antimony, and was found to be the best. But as of yet, no one knows where that philosopher has gone.

Helvetius is a doctor to the Princess of Orange [sic] who has written against the stone.

I am sending you a copy of this letter, which is written by a man worthy of faith.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Cardinal Decio Azzolino.

Above: Helvetius (Johann Friedrich Schweitzer).

Notes: The stone = the philosopher's stone, a mythic alchemical substance capable of turning base metals such as lead or mercury into gold or silver. Alchemists believed that it could be used to make an elixir of life which made possible rejuvenation and immortality.

Helvetius = Johann Friedrich Schweitzer (1630-1709), a Dutch physician and alchemical writer of German extraction. He is known for his books Ichts aus Nichts, für alle Begierigen der Natur (1655), Vitulus Aureus (The Golden Calf, 1667; published under the pseudonym Joakim Philander), and Miraculo transmutandi Metallica (1667).

After Helvetius moved to The Hague, he became physician to Prince Willem of Orange-Nassau, the future King William III of England (1650-1702). The only previous Princess of Orange at the time this letter was written was Mary Henrietta of England (born 1631), who had already passed away in 1660. The next one would be Queen Mary II of England (1662-1694), who became Princess of Orange when she married Willem/William in 1677.

Ludvig Holberg's biography of Kristina, part 8

Source:

Adskillige Heltinders og navnkundige Damers sammenlignede Historier, volume 2, pages 226 to 228, by Ludvig Holberg, 1745; original at The British Library

https://books.google.com/books?id=CR8Zz17Em00C&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The biography:

Efterat hun længe allevegne havde omflakket, begyndte hun at laborere af Penge-Mangel, helst da Sverrig, hvorfra hun havde sine Indkomster, blev indviklet i en saa kostbar Kriig, og derfore Remiserne ginge ikke saa rigtig meere, hvilket ophidsede hende saaledes mod Carl Gustav, at hun 1659 lovede Keyseren at opvække Rebellion i Pomern, og at skille Sverrig ved samme Province: Dog, saasom hun ikke længe var ved eet Sind, stod hun fra det Forsæt igien, og lod sig nøye med at besværge sig over Caroli Gustavi Utaknemmelighed. Men man kunde sige til samme Konges saavel som heele Sverrigs Undskyldning, først at Riget havde stor Penge-Mangel paa samme Tiid: Dernest at de aarlige Indkomster vare hende tillagde ikke for at prostituere Nationen, og at vanære hendes store Faders-Ihukommelse, ved at forsværge den Religion, som han ved sit Blod havde beskyttet: item ved at spille Comœdier udenlands, og at agere en vandrende Ridder. Den Afgang udi hendes aarlige Pension af Sverrig foraarsagede, at hun saae sig intet Middel til at holde sin begyndte Stat ved lige. Men Pave Alexander 7, som stedse havde ladet see Affection mod hende, gav hende aarligen til Underholdning 12000 Scudi, og beordrede til Forvalter derover Cardinal Azzolini, hvilken med saadan Fornuft og Agtsomhed førte hendes Cassa, at der imod Sædvane altid siden bleve Penge i Behold: og var det saavel i den Henseende som til hans behagelige Omgiengelse Dronningen fattede saadan Yndest til ham, at hun lovede at ville giøre ham til sin eeneste Arving. Om ellers nogen anden hemmelig Aarsag kand have tilveyebragt denne Affection, kand for vist ikke siges: Adskillige have henført den til en utilladelig Elskov. Men det kand være en Gisning uden Grund.

Paa samme Tiid døde Carl Gustav Kongen af Sverrig; hvorunder Dronning Christine fandt nødigt at giøre en Reyse til sit Fæderneland, for at i Agt tage sin Interesse ved en nye Regiering. Hun brød op fra Rom udi det Aar 1660, og reysede igiennem Dannemark til Sverrig, hvor hun med all Æres Beviisning blev imodtagen. Men alting bestod ikkun i Complimenter: thi den største Deel af Stænderne, som da vare forsamlede, sær de Geistlige, holdte for, at hun formedelst Religionens-Forandring efter Sverrigs Lov havde forbrudt all sin Ret, hvilket forbittrede Dronningen saa, at hun 3 gange faldt udi Graad, og, ligesom Stænderne beraabede sig paa Sverrigs Lov, saa beraabte hun sig paa den Convention, som ved hendes Afskeed var giort. Dog, saasom hun merkede, at hun med Haardhed intet kunde udrette, begyndte hun omsider at give gode Ord, og bad, at hende maatte tillades at holde Messe udi hendes eget Pallads. Dette blev hende ogsaa nægtet, hvorudover hun lod sit Capell nedrive, og gav de Romanske Præste Afskeed, som hun havde bragt med sig, ladende sig nøye med at bivaane GUds-Tienesten udi den Franske Gesandts Terlons Huus. Tvistighederne, angaaende hendes Prætensioner, varede en Tiid lang. Man forsikkrede hende endeligen om hendes Pension: Men, da hun paastod, at, hvis den unge Konge døde uden Livs-Arvinger, Kronen skulde tilfalde hende igien, blev saadant ikke alleene afslaaet, men hun blev ogsaa tilholden at fornye den Renuntiation, som hun engang tilforn havde giort.

With modernised spelling:

Efterat hun længe allevegne havde omflakket, begyndte hun at laborere af pengemangel, helst da Sverige, hvorfra hun havde sine indkomster, blev indviklet i en så kostbar krig, og derfore remisserne ginge ikke så rigtig mere, hvilket ophidsede hende således mod Karl Gustav, at hun 1659 lovede kejseren at opvække rebellion i Pommern, og at skille Sverige ved samme provins; dog, såsom hun ikke længe var ved ét sind, stod hun fra det forsæt igen og lod sig nøje med at besværge sig over Caroli Gustavi utaknemmelighed.

Men man kunne sige til samme konges såvel som hele Sveriges undskyldning, først at riget havde stor pengemangel på samme tid; dernæst at de årlige indkomster vare hende tillagde ikke for at prostituere nationen, og at vanære hendes store faders ihukommelse ved at forsværge den religion, som han ved sit blod havde beskyttet; item ved at spille komedier udenlands og at agere en vandrende ridder.

Den afgang udi hendes årlige pension af Sverige forårsagede, at hun så sig intet middel til at holde sin begyndte stat ved lige. Men pave Alexander 7., som stedse havde ladet se affektion mod hende, gav hende årligen til underholdning 12,000 scudi og beordrede til forvalter derover kardinal Azzolini, hvilken med sådan fornuft og agtsomhed førte hendes kasse, at der imod sædvane altid siden bleve penge i behold; og var det såvel i den henseende som til hans behagelige omgængelse dronningen fattede sådan yndest til ham, at hun lovede at ville gøre ham til sin éneste arving. Om ellers nogen anden hemmelig årsag kan have tilvejebragt denne affektion, kan for vist ikke siges; adskillige have henført den til en utilladelig elskov. Men det kan være en gisning uden grund.

På samme tid døde Karl Gustav, kongen af Sverige, hvorunder dronning Kristina fandt nødigt at gøre en rejse til sit fæderneland, for at iagttage sin interesse ved en nye regering. Hun brød op fra Rom udi det år 1660 og rejsede igennem Danmark til Sverige, hvor hun med all æresbevisning blev imodtagen.

Men alting bestod ikkun i komplimenter, thi den største del af Stænderne, som da vare forsamlede, sær de gejstlige, holdte for, at hun formedelst religionensforandring efter Sveriges lov havde forbrudt all sin ret, hvilket forbitrede dronningen så, at hun 3 gange faldt udi gråd; og, ligesom Stænderne beråbede sig på Sveriges lov, så beråbte hun sig på den konvention, som ved hendes afsked var gjort.

