Article on Maria Sofia de la Gardie, written by Ebba von Seth for "Allas Krönika" magazine, year 1927

Source:

Hovdamen som industrimagnat, article written by Ebba von Seth for Allas Krönika, issue 20, pages 528 to 530, issue of May 21, 1927; original at the Finnish National Library (Kansalliskirjasto/Nationalbiblioteket)

https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/aikakausi/binding/723025?term=drottning&term=Kristinas&term=Kristina&term=drottningen&page=10

Allas Krönika, 21.05.1927 no 20, s. 528-530 https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/aikakausi/binding/723025 Kansalliskirjaston Digitaaliset Aineistot

The article:

Hovdamen som industrimagnat.

För Allas Krönika av Ebba von Seth

Ebba Brahe, beryktad för sin skönhet, förbleknade dock i jämförelse med sin dotter Marie. Den unga Marie Sofie de la Gardie var bländande skön med mörka själfulla ögon, hög intelligent panna och fint tecknad liten mun. Samtiden kan inte nog prisa hennes förfinade väsen och „liljesmala växt”. — „I förstånd och själens egenskaper ägde hon icke sin like på sin tid”, förtälja hävderna. Det spordes, att själve hertig Carl Gustav bedårats av henne. Ebba Brahe talar öppet därom i ett brev, till en släktning, och danske ministern rapporterar redan i nov. 1649 ett förslag om den unga skönhetens förmälning med hertigen. En hävdatecknare går så långt att han beklagar, att inte Marie de la Gardie blev Sveriges drottning.

Den unga grevinnan bråddes säkert mycket på sin fader, den store fältherren Jakob de la Gardie, greve till Läckö, högt värderad av Gustav Adolf och Kristina för en öppen och redbar karaktär. Sin älsklighet hade hon väl fått i arv av sin ädla moder, men hon kunde också ofta visa ett häftigt, lidelsefullt temperament.

År 1643 fyllde den lilla Marie sexton år, och blev då bortgift med riksrådet Gustav Gabrielson Oxenstierna till Cronoborg. Mycket egendomligt var, att denne tre år efter sin död blev upphöjd i grevligt stånd „för sina bägge döttrars skull”. Bröllopet firades i de la Gardieska palatset i Stockholm; det var en lysande fest med fackeltåg, pomp och ståt. Den älskliga bruden leddes in av fadern, hon var det vackraste man kunde skåda, klädd i styvt silvertyg, rikt broderat med äkta pärlor. Maken var fjorton år äldre än hon, en framskjuten man, som gjorde sig hörd vid rådsbordet och utmärktes med höga förtroendeposter. På Löberöd finns en målning av riksrådet, han har ett grovt och klumpigt utseende och en skog av eldrött hår; krönikan framställer honom som en bråkig dryckeskämpe och en grov och burdus herre. Det är tvivel underkastat om hon, den överförfinade unga varelsen var lycklig i sitt äktenskap. I varje fall blev hon djupt gripen av makens död, när hon efter fem år blev ställd som änka med två små barn. Många ädlingar fikade efter hennes gunst, eftersom hon var både rik och skön; särskilt märktes hertigen av Croy av huset Aerschot. Dock valde hon ensamhetens lugn och trots alla anbuden, gifte hon aldrig om sig.

Ack, som vilken strålande ordensmästarinna förde hon sig ej in gavotternas stela turer på Amarantherordens stora baler! Från pannan föll det mörka håret i krusiga ringlor, en liten juvelkrona prydde det högburna huvudet, kring hennes hals rasslade pärlkläppar och juvelstjärnor, och i stramt snibbliv och fotsitt gyllentyg trådde hon dansen. Livet var en enda nöjesvirvel; spel, torneringar, och ringränningar avlöste varandra. Fantasien briljerade i brokig kostymering vid „olympiska gästabud”, där skogsrån, älvjungfrur och troll lekte i besinningslös yra. Slösande prakt utvecklades i hennes faders palats Makalös vid Kungsträdgården. Den frikostige greve Jakob lät vid drottning Kristinas kröningsfestligheter „hwitt och rödt wijn rinna” på sex olika utskänkningsställen, där folket fick läska sina törstiga strupar. Raketer ritade lysande cirklar över de yra människornas huvuden, smäktande musik tonade ur lövsalarna, och vid olikfärgade lampors sken uppfördes baletter och skådespel med fransk text. Där syntes den danslystna Kristina arm i arm med sin sköne, snillrike gunstling Magnus Gabriel, hon dansade och hela hovet dansade tills solen gick upp över Kungsträdgårdens skyhöga almar...