Dog, såsom hun mærkede, at hun med hårdhed intet kunne udrette, begyndte hun omsider at give gode ord og bad, at hende måtte tillades at holde messe udi hendes eget palads. Dette blev hende også nægtet, hvorudover hun lod sit kapel nedrive og gav de romanske præste afsked, som hun havde bragt med sig, ladende sig nøje med at bivåne gudstjenesten udi den franske gesandts Terlons hus.

Tvistighederne angående hendes prætensioner varede en tid lang. Man forsikrede hende endeligen om hendes pension; men, da hun påstod, at, hvis den unge konge døde uden livsarvinger, kronen skulle tilfalde hende igen, blev sådant ikke alene afslået, men hun blev også tilholden at forny den renunciation, som hun engang tilforn havde gjort.

English translation (my own):

After she had wandered everywhere for a long time, she began to suffer from lack of money, especially when Sweden, from which she had her income, became embroiled in such a costly war, and therefore the remittances did not go so well anymore, which so infuriated her against Karl Gustav that in 1659 she promised the Emperor to stir up rebellion in Pomerania and to separate Sweden from the same province; however, as she was not of one mind for long, she abandoned that intention again and contented herself with complaining about Karl Gustav's ingratitude.

But one could say for the same King's as well as all of Sweden's excuse firstly that the kingdom had a great shortage of money at the same time; secondly, that the annual incomes were not appropriated to her for prostituting the nation and dishonouring the memory of her great father by abjuring the religion which he had protected with his blood, as well as by playing comedies abroad and acting as a knight errant.

The stop of her annual pension from Sweden caused her to see no means of maintaining her begun state. But Pope Alexander VII, who had always shown affection for her, gave her 12,000 scudi annually for maintenance and ordered Cardinal Azzolino to be the manager of it, who managed her treasury with such prudence and care that, contrary to custom, money was always left over; and it was in this respect as well as in his pleasant company that the Queen took such a liking to him that she promised to make him her sole heir. Whether any other secret cause could have brought about this affection cannot certainly be said; several have attributed it to an impermissible love affair. But this may be a guess without foundation.

At the same time, Karl Gustav, King of Sweden, died, during which time Queen Kristina found it necessary to make a journey to her fatherland, to observe her interest in a new government. She set out from Rome in the year 1660 and travelled through Denmark to Sweden, where she was received with all honours.

But everything consisted only of compliments, for the greater part of the Estates who were then assembled, especially the clergy, held that by changing her religion she had violated all her rights under Swedish law, which so embittered the Queen that she fell into weeping three times; and, just as the Estates invoked Swedish law, so she invoked the convention that had been made at her departure.

However, as she felt that she could accomplish nothing by harshness, she finally began to give good words and asked that she might be allowed to celebrate Mass in her own palace. This was also refused to her, whereupon she had her chapel demolished and dismissed the Roman priests whom she had brought with her, contenting herself with attending the service in the house of the French envoy Terlon.

The disputes concerning her pretensions lasted a long time. She was finally assured of her pension; but when she claimed that if the young King died without heirs of his body, the crown should fall to her again, this was not only refused, but she was also required to renew the renunciation which she had made once before.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Ludvig Holberg.

Corrado Ricci on Kristina's life in Italy, part 8

Sources:

Cristina di Svezia in Italia, article written by Corrado Ricci for Nuova antologia di scienze, lettere ed arti, volume 41 (125), pages 42 to 43, published by the Direction of Nuova antologia, 1892; original at the Bavarian State Library (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek)

https://books.google.com/books?id=wr6lJEO7mjkC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Roma, visioni e figure: con 29 illustrazioni, pages 158 to 162, by Corrado Ricci, 1925; original at Cornell University

https://books.google.com/books?id=j31oPsGNy5IC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Kristina's letter of September 11/21 (New Style), 1688 to Gianmattia del Monte is here:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2020/08/kristinas-letter-to-marquis-horazio_30.html

Her letter of March 20/30 (Old Style), 1689 to Johan Olivekrantz is here:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2020/04/kristinas-letter-to-johan-olivekrantz.html

The article (the part in brackets is from the 1925 version):

Giulia, l'indovina, la vigilia di Natale del 1688, disse che la regina sarebbe morta nell'anno seguente. I cortigiani mostrarono d'indignarsi della profezia, ma Cristina mormorò malinconicamente di crederlo. Ordinò, di più, allo scultore Francesco Maria Anconitano un progetto pel suo sepolcro.

Intanto cominciava la morìa in casa di lei. Primo cadeva, come fulminato, improvvisamente, il marchese Del Monte mentre attendeva ai preparativi di una festa cui dovevano prender parte tre cantarine. Cristina gli fece fare solenni funerali e scrisse una lettera al figlio dell'estinto concludendo: «Pregate Dio che mi conservi la vita, e vedrete che cosa farò io per voi». — Anche in quelle parole «Pregate Dio che mi conservi la vita» suona come un timore non lontano della tomba.

Ma la voce della sua Sibilla e gli stessi suoi presentimenti interni la toglievano forse alle violenze? Cristina non pensava ancora di prepararsi cristianamente alla fine: tornava invece alla prepotenza mal rispondendo all'ambasciatore di Francia intorno a una ferita data da un suo bravo ad un gentiluomo; tornava invece al sangue, facendo uccidere uno sbirro.

La notte del 13 febbraio 1688 Cristina, già attaccata dalla risipola, fu colta da un così fiero accidente che da prima si credette perduta. Rinvenne e stette discretamente per tre giorni, dopo i quali tornò a sentirsi male e domandò il viatico con profonda rassegnazione chiedendo, anche, al papa perdono di tutte le noie procurategli. Ma sopravvisse ancora lungamente tormentata solo ad intervalli.

Il 20 marzo, credendosi quasi guarita, scriveva: «Dieu m'a voulu arracher d'entre les bras de la mort contre mon espérance. Cependant je suis encore pleine de vie, par le miracle de la grace, de la nature et de l'art, qui ont conspiré à me rendre la santé et la vie». Tutti credevano oramai nella sua guarigione e molti se ne compiacevano perchè infatti la regina, col beneficare generosamente e aiutare le scienze e le lettere, si era fatti perdonar molti errori. Il d'Alibert fece cantare un Te Deum, cui seguirono altri «ringraziamenti al cielo» promossi da mercanti, artisti e virtuosi.

Verso la metà d'aprile, Cristina ebbe una terribile ricaduta, peggiorata per la rabbia presa sentendo che un tal Vannini [sic] prelato, avea cercato di violentare, nel suo palazzo, Giorgina cantante al suo servizio. Ella lo voleva morto, ma un bravo lo fece fuggire procurando per tal modo alla signora un nuovo accesso di furore.

Peggiorata subito, alle sei del mattino del 19 moriva, non agitata, come scrisse lo Zieglers dall'ombra del Monaldeschi, ma dolcissimamente.

Fu sepolta in San Pietro con solenni funerali cui prese parte Innocenzo, che doveva sopravviverle per sei mesi appena.

[Troviamo, in data del 23 aprile 1689, una relazione inedita spedita al Duca di Modena, dalla quale ci piace trarre alcuni brani caratteristici e importanti.

«Peggiorata, la domenica sera, la regina di Svezia con nuova febbre e con pessimi accidenti, si ridusse in stato di disperata salute onde alle due ore fu comunicata per viatico, alle quattro ore ebbe l'olio santo, alle cinque le fu raccomandata l'anima, e il papa le mandò la benedizione pontificia. Lunendì mattina poi, i medici le diedero la solita pillola di Tagliano, che la cominciò a sgravare a segno tale, che prese riposo e speranza, che poco durarono, perchè la stessa sera tornatale la febbre con accidenti pessimi, martedì, suonate le dodici ore, morse quasi dormendo. Tutta la sua corte anzi Roma piange amaramente la detta morte, e lo stesso pontefice ha pianto, mentre faceva una grande stima delle virtù e merito di sì gran principessa.

«Due ore dopo la di lei morte, fu letto il suo testamento rogato al primo di marzo. Lascia che, vestita di bianco, sia portata privatamente nella chiesa della Rotonda a seppellire senza minima pompa, e che nel suo sepolcro non si ponga altra iscrizione che la seguente: Vixit Christina Deo annos 63; che se le dicano ventimila messe; che se le fondino tre cappellanie con messa perpetua in San Pietro, a disposizione dell'erede, che universale istituisce il Cardinal Decio Azzolini, con che paghi tutti i suoi debiti, e adempia i legati, che in quantità ha fatti. Lascia suo esecutore testamentario il papa, a cui anco lascia il famoso busto del Salvatore scolpito dal celebre cavalier Bernino, assieme coi due angeli e piedestallo di porfido che lo sostengono. Mercoledì mattina fu sparato il di lei cadavere; e si è trovato esser morta d'una risipola di petto, con tutte l'interiore abbruciate, ed un poco di sangue coagulato accanto il cuore.

«Avendo Nostro Signore ordinato, che se le facessero pompose esequie in qualche chiesa principale, aveva il Cardinale Azzolino dato l'assenso perchè fossero fatte in Sant'Ignazio dove avevano già cominciato a preparare; ma il papa ordinò che si facessero alla Chiesa Nuova, dove fattosi l'apparato lugubre fu ammirabile per l'architettura e la ricchezza, e ieri sera alle due ore fu trasportato il cadavere dal suo palazzo alla detta chiesa, nella sua gran carrozza di velluto piano paonazzo, preceduta da altre dieci della sua corte, pure con scorruccio, con ventiquattro torcie portate da valletti e contornata dalla sua Guardia Svizzera.

«Alle diciotto ore sono cominciate le processioni alle quali intervennero tutti li Cleri, con tutte le Confraternite e alle venti ore si principiarono l'esequie cantate dai musici di cappella coll'intervento di venti Cardinali. Tutta Roma è stata tutt'oggi impegnata per questa funzione, mentre sono duecento e ottanta anni che simile non s'è veduta, dopo la morte di Carlotta di Savoia regina di Cipro. È stato il regio cadavere posto in una cassa di cipresso, e poi in altra di piombo, volendo il Papa che sia sotterrata in San Pietro, dove le si farà nobil sepolcro dirimpetto a quello della contessa Matilde. Le spese dell'esequie le farà l'erede, cioè quelle dove era esposta e per tutto il funerale; pel restante, la Camera Apostolica. Avea una maschera d'argento massiccio sopra la faccia, giacchè la sua carne s'era guasta benchè imbalsamata.

«Lascia detta regina all'Imperatore, al re di Francia, al re di Spagna, al re di Svezia e all'Elettor di Brandeburgo un legato come anco a tutti i Cardinali suoi amici, in conformità di quanto a viva voce ha detto all'erede, al quale lascia li crediti di Svezia e d'altronde, conforme le scritture che si confermano.

«L'inviato di Branderburgo [sic] ha fatto la minuta di una protesta a nome del re di Svezia, di cui ha procura, per riavere li quadri, arazzi e gioie portate di là col patto di doversi riportare dopo morte, e ieri detto inviato, avanti Monsignor Tommasi primo Luogotenente dell'Auditore della Camera, fece istanza a nome dell'Elettore suo signore, per la restituzione della dote della madre di Sua Maestà, che era sorella del fu Elettore, ed ha detto inviato spedito corriere in Svezia e Brandeburgo per tal causa. La Camera ancor essa ha fatto le minute delle sue istanze per la restituzione di settantaduemila scudi somministratile in sei anni in mille scudi il mese. In somma si vede avverato il pronostico del Chiaravalle che per l'ultimo quarto della luna di marzo si minacciano grandi litigi per la morte d'una gran dama.»]

Cristina fu proprio donna del suo tempo. Ebbe i difetti e i pregi del suo secolo, secolo di vivi contrasti fra la violenza e la pietà, tra il bene e il male, tra la superstizione e la scienza. Ella visse pertanto destando ammirazioni ed odii, procurandosi epigrammi e panegirici, ma in fondo ammirata e temuta.

Più tardi col sorgere di nuovi ideali, un'altra regina placherà col suo sangue le ire accumulate dalle pretese e dalle violenze del secolo di Cristina e del secolo di Caterina II!

CORRADO RICCI.

English translation (my own):

On Christmas Eve 1688, Giulia, the fortuneteller, predicted that the Queen would die the following year. The courtiers were outraged by the prophecy, but Kristina sadly murmured that she believed it. She also commissioned the sculptor Francesco Maria Anconitano to design her sepulchre.

In the meantime, the deaths began in her house. The first to fall, like lightning, was the Marquis del Monte, suddenly, while preparing for a party at which three singers were to attend. Kristina held a solemn funeral for him and wrote a letter to the deceased's son, concluding: "Pray to God that He may preserve my life, and you will see what I will do for you." — Even those words, "Pray to God that He may preserve my life", sound like a fear not far from the grave.

But did the voice of her Sibyl and her own internal forebodings perhaps deter her from violence? Kristina still did not think of preparing herself in a Christian manner for the end: instead, she returned to arrogance, responding rudely to the French ambassador about a wound inflicted by one of her bravoes on a gentleman; instead, she returned to bloodshed, having a Sbirro killed.

On the night of February 13, 1688, Kristina, already suffering from erysipelas, was struck by such a terrible attack that at first she thought she was lost. She recovered and remained reasonably well for three days, after which she began to feel ill again and asked for the viaticum with profound resignation, also asking the Pope for forgiveness for all the trouble she had caused him. But she survived for a long time, tormented only intermittently.

On March 20, believing herself almost cured, she wrote:

"Dieu m'a voulu arracher d'entre les bras de la mort contre mon espérance. Cependant je suis encore pleine de vie, par le miracle de la grace, de la nature et de l'art, qui ont conspiré à me rendre la santé et la vie".

["God has willed to snatch me from the very arms of death, against all my hope. In the meantime I remain full of life, through the miracle of grace, nature and art, which have conspired to restore to me both health and life."]

Everyone now believed in her recovery, and many were pleased, for the Queen, by generously benefiting and supporting the sciences and literature, had earned forgiveness for many of her mistakes. D'Alibert had a Te Deum sung, which was followed by other "thanksgivings to Heaven" promoted by merchants, artists and virtuosi.

Towards the middle of April, Kristina suffered a terrible relapse, worsened by the rage she felt upon hearing that a certain Vannini [sic], a prelate, had attempted to violate Giorgina, a singer in her service, in her palazzo. She wanted him dead, but a bravo helped him escape, thus provoking her into a new fit of rage.

She immediately worsened, and at six in the morning on the 19th she died, not agitated, as Zieglers wrote, by the shadow of Monaldeschi, but very gently.

She was buried in St. Peter's with a solemn funeral attended by Innocent, who was to outlive her by just six months.

[We find, dated April 23, 1689, an unpublished report sent to the Duke of Modena, from which we would like to extract some characteristic and important passages.