Grevinnan Marie stod högt i gunst hos drottningen, som utnämnde henne till sin överhovmästarinna. 1,200 daler om året, samt fritt kosthåll skulle utgöra hennes lön. Hon njöt av att vara ung, fjäsad, bemärkt. Hon kom i kontakt med de intressantaste utlänningar, fick del i politiska och litterära strömningar, och utvecklades mer och mer. Dock kunde hon ej undgå att märka det stora sedefördärv, som kommit med de främmande manéren och nöjeslivet efter franskt mönster vid Kristinas glada hov. Och snart tröttnade hon på fjärilsleken och fann att hovlivet var en hal väg, som förde in i en labyrint av ränker, skvaller och intriger. Hennes skaparande vaknade, och genom sin medfödda energi bröt hon sig nya banor.

Den unga änkan var nu endast i tjugoett år och ägde en stor förmögenhet och ansenliga jordagods att förvalta. Tyresö eller Törsö, med Skarpnäck hade hon erhållit i morgongåva. Hon blev dessutom härskarinna till Traneberg och Lagmansryd, samt Dalarö (där hon höll krog!), Sundholmen i Finland, Matgina och Retsiga i Ingermanland, Vogelsang och Tarwast i Östersjöprovinserna, och det präktiga hus i Götgatsbacken, som än i dag bär Brahes och de la Gardies ättevapen över stenportalen.

Grevinnan Marie såg med sin vakna blick, hur handel och näringar lågo nere i landet. Hon led av att vara kvinna, „inutile och maktlös”, säger hon själv. Och där vaknade hos henne en brinnande lust att verka för sitt lands förkovran på merkantil väg.

Hon började sin vittomfattande verksamhet med att inköpa Krapperup i Skåne, där hon iståndsatte Höganäs stenkolsverk, som länge legat nere. Sedan under Karl den elftes tid utskeppades härifrån stenkol med stor vinst. Hon skrev till konungen och begärde soldater till gruvorna „emedan skåningarna voro för lata”. Fyrarna vid Höganäs, Falsterbo och Kullen försåg hon med kol.

Med rastlös iver startade hon nu storartade industriella företag vid Tyresö. Hon „förskrev” färgare, smeder och mässingsslagare från utlandet. Fabriker och arbetarebostäder byggdes. Mässingsbruk, oljeslageri, gevärsfaktori, klädesfabrik, porslinsfabrik, färgeri och vantmakeri sattes i drift. Tyresö klädesfabrik försåg kronan med 30,000 alnar uniformskläde om året, och vid gevärsfaktoriet tillverkades en myckenhet „bössor, fusiner och svärdsfasten”.

Hon ryckte även upp sitt åkerbruk och lät bygga handelsskepp, som gingo på utlandet med frakt av „spannmål och allehanda Handelswaror”, som lärft och blaggarn, samt ull och „fyrskurna bräder” till Spanien. Hon var med i flera stora handelskompanier, såsom Afrikanska Kompaniet, Västerviks skeppsvarv och salthandeln på Portugal.

Man kan lätt föreställa sig den ovilja, som den driftiga damen fick röna från sin fördomsfulla släkt. Den var chockerad över att en högvälboren adelsdam befattade sig med slöjder och näringar. Den urgamla avundsjukan vaknade, som ju redan under medeltiden upptecknats med munkstil bland de svenskes skötesynder och som ristats på en vägg i Riddarholmskyrkan. Den högg nu sina klor i den fördomsfria skönheten, som gick sina egna vägar.

En stor skandal inträffade, som klart belyser denna tids grova vidskepelse och låga kultur.