"Having worsened on Sunday evening, the Queen of Sweden, with a new fever and terrible accidents, was reduced to a state of desperate health. At two o'clock she received the communion of the viaticum, at four o'clock she received the holy oil, at five o'clock her soul was recommended, and the Pope sent her his papal blessing. Then, on Monday morning, the doctors gave her the usual Tagliano pill [enema], which began to relieve her pain so much that she gained rest and hope, but these did not last long, because that same evening her fever returned with terrible accidents; on Tuesday, at twelve o'clock, she died almost while asleep. Her entire court, indeed Rome, bitterly mourned the said death, and the Pope himself wept, while making great esteem of the virtues and the merit of such a great princess.

"Two hours after her death, her will, drawn up on March 1, was read. It allowed her, dressed in white, to be carried privately to the Rotonda Church to be buried without the slightest pomp, and that no other inscription be placed on her tomb than the following: Vixit Christina Deo annos 63; that twenty thousand masses be said for her; that three chaplaincies with perpetual mass be founded in St. Peter's, at the disposal of the universal heir, Cardinal Decio Azzolino being instituted as such, with which he will pay all her debts and fulfill the numerous legacies he has made. She left the Pope as the executor of her will, to whom she also left the famous bust of the Savior sculpted by the celebrated Cavalier Bernini, together with the two angels and porphyry pedestal that support it. Her body was buried on Wednesday morning; and she was found to have died of erysipelas of the chest, with all her insides burned, and a little coagulated blood near her heart.

"Our Lord having ordered that a pompous funeral be held in some principal church, Cardinal Azzolino had given his consent for it to be held at Sant'Ignazio, where preparations had already begun; but the Pope ordered that it be held in the Chiesa Nuova, where the mournful ceremonies were admirable for their architecture and richness. Last night at two o'clock the cadaver was transported from its palazzo to the said church in its large purple velvet carriage, preceded by ten others from its court, also with a short ride, with twenty-four torches carried by valets and surrounded by its Swiss Guard.

"At six o'clock the processions began, attended by all the clergy, along with all the Confraternities, and at twenty o'clock the funeral began, sung by the chapel musicians and attended by twenty cardinals. All of Rome has been engaged in this function to this day, while nothing like it has been seen for two hundred and eighty years, since the death of Karlotta of Savoy, Queen of Cyprus. The royal cadaver was placed in a coffin of cypress wood, and then in another of lead, as the Pope desired that it be buried in St. Peter's, where a noble tomb will be erected opposite that of Countess Matilde. The funeral expenses will be covered by the heir, namely those where she was exposed and for the entire funeral; the remainder will be covered by the Apostolic Chamber. She wore a solid silver mask over her face, since her flesh had deteriorated even though she was embalmed.

"The said Queen leaves a legacy to the Emperor, to the King of France, to the King of Spain, to the King of Sweden and to the Elector of Brandenburg, as well as to all the cardinals, her friends, in accordance with what she has spoken to her heir, to whom she leaves the credits of Sweden and elsewhere, in accordance with the writings which are confirmed.

"The envoy from Brandenburg has drawn up a protest in the name of the King of Sweden, from whom he has a proxy, to recover the paintings, tapestries and jewels taken from there, with the understanding that they must be returned after her death. Yesterday, the said envoy, before Monsignor Tommasi, First Lieutenant of the Auditor of the Chamber, made a request in the name of the Elector, his lord, for the restitution of the dowry of His Majesty's mother, who was the late Elector's sister, and the envoy has sent a courier to Sweden and Brandenburg for this purpose. The Chamber has also drawn up its requests for the restitution of seventy-two thousand scudi, to be administered to it over six years at a rate of one thousand crowns a month. In short, Chiaravalle's prediction has come true: that by the last quarter of the March moon great litigation is threatening over the death of a great lady."]

Kristina was truly a woman of her time. She had the defects and virtues of her century, a century of lively conflicts between violence and piety, good and evil, superstition and science. She thus lived, arousing both admiration and hatred, earning epigrams and panegyrics, but ultimately admired and feared.

Later, with the rise of new ideals, another queen will appease with her blood the ire accumulated by the pretensions and violence of the century of Kristina and the century of Catherine II!

CORRADO RICCI.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Cardinal Decio Azzolino.

Above: Corrado Ricci, painted by Ettore Tito in 1913.

Note: Kristina died at age 62, not 63. It seems that even as late as at the 17th century, at least when writing in Latin, that some people used the ancient Roman age reckoning system that one was already one year old at birth, similar to traditional Chinese age reckoning both in the past and still today.

Corrado Ricci on Kristina's life in Italy, part 6

Sources:

Cristina di Svezia in Italia, article written by Corrado Ricci for Nuova antologia di scienze, lettere ed arti, volume 41 (125), pages 38 to 40, published by the Direction of Nuova antologia, 1892; original at the Bavarian State Library (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek)

https://books.google.com/books?id=wr6lJEO7mjkC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Roma, visioni e figure: con 29 illustrazioni, pages 153 to 156, by Corrado Ricci, 1925; original at Cornell University

https://books.google.com/books?id=j31oPsGNy5IC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Kristina's letter of January 30/February 9 (New Style), 1669 to Galleazzo Marescotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland, is here:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2022/06/excerpt-from-kristinas-letter-to_33.html

Her letter written sometime in either 1682 or 1687 (most likely the former) to Cardinal Decio Azzolino is here:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2020/09/kristinas-letter-to-azzolino-dated-july.html

This letter from Azzolino to Cardinal Alderano Cybo, written January 1/11 (New Style), 1683 strongly suggests the former year:

https://kingkristina.blogspot.com/2024/01/cardinal-decio-azzolinos-letter-to_91.html

The article:

Il suo ritorno in Roma fu solennizzato dal nuovo papa con tutta cordialità. Fece sparare l'artiglieria e mandò a Cristina ogni sorta di leccornie per cento servitori seguìti da sessanta palafrenieri con torcie accese. Sorpresa di così bel principio, essa sollecitò ed ottenne da Clemente alcuni privilegi di cerimoniale invano richiesti sotto Alessandro. In carnevale potè anche, senza tanti scrupoli, spassarsela in commedie e conversazioni.

Delle relazioni di Cristina con la Polonia e della proposta mossa da Roma ai Polacchi perchè l'accettassero per regina, già scrisse Arvède Barine. Dopochè Casimiro Giovanni, odiatissimo, rimasto vedovo, ebbe rinunziato alla corona di Polonia, la Corte Romana s'adoperò tosto a dargli un successore e propose la regina di Svezia con istudio forse che se ne andasse di Roma e liberasse la città dalle sue stramberie e dalle sue pazze esigenze. Ella però condusse con avvedutezza la pratica di quel difficile negozio. In alcune cose si mostrò risolutissima: «Dichiaro che quando si volesse da me questa obbligazione di maritarmi a gusto loro, io eleggo piuttosto di ricusare alla loro corona, che di accettare mai una così iniqua e crudele cosa». Fra le opposizioni sollevatele contro, ci fa anche quella d'aver fatto trucidare il Monaldeschi; ma ella persistette sempre a sostenerla come una cosa ben fatta. Il risultato del progetto papale e delle brighe di Cristina è noto. Nel giugno del 1669 saliva al trono di Polonia Michele Koribut Wiesnowiski.

Poco dopo moriva Clemente IX, al quale successe il cardinale Emilio Altieri romano, col nome di Clemente X. Decrepito d'anni ed ultimo del suo ramo, si sperava che non avrebbe fatto nepotismo aiutando lontani parenti. Ma il vizio nei pontefici era troppo inveterato. Cristina non trovò fortuna presso di lui. Quando per favorire il conte d'Alibert pregò il papa di concedere si recitasse al Tordinona per tutto l'anno, il papa rispose con un diniego reciso, cui ne seguirono altri non meno risoluti, tanto che per qualche tempo la regina dovette consolarsi unicamente alle sedute della sua accademia.

Clemente moriva presto, ed Innocenzo XI, detto altrimenti il papa Minga, riusciva eletto dal conclave (31 settembre 1676) con sorpresa di tutti i cardinali, perchè ciascuno d'essi, dandogli il voto, credeva che gli altri se ne astenessero. Ma il successo è sempre stato ammirato e gli avversari corsero ad inchinarlo e fra costoro Cristina che gli baciò il piede.

Papa Minga era un uomo giusto, severo, amante dell'ordine, risoluto di porre una remora a tutti gli abusi e alla viltà del nepotismo. Cristina, mancando d'aiuti economici, se n'accorse ben presto. Per un momento anzi fu così scorata che quasi pensò di entrare nel monastero di Santa Cecilia, mentre il suo d'Alibert si disperava per le disposizioni prese dal pontefice contro il teatro, disposizioni che dovevano spingerlo a tentar fortuna altrove.

Innocenzo un giorno, passando dal palazzo di Cristina, salì a visitarla. Se costei concepì qualche speranza da tanta degnazione, dovè tosto disilludersi, perchè, recatasi a chiedergli tre cose che il corrispondente di Savoia dice lecite, ebbe per tutta risposta tre alzate di spalla. Non molto dopo lo stesso Innocenzo faceva imprigionare il teologo di lei, e la rimproverava strapazzandola d'aver intrigato per la nomina dell'auditore di Rota. Essa allora cominciò a stridere come un pipistrello inchiodato; ma poi finì per consolarsi trovando nuovo modo di litigare pel titolo d'eccellenza che voleva fosse dato al marchese Del Monte suo cavallerizzo maggiore. Questa singolare pretesa, per poco, in grazia de' dispetti del cardinal d'Estrées, non diventò un affare di Stato.

D'altra parte Innocenzo doveva rendersi novellamente odioso alla regina per le sue leggi suntuarie, leggi contro le mode di Francia e il soverchio lusso. Veramente Cristina faceva moda da sè, stancando sempre il cervello ad escogitare nuovi costumi, l'uno più strano, anzi, più strambo dell'altro, con svolazzi e piume e fascie e zone d'ogni colore che le dovevano mascherare la gobba. Pure questa volta volle ostentare obbedienza, e vestì e fece vestire alle due dame certo abito che copriva piedi, polsi e collo gelosissimamente ed era d'un colore fosco, e di una stoffa da lei chiamata innocentiana.

Le dame romane ne risero a crepapelle, e il Papa non ci badò; ricorse invece a nuovi mezzi per mortificarla, facendola anche avvisare che intendeva di sopprimerle la pensione annua di dodici mila scudi. Allora ella scrisse al cardinal Azzolini una lettera rigurgitante di sarcasmo: «Li dodici mila scudi che il Papa mi dava eran l'unica macchia di mia vita, et io li riceveva dalla mano di Dio come la più gran mortificazione colla quale poteva umiliare il mio orgoglio.» Che storie! E continuava: «Io vi prego di ringraziare il Papa da parte mia della grazia che mi ha fatto». Così colei che aveva tante volte frenate le ire sue contro il pontefice per non danneggiare le proprie finanze! — Ma anche l'ironia non serviva più a nulla. Innocenzo era di un rigore spaventoso. Volle il supplizio di due giovani, nonostante la mite decisione della Congregazione criminale, ed eccitò il Sant'Ufficio ad incarcerare e processare Michele Molinos, secondo l'accusa del cardinale d'Estrées e contro la protezione di Cristina.

Per tal modo i rapporti fra Papa e regina divenivano peggiori. Innocenzo finì per rifiutarsi lungamente di riceverla, ed ella si sfogò avanzando la pretesa che i cardinali, in certe visite, dovessero presentarsi a lei col rocchetto!

English translation (my own):

Her return to Rome was celebrated with great cordiality by the new Pope. He ordered artillery fire and sent Kristina all sorts of delicacies for a hundred servants, followed by sixty grooms with lighted torches. Surprised by such a splendid beginning, she requested and obtained from Clement certain ceremonial privileges she had requested in vain under Alexander. During Carnevale, she was also able, without further qualms, to indulge in comedies and conversation.

Arvède Barine has already written about Kristina's relations with Poland and the proposal made by Rome to the Poles to accept her as queen. After the much-hated Jan Kazimierz, a widower, renounced the crown of Poland, the Roman court quickly set about providing him with a successor and, perhaps intently, proposed that the Queen of Sweden leave Rome and free the city from his eccentricities and his mad demands. However, she handled this difficult matter with shrewdness. On some matters, she was resolute:

"I declare that if they demand of me this obligation to marry according to their wishes, I would rather refuse their crown than ever accept such an iniquitous and cruel thing."

Among the accusations leveled against her, she also cited the murder of Monaldeschi; but she always persisted in maintaining this as a good thing. The outcome of the papal plan and Kristina's intrigues is well known. In June 1669, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki ascended the throne of Poland.

Shortly afterward, Clement IX died and was succeeded by Cardinal Emilio Altieri of Rome, who took the name Clement X. Decrepit in years and the last of his branch, it was hoped that he would not indulge in nepotism by helping distant relatives. But the vice among pontiffs was too inveterate. Kristina found no success with him. When, to favour the Count d'Alibert, she begged the Pope to allow performances at Tor di Nona throughout the year, the Pope responded with a firm refusal, which was followed by others no less resolute, so much so that for some time the Queen had to console herself only at the sessions of her Academy.

Clement died early, and Innocent XI, otherwise known as Papa Minga [Pope No], was elected by the conclave (September 31, 1676) — to the surprise of all the cardinals, because each of them, in giving him their vote, believed that the others would abstain. But his success has always been admired, and his opponents rushed to bow down to him — among them Kristina, who kissed his foot.

Pope Minga was a just, severe man, a lover of order, determined to put a stop to all abuses and the cowardice of nepotism. Kristina, lacking economic support, soon realised this. For a moment, she was so discouraged that she almost considered entering the monastery of Santa Cecilia, while her d'Alibert despaired over the Pontiff's measures against the theater, measures that were to push him to try his luck elsewhere.

One day, Innocent, passing by Kristina's palazzo, went up to visit her. If he had any hope from such condescension, he must have quickly been disappointed, for when he went to ask her three things that the Savoyard correspondent calls licit, he received only three shrugs of the shoulders. Not long afterward, Innocent himself had her theologian imprisoned and reproached her for having intrigued in the appointment of the auditor of the Rota. She then began to screech like an immobilised bat; but then she consoled herself by finding a new way to argue over the title of Excellency she wanted awarded to the Marquis del Monte, her chief cavalier. This singular pretension, thanks to the spite of Cardinal d'Estrées, almost became a matter of State.

On the other hand, Innocent was to make himself hated by the Queen once again with his sumptuary laws, laws against French fashions and excessive luxury. Kristina truly set the fashions herself, constantly tiring her brain by devising new costumes, each one stranger, nay, more bizarre than the last, with flourishes and feathers and sashes and patches of every colour that were supposed to disguise her hump. This time, too, she wanted to show obedience, and she dressed and had the two ladies dress in a certain dress that most jealously covered her feet, wrists and neck, and that was of a dark colour and made of a fabric she called innocentiana.