En dag blev det angivet inför „Rikens Råd”, att „en av Satan cörperligen besatt Piga från St. Clara” församling yppat, att grevinnan Oxenstierna stämplat mot konungens liv. „Här var alltså frågan om en högmålsprocess, framkallad av tron på Blåkulla. Dock fann „Riksens höga Råd” saken orimlig, men kunde för den höga persons skull, som hotades, icke lämna saken obemärkt. Resultatet blev lyckligtvis ett frisägelsebrev, som de gamla perukstockarna avslutade med „att alltsammans härledde sig från den onde Anden, eller afwoga menniskors osanna angifwande och listiga afvund till att oskyldiga menniskor förolämpa och allehanda ondt och farligt stifta —”

Under en lång och lycklig period förde grevinnan ett rikt och givande liv. Hon bodde mest i Stockholm i moderns stora hus på Söder. I sin charmante och mäktige bror Magnus Gabriel hade hon ett ovärderligt stöd, och hon fick å sin sida tillfälle att bistå honom under hans motgångstid. Trots sina många intressen försummade hon aldrig hemmets skötsel och döttrarnas fostran. Sparsam utan att vara snål eller girig, var hon en myndig husfru, och olydiga tjänare lär hon ha näpst med mörk arrest. Hon var hjälpsam mot släktingar och offrade, när det så fordrades av henne; outtröttlig vakade hon vid svägerskans, Ebba Sparres sjukbädd. — Tyresö, det minnesrika vita slottet med de fem tornspirorna reparerade hon och utsmyckade på det präktigaste; där fanns kostliga „flamländska tapeter”, „himlar av silvertyg”, papegojgröna sparlakan och kungsblå brokader.

Dottern Märta gifte hon bort med generalguvernören, friherre Gustav Banér. Denne var betydligt äldre än bruden, antagligt är, att han var en av moderns friare, som denna avvisat. Den andra dottern, Gustava Juliana trädde i brudstol med kungl. rådet och överståthållaren Kristoffer Gyllenstierna. Den unga Juliana gick bort före sin mor.

Men snart fick medgångens gyllne tid ett slut och motgångarna började hopa sig. Hårda år kommo, handelsskeppen förliste med dyrbara laster, handelskompanierna gingo med förlust, och banken, där grevinnan var både långivare och förläggare blev bankrutt. De danska krigen fördärvade stenkolsbrytningen och ödelade godsen. Otrogna fogdar och förvaltare förbittrade sin matmoders liv. Denna sade ofta rent ut, vad hon menade om dem, och i hennes brev förekommo uttalanden om „den skälmen”, „den paddan”, „den hunden”. Grevinnan var känd för sin satir och sin uddiga pennan, det fingo hennes släktingar nogsamt erfara, när hon på grund av affärstransaktioner tyvärr kom i process med dem.

I stället för ljusning i de svåra ekonomiska kriserna, väntade henne ett än hårdare slag, reduktionen. Man hade nu kommit till år 1680. Med detta år ringdes det in nöd och orättvisa, hat och bitterhet i landet. Indragningarna voro visserligen av nöden påkallade. Enbart Kristinas generösa doneringar hade vårdslöst bort hela härad av kronojord, och adeln ägde vid denna tid mer än hälften av Sveriges jord, utan att betala skatt. Carl den elftes stora räkenskap drog krossande och förlamande fram över Marie Oxenstiernas hus. Det blev „processer och rättegångar, och slutligen pantförskrivning av alla dyrbarheter och lösören genom Hovrättens resolution av 22 mars 1687”.

De sista åren av den ryktbara kvinnans liv voro präglade av ängslan, bekymmer och ensamhet. Hon gick numera enkelt klädd i svart och lilas. Mycket litet ägde hon kvar av den forna glansen och överflödet. En liten dotterdotter, Gustava Gyllenstierna, en riktig solstråle, som en gång skulle gagna Tyresö och bli skön, modig och handlingskraftig som mormodern, lyste dock upp den gamles grå tillvaro.

Efter att ensam ha varit Tyresö härskarinna i 46 år, rycktes hon plötsligt bort av ett slaganfall. Hon var på besök i Stockholm, då döden kom, den 22 aug. 1694. — Hon fick en furstlig begravning i Riddarholmskyrkan, som var draperad med svart kläde; femhundra vaxljus brunno kring båren och konungen var närvarande. I en svartklädd slup färdades „det saliga liket”, som man uttryckte sig på den tiden, sjöledes till Tyresö. Båtfärden tog fem dygn och vaxfacklor lyste dag och natt kring den sirade kopparkistan. Allmogen mötte vid Tyresöstranden och under högtidlig begravningstakt vigdes den vördade husfrun till den sista vilan bland de mäktiga hänsovna herrarna på Tyresö.