The Roman ladies laughed themselves to bursting, and the Pope paid no attention; instead, he resorted to new means to humiliate her, even informing her that he intended to abolish her annual pension of twelve thousand scudi. Then she wrote Cardinal Azzolino a letter brimming with sarcasm:

"The twelve thousand scudi that the Pope gave me were the only stain on my life, and I received them from the hand of God as the greatest mortification with which He could humble my pride."

What nonsense! And she continued:

"I beg you to thank the Pope on my behalf for the grace he has granted me."

So said she who had so often restrained her anger against the Pontiff, so as not to damage her own finances! —

But even irony was no longer of any use. Innocent was frighteningly rigorous. He wanted the torture of two young men, despite the lenient decision of the Criminal Congregation, and urged the Holy Office to imprison and try Miguel Molinos, according to the accusation of Cardinal d'Estrées and against the protection of Kristina.

Thus, relations between the Pope and the Queen worsened. Innocent ended up refusing to receive her for a long time, and she vented her anger by demanding that the cardinals, on certain visits, present themselves to her wearing a rochet!

Above: Kristina.

Above: Pope Innocent XI.

Above: Corrado Ricci, painted by Ettore Tito in 1913.

Note: rochet = a white vestment, worn by a bishop, similar to a surplice but with narrower sleeves, extending to below the knee in the Catholic Church.

Corrado Ricci on Kristina's life in Italy, part 3

Sources:

Cristina di Svezia in Italia, article written by Corrado Ricci for Nuova antologia di scienze, lettere ed arti, volume 41 (125), pages 29 to 31, published by the Direction of Nuova antologia, 1892; original at the Bavarian State Library

https://books.google.com/books?id=wr6lJEO7mjkC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Roma, visioni e figure: con 29 illustrazioni, pages 142 to 144, by Corrado Ricci, 1925; original at Cornell University

https://books.google.com/books?id=j31oPsGNy5IC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=regina+cristina+di+svezia&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The article:

Intanto ad Alessandro VII crescevano i sopraccapi e i fastidi per la sua convertita che pretendeva costantemente onoranze eccessive, superiori alla prammatica e al cerimoniale in uso. Non rinunziò ella a visitare il Campidoglio perchè i Senatori si rifiutarono di riceverla a capo scoperto accampando che appunto a capo coperto i loro predecessori avevano ricevuto un imperatore come Carlo V? Ed è veramente curioso ch'ella persistisse ognor più a manifestare pretese su pretese, quando poi a sua volta mancava alle norme più semplici della devozione frequentando gli altari senza il rosario e senza libri di preghiera.

Ma le pratiche religiose erano una fatica noiosissima per lei che vera passione dimostrava solo per la sua Accademia, per le commedie e i drammi musicali. S'era messa sino a studiar canto con sommo dispiacere del papa. — Ma ben altre pillole il povero vecchio doveva ingoiare! — Da un dispetto, da un capriccio di lei potevano nascere danni sensibili alla religione, proprio quando la sua conversione cominciava a produrre utili risultati, avendola imitata il marchese di Sultzbach. Alla corte pontificia si sopportava tutto con santa pazienza, e s'andava anche coi piedi di piombo nel farla avvertita dei danni cui poteva andare incontro.

Ovvio però era l'accorgersi sin da principio che Cristina con le sue stranezze avrebbe finito per divenire la favola di Roma e perdere il prestigio dapprima esercitato sul pubblico; il quale, una sera, al teatro Barberini, dopo averla aspettata lungamente, perchè la rappresentazione potesse cominciare, al suo apparire l'accolse con urli e fischi. Cristina s'inchinò ringraziando, atto di sprezzante confidenza non degno certo d'una sovrana! E peggio fece ancora quando, ad un simile dispetto del pubblico, per un nuovo indugio, rispose fischiando da parte sua mefistofelicamente.

La plebe cessò allora di rispettarla. Al Corso le rivolse motti poco puliti cui rispose ridendo. Ai rimproveri, invece, che le venivano dall'alto, sino dal pontefice, pareva attendesse compunta, ma due minuti dopo, data una scrollatina di spalle, badava a fare i comodi suoi, fino a costringere il pontefice ad aspettarla in una chiesa dove non si recò che quando lo seppe partito!

Nella scelta del confidente religioso ella aveva seguìto fini criteri — diremo così — d'estetica! Il cardinal Decio Azzolini da Fermo non era soltanto un ingegno pronto e vivace, un parlatore brillante, ma anche un magnifico uomo, celebrato e favorito dalle dame. L'origine della conoscenza sua con Cristina si pretendeva risalisse ad una galanteria. Volendo colei discendere dalla carrozza presso S. Luigi dei Francesi e non sapendo dove porre il piede, tanto la via era limacciosa, egli, poco lontano, accorse, si levò la mantellina, la stese sul fango, e la regina passò. Falso o vero, il fatto — in sè ben poco importante — resterebbe a provare che l'Azzolini passava per un uomo galante. L'epigramma infatti del signor di Coulanges è assai più maligno che la storiella del mantello.

«Mais Azolin dans Rome

sceut charmer ses ennemis [sic].

Elle eût sans ce grand homme

passé des tristes nuits.»

L'autorità dell'Azzolini sull'animo di Cristina era tale che lo stesso pontefice si serviva di lui per intermediario quando voleva farlo sapere utili consigli. Invece, com'era a prevedersi, il cardinale le suggeriva le scuse e la tattica per avere soccorsi, consigliandole nei casi gravi a minacciar di rimpatriare; minaccia che faceva subito Alessandro arrendevole. Prometteva poi di vivere sobria, rassegnata e obbediente, e, promettendo soltanto, spillava danari al Papa quando già l'erario era tormentato dalla siccità. Ottenuto quanto voleva, si ribellava, e ad Alessandro, che la consigliava di ritirarsi, durante la peste, in un monastero, rispondeva di non esser nata per vivere fra quattro mura e di voler morire sul campo di battaglia. Il Provana soggiungeva ingenuamente: «Io non so che guerra voglia esser questa!» mentre il suo dubbio aveva un'efficace risposta in tutta la condotta di Cristina. La quale invece si preparava alla partenza e per mettere insieme quattrini impegnava i gioielli e vendeva malamente carrozze e cavalli.

Se n'andò una sera di luglio, e il riguardo del contagio non fu che la scusa per giustificare il viaggio che voleva fare in Francia ed in Germania. Andò fino a Civitavecchia a cavallo, accompagnata da parecchi cardinali e provvigionata dal Papa. «Aveva indosso» — dice il Claretta — «un giustacuore, una gala di trina, una sottana di colore sul bigio, solo a metà gamba; una ciarpa a traverso la vita; calze e scarpe bianche con rosetta nera, ed in testa una parrucca incipriata». Tutt'insieme, una bella caricatura!

English translation (my own):

In the meantime, Alexander VII's annoyances grew over his convert, who constantly demanded excessive honours, exceeding customary standards and ceremonial. Did she not give up visiting the Capitoline Hill because the Senators refused to receive her bareheaded, arguing that their predecessors had received an emperor like Charles V with their heads covered? And it is truly curious that she persisted in making ever greater demands when, in turn, she herself violated the simplest norms of devotion by frequenting altars without a rosary and without prayer books.

But religious practices were a very tedious chore for her, and she showed true passion only for her Academy, for comedies and musical dramas. She had even taken to studying singing, much to the Pope's displeasure. — But the poor old man had to swallow far different pills! — A single outburst, a whim on her part, could cause significant damage to religion, just when her conversion was beginning to produce useful results, as the Marquis of Sulzbach had imitated her. At the pontifical court, everything was endured with saintly patience, and they even proceeded with caution in warning her of the harm she might incur.

It was obvious, however, from the outset that Kristina, with her eccentricities, would eventually become the talk of Rome and lose the prestige she had initially wielded over the public. One evening, at the Teatro Barberini, the audience, after having waited a long time for her in order to begin the performance, greeted her with hoots and whistles upon her appearance. Kristina bowed in thanks, an act of contemptuous confidence certainly unworthy of a sovereign! And it was even worse when, in response to the audience's similar displeasure, she responded by Mephistophelianly whistling at herself for another delay.

The common people then ceased to respect her. At the Corso, they addressed her with unsavory remarks, to which she responded by laughing. She seemed to await the rebukes coming from above, even from the Pontiff, with composure; but two minutes later, with a shrug, she was going about her business, even forcing the Pontiff to wait for her in a church, where she did not show up until she learned he had left!

In choosing her religious confidant, she had followed fine — so to speak — aesthetic criteria! Cardinal Decio Azzolino of Fermo was not only a quick and lively genius, a brilliant speaker, but also a magnificent man, celebrated and favoured by the ladies. The origin of his acquaintance with Kristina was said to be based on gallantry. When she wanted to alight from the carriage near San Luigi dei Francesi and, unsure where to put her foot because the path was so muddy, he ran up nearby, took off his cloak, spread it on the mud, and the Queen passed by. True or false, the fact — in itself of little importance — would prove that Azzolino was considered a gallant man. Indeed, Monsieur de Coulanges's epigram is far more malicious than the story of the cloak.

"Mais Azolin dans Rome

sceut charmer ses ennemis [sic].

Elle eût sans ce grand homme

passé des tristes nuits."

["But Azzolino in Rome

knew how to charm her enemies [sic];

she had without this great man

passed sad nights."]

Azzolino's influence over Kristina's mind was such that the Pontiff himself used him as an intermediary when he wanted to pass on useful advice. Instead, as foreseen, the Cardinal suggested excuses and tactics for obtaining succour, advising her, in serious cases, to threaten repatriation — a threat that immediately made Alexander compliant. She then promised to live soberly, resignedly and obediently, and, by promising nothing more, she extorted money from the Pope when the treasury was already racked by drought. Having obtained what she wanted, she rebelled, and when Alexander advised her to retire to a monastery during the plague, she replied that she was not born to live within four walls and wanted to die on the battlefield. Provana naively added: "I don't know what kind of war this is!" while his doubts were effectively answered in Kristina's entire conduct. She, however, was preparing to leave and, to raise money, she pawned her jewels and sold carriages and horses at a low price.

She left one evening in July, and concern about the contagion was merely an excuse to justify the journey she wanted to make to France and Germany. She rode to Civitavecchia on horseback, accompanied by several cardinals and provisioned by the Pope. "She was wearing", says Claretta, "a justaucorps, a lace ruche, a greyish skirt that reached only mid-calf; a scarf around her waist; white stockings and shoes with a black rosette, and a powdered wig on her head." All in all, a fine caricature!

Above: Kristina.

Above: Cardinal Decio Azzolino.

Above: Corrado Ricci, painted by Ettore Tito in 1913.

Monsignor Isidoro Carini on Kristina and the Accademia dell'Arcadia, year 1891 (New Style dates used)

Source:

L'Arcadia dal 1690 al 1890: Memorie storiche Isidoro Carini, volume 1, pages 9 to 13, by Monsignor Isidoro Carini, 1891; original at the Sapienza University of Rome (Biblioteca di Filosofia)

https://books.google.com/books?id=ooJzqehatIcC&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The account:

I letterati ... facean capo in Roma alla famosa Cristina Alessandra di Svezia, l'ultima dei Wasa, la figlia di quel Gustavo Adolfo che nella guerra de' Trent'anni ha la primaria figura. Nata nel 1626, successe, di sei anni, cioè nel 1632, al padre, cui una palla avea mortalmente colpito a Lützen. Il 16 giugno 1654 abdicava in favore del cugino Carlo Gustavo conte palatino; ed abiurata l'eresia luterana a Bruxelles, recavasi l'anno dopo nell'eterna città.

«Mossa da un bel desio di dar tributo

Di fede a Cristo, e di servaggio a Piero

Pellegrina real, con sciolta chioma

Venne a empir di sè stessa Italia e Roma».

Così un poeta contemporaneo. Non dirò qui delle straordinarie accoglienze che ebbe dal Papa Alessandro VII; le ricorda tuttavia la Porta Flaminia, ossia del Popolo, per lei restaurata dal Bernini, coll'iscrizione «FELICI FAVSTOQVE INGRESSV MDCLV». Neppur rammenterò l'allocuzione, ch'ella tenne in concistoro, in cui supplicò il S. Padre si degnasse ricevere nella sua metropoli una pellegrina venuta da sì lontano, e che si era spogliata della gloria e della fortuna nell'interesse della giustizia e della verità. La Regina (così la chiamarono sempre i Romani) fissò nella città de' Papi la sua dimora. D'animo virile, di più favelle, versata negli studî (donde il trito soprannome di Pallade di Svezia) coltivò le lettere e protesse i letterati. È nota la canzone del Filicaia in suo onore, che il Muratori esalta tanto nel libro IV della Perfetta Poesia. Perciò fu grande il compianto dei letterati, quand'ella cessò di vivere il 19 aprile 1689, regnando Innocenzo XI, un anno e qualche mese prima che l'Arcadia venisse fondata. Morendo, istituiva suo erede universale il Card. Azzolini; ma non essendo questi sopravvissuto a lei più di due mesi, il prezioso retaggio, e perciò la cospicua biblioteca da Cristina raccolta, passò a Pompeo Azzolini nipote del Cardinale. Il Papa Alessandro VIII, succeduto ad Innocenzo XI, comprò la raccolta della Regina, come pure i suoi particolari manoscritti, e lo stupendo acquisto fe' trasportare in Vaticano, salvo una parte che diede al nipote Card. Ottoboni. Così la Biblioteca Apostolica potè aggiungere ai fondi Vaticano, Palatino ed Urbinate un'altra magnifica suppellettile di antichi codici, che adesso è parte non piccola delle sue tante dovizie.

Or il 24 gennaio del 1656, una prima accademia aveva avuto cominciamento in Roma nelle sale di Cristina; però il suo scopo precipuo era stato lo studio delle scienze morali. Furono, in ogni modo, i personaggi medesimi che, morta lei, a perpetuarne la memoria, a non perdere il vantaggio di que' dotti e geniali convegni, e, questa volta, a rimettere in onore la toscana poesia, opponendo la semplicità e sobrietà della forma ai traviamenti letterarî del seicento, adunaronsi per la prima volta nel giardino dei PP. Riformati di S. Pietro in Montorio, il 5 di ottobre dell'anno 1690, governando la Chiesa il menzionato Alessandro VIII. Per primo loro atto, con gentile pensiero, acclamarono patrona di lor ceto Cristina, sotto il greco nome di Basilisa, e così furon paghi di sostituire il nudo titolo della real dignità alle sformate ed ampollose lodi che eran proprie di quei verbosissimi tempi. Ma qui, per far conoscere di quali uomini si componesse questa nuova società di letterati puristi, mi par bene trascrivere quanto reca dal suo bel principio il tomo primo del Catalogo dei Pastori Arcadi per ordine d'annoverazione:

«ARCADIA. — Conversazione di belle lettere istituita in Roma ai V di ottobre l'anno 1690.

«BASILISA. — Cristina Alessandra Regina di Svezia di glor: me: nel cui giardino arcadicamente detto il Bosco Parrasio si ragunano gli Arcadi Pastori.