Det var inte mycket att ärva efter grevinnan, det mesta tog banken. Hennes många klenoder voro borta, endast en obetydlig samling kuriosa kvarstod. Dottern Märta löste sig till en del och resten av ägodelarna skingrades.

Innehållsrik och skiftande var Marie Sofie de la Gardies levnad, och länge skall hennes namn och gärning lysa i Sveriges hävder. Det var fest och glans över hennes väg, fast gnagande oro och bekymmer böjde den raka ryggen och fårade det väna anletet på henne, som icke hade sin like vid drottning Kerstins hov.

English translation (my own):

The court lady as an industry magnate.

For Allas Krönika, by Ebba von Seth

Ebba Brahe, renowned for her beauty, paled in comparison to her daughter Maria. The young Maria Sofia de la Gardie was dazzlingly beautiful with dark, soulful eyes, a high, intelligent forehead and a finely drawn little mouth. Contemporaries could not praise her refined nature and "lily-slender stature" enough. — "In intelligence and qualities of soul she had no equal in her time", the histories say. It was said that Duke Karl Gustav himself was enchanted by her. Ebba Brahe speaks openly about it in a letter to a relative, and the Danish minister already reports in November 1649 a proposal for the young beauty's marriage to the Duke. One legend goes so far as to regret that Maria de la Gardie did not become the queen of Sweden.

The young Countess was certainly greatly influenced by her father, the great general Jakob de la Gardie, Count of Läckö, who was highly valued by Gustav Adolf and Kristina for his open and honest character. She had certainly inherited her amiability from her noble mother, but she could also often show a fierce, passionate temperament.

In 1643, little Maria turned sixteen and was then married to the councilman Gustaf Gabrielsson Oxenstierna of Croneborg. It was very strange that three years after his death he was elevated to the rank of count, "for the sake of his two daughters". The wedding was celebrated in the de la Gardies' palace in Stockholm; it was a brilliant celebration with torchlight processions, pomp and circumstance. The lovely bride was led in by her father; she was the most beautiful thing one could see, dressed in stiff silver cloth, richly embroidered with real pearls. Her husband was fourteen years older than her, a prominent man, who made himself heard at the Council table and was distinguished by high positions of trust. There is a painting of the councilman at Löberöd, he has a rough and clumsy appearance and a forest of fiery red hair; the chronicle portrays him as a rowdy, heavy drinker and a rough and boorish gentleman.

It is doubtful whether she, the highly refined young creature, was happy in her marriage. In any case, she was deeply affected by the death of her husband, when, after five years, she was left a widow with two small children. Many noblemen courted her, as she was both rich and beautiful; the Duke of Croÿ, of the House of Aerschot was particularly noted. However, she chose the peace of solitude; and, despite all the offers, she never remarried.

Alas, as what a brilliant mistress of the order she did not enter the stiff turns of the gavottes at the great balls of the Order of Amarante! Her dark hair fell in curly ringlets from her forehead, a small jeweled crown adorned her high-borne head, pearl clasps and jewel stars rattled around her neck, and in a tight-fitting golden cloth she danced. Life was one whirlwind of pleasure; games, jousting, and ring races succeeded one another. The imagination shone in motley costumes at "Olympic banquets", where skogsrå, elf maidens and trolls played in reckless delirium. Wasteful splendour unfolded in her father's palace Makalös at the Kungsträdgården. At Queen Kristina's coronation festivities, the generous Count Jakob let "white and red wine flow" at six taverns, where the people could quench their thirsty throats. Rockets drew luminous circles over the heads of the frenzied people, languid music faded from the leafy halls, and by the glow of different coloured lamps ballets and plays with French lyrics were performed. There the dance-loving Kristina was seen arm in arm with her beautiful, ingenious favourite Magnus Gabriel; she danced, and the entire court danced, until the sun rose over Kungsträdgården's sky-high elms...