RADUNANZA I.a

Cav. D. Paolo Coardi da Torino.

Giuseppe Paolucci da Spello.

Vincenzo Leonio da Spoleto.

Silvio Stampiglio da Civita Lavinia.

Giov. Mario Crescimbeni da Macerata.

Vincenzo Gravina Napolitano.

Giov. Batt. Zappi Imolese.

Ab. Carlo di Tuornon da Torino.

Ab. Pompeo Figari genovese.

Paolo Antonio del Negro genovese.

Cav. Melchiorre Maggio fiorentino.

Giacomo Vicinelli romano.

Paolo Antonio Viti da Orvieto.

Agostino Maria Taja Sanese.

Come si vede, in capo a' fasti arcadici sta scritto il nome di Cristina. Ed a questo proposito trascriverò l'ultimo dei cinque sonetti, che recitò in accademia Vincenzo Filicaia, nel quale la fa parlare così:

«Ma più, ch'altrove qui sul Tebro io regno,

E in questo al par di Pindo, e d'Elicona

Bosco a me caro, che sì spesso suona

Delle mie lodi, ad abitar men vegno.

«Ma qui voce non pur, ma ha voce e ingegno

Ogni tronco; e qui nacque, e qui risuona

Questa famosa di Pastor Corona

Che da me spera in un vita e sostegno.

«Sì sì; vivrà finchè avrann' acqua i tersi

Fiumi, e non pur vivrà, ma il Ciel destina,

Che ancor vivran per lei le prose, e i versi.

«Qui tacque; e biancheggiar l'alba vicina

Già facea l'Oriente: io gli occhi apersi

E più non vidi l'immortal Cristina». ...

English translation (my own):

The literati ... were led in Rome by the famous Kristina Alexandra of Sweden, the last of the Vasas, the daughter of that Gustav Adolf who played a leading role in the Thirty Years' War. Born in 1626, she succeeded her father, who had been fatally wounded by a bullet at Lützen, at the age of six, in 1632. On June 16, 1654, she abdicated in favour of her cousin Karl Gustav, Count Palatine; and, having renounced the Lutheran heresy in Brussels, she went to the Eternal City the following year.

"Mossa da un bel desio di dar tributo

Di fede a Cristo, e di servaggio a Piero

Pellegrina real, con sciolta chioma

Venne a empir di sè stessa Italia e Roma".

["Moved by a beautiful desire to pay tribute

Of faith to Christ, and of servitude to Peter,

A royal pilgrim, with flowing hair

Came to fill Italy and Rome with herself".]

Thus says a contemporary poet. I will not speak here of the extraordinary welcome she received from Pope Alexander VII; however, the Porta Flaminia, or del Popolo, restored for her by Bernini, with the inscription "FELICI FAVSTOQVE INGRESSV MDCLV" reminds one of it. Nor will I recall the address she gave in the Consistory, in which she begged the Holy Father to deign to receive in his metropolis a pilgrim who had come from so far away, and who had stripped herself of glory and fortune in the interest of justice and truth. The Queen (as the Romans always called her) established her abode in the city of the Popes. Of a virile spirit, of many languages, versed in study (hence the hackneyed nickname Pallas of Sweden), she cultivated letters and protected the literati. Filicaia's song in her honour is well known, and Muratori praises it so highly in Book IV of Perfetta Poesia.

Thus, the literati mourned her passing on April 19, 1689, during the reign of Innocent XI, a year and a few months before Arcadia was founded. Upon her death, she named Cardinal Azzolino her sole heir; but, as he did not survive her by more than two months, the precious inheritance, and therefore the considerable library gathered by Kristina, passed to Pompeo Azzolino, the Cardinal's nephew. Pope Alexander VIII, who succeeded Innocent XI, purchased the Queen's collection, as well as her special manuscripts, and had this stupendous acquisition transported to the Vatican, except for a portion that he gave to his nephew, Cardinal Ottoboni.

Thus the Apostolic Library was able to add to the Vatican, Palatine and Urbinate collections another magnificent collection of ancient codices, which now forms a significant part of its many riches.

On January 24, 1656, a first academy had begun in Rome in Kristina's halls; however, its primary purpose had been the study of the moral sciences. In any case, it was the same people who, after her death, gathered for the first time in the garden of the Reformed Fathers of San Pietro in Montorio on October 5, 1690, while the aforementioned Alexander VIII was governing the Church, to perpetuate her memory, not to lose the benefit of those learned and brilliant gatherings, and, this time, to restore Tuscan poetry to honour, opposing the simplicity and sobriety of form.

Their first act, with kindly thought, was to acclaim Kristina as the patroness of their class, under the Greek name of Basilisa, and thus they were content to substitute the bare title of royal dignity for the distorted and pompous praises that were typical of those very verbose times. But here, to show the men of whom this new society of purist literati was composed, I think it appropriate to transcribe what is stated from the very beginning of the first volume of the Catalogo dei Pastori Arcadi per ordine d'annoverazione:

"ARCADIA. — Conversation of fine letters, instituted in Rome on the fifth of October in the year 1690.

"BASILISA. — Kristina Alexandra, Queen of Sweden, of glorious memory, in whose garden, Arcadianly called the Bosco Parrasio, the Arcadian Shepherds gather.

GATHERING I.

Cavaliere Don Paolo Coardi, from Turin.

Giuseppe Paolucci, from Spello.

Vincenzo Leonio, from Spoleto.

Silvio Stampiglio, from Civita Lavinia.

Giovanni Mario Crescimbeni, from Macerata.

Vincenzo Gravina, from Naples.

Giovanni Battista Zappi, from Imola.

Abbot Carlo di Tuornon, from Turin.

Abbot Pompeo Figari, from Genoa.

Paolo Antonio del Negro, from Genoa.

Cavaliere Melchiorre Maggio, from Florence.

Giacomo Vicinelli, from Rome.

Paolo Antonio Viti, from Orvieto.

Agostino Maria Taja, from Siena.

As can be seen, Kristina's name is written at the head of the Arcadian fasti. And in this regard, I will transcribe the last of the five sonnets, which Vincenzo Filicaia recited at the Academy, in which he makes her speak thus:

"Ma più, ch'altrove qui sul Tebro io regno,

E in questo al par di Pindo, e d'Elicona

Bosco a me caro, che sì spesso suona

Delle mie lodi, ad abitar men vegno.

"Ma qui voce non pur, ma ha voce e ingegno

Ogni tronco; e qui nacque, e qui risuona

Questa famosa di Pastor Corona

Che da me spera in un vita e sostegno.

"Sì sì; vivrà finchè avrann' acqua i tersi

Fiumi, e non pur vivrà, ma il Ciel destina,

Che ancor vivran per lei le prose, e i versi.

"Qui tacque; e biancheggiar l'alba vicina

Già facea l'Oriente: io gli occhi apersi

E più non vidi l'immortal Cristina".

["But more than anywhere else, here on the Tiber I reign,

And in this, like Pindus and Helicon,

A forest dear to me, which so often resounds

Of my praises, I come no longer to dwell.

"But here not only voice, but voice and wit

Does every trunk have; and here was born, and here resounds

This famous one of Pastor Corona

Who hopes from me for life and support.

"Yes, yes; it will live for as long as the clear

Rivers have water, and not only will it live, but Heaven destines,

That prose and verse will still live for it.

"Here she was silent; and the approaching dawn

Already made the East whiten: I opened my eyes

And no more did I see the immortal Kristina".] ...

Above: Kristina.

Above: Monsignor Isidoro Carini.