Countess Maria was in high favour with the Queen, who appointed her as her grand court mistress. 1,200 dalers a year, plus free board, would constitute her salary. She enjoyed being young, beautiful and famous. She came into contact with the most interesting foreigners, took part in political and literary movements, and developed more and more. However, she could not help but notice the great moral corruption that had come with the foreign manners and the French-style entertainment at Kristina's happy court. And she soon tired of the butterfly game and found that court life was a slippery path that led into a labyrinth of schemes, gossip and intrigue. Her creative spirit awakened, and through her innate energy she broke new ground.

The young widow was now only twenty-one years old and had a large fortune and considerable land to manage. Tyresö or Törsö, with Skarpnäck she had received as a morning gift. She also became the mistress of Traneberg and Lagmansryd, as well as Dalarö (where she kept a tavern!), Sundholmen in Finland, Matgina and Retsiga in Ingria, Vogelsang and Tarwast in the Baltic provinces, and the magnificent house in Götgatsbacken, which to this day bears the family coat of arms of Brahe and de la Gardie over the stone portal.

Countess Maria saw with her alert eyes how trade and industry were declining in the country. She suffered from being a woman, "useless and powerless", she says herself. And there awoke in her a burning desire to work for the betterment of her country through mercantile means.

She began her extensive business by purchasing Krapperup in Skåne, where she repaired the Höganäs coal mine, which had long been closed. Then, during the reign of Karl XI, coal was shipped from here at great profit. She wrote to the King and requested soldiers for the mines "because the Scanians were too lazy". She supplied the lighthouses at Höganäs, Falsterbo and Kullen with coal.

With restless zeal, she now started magnificent industrial enterprises at Tyresö. She "prescribed" dyers, blacksmiths and brass-smiths from abroad. Factories and workers' housing were built. Brassworks, oil mills, rifle factories, clothing factories, porcelain factories, dyeing factories and blanket factories were put into operation. Tyresö clothing factories supplied the Crown with 30,000 ells of uniform cloth a year, and at the rifle factory a great many "guns, fuses and sword hilts" were manufactured.

She also uprooted her farming in the field and had merchant ships built, which went abroad carrying "grain and all kinds of trade goods", such as leather and wool yarn, as well as wool and "firewood-cut boards" to Spain. She was involved in several large trading companies, such as the African Company, the Västervik shipyard, and the salt trade in Portugal.

One can easily imagine the dislike that the enterprising lady had to face from her prejudiced family. They were shocked that a high, well-born noble lady was involved in crafts and trades. The ancient jealousy was awakened which had already been recorded in monkish style among the sins of the Swedes during the Middle Ages and which was carved on a wall in Riddarholm Church. It now dug its claws into the unprejudiced beauty, who went her own way.

A great scandal occurred, which clearly illustrates the gross superstition and low culture of this time.

One day it was stated before the "High Council of the Realm" that "a maiden from St. Klara, physically possessed by Satan", had revealed that Countess Oxenstierna had plotted against the King's life. "Here, then, was the question of a high-stakes trial, provoked by the belief in Blåkulla. However, the "High Council of the Realm" found the matter unreasonable, but could not leave the matter unnoticed for the sake of the high person who was threatened. The result was fortunately a letter of acquittal, which the old wigmen concluded with "that everything was derived from the evil spirit, or from the false accusations and cunning envy of people to insult innocent people and cause all kinds of evil and danger —"

During a long and happy period, the Countess led a rich and rewarding life. She lived mostly in Stockholm in her mother's large house at Södermalm. In her charming and powerful brother Magnus Gabriel she had an invaluable support, and she in turn had the opportunity to assist him during his time of adversity. Despite her many interests, she never neglected the care of the home and the upbringing of her daughters. Thrifty without being stingy or greedy, she was a mature housewife, and she is said to have punished disobedient servants with a dark arrest. She was helpful to relatives and made sacrifices when it was required of her; she tirelessly watched over the sickbed of her sister-in-law, Ebba Sparre. — Tyresö, the memorable white castle with the five tower spires, she repaired and decorated in the most magnificent way; there were expensive "Flemish wallpapers", "baldaquins of silver cloth", parrot-green bed canopies, and royal blue brocades.

She married her daughter Märta to the governor general, Baron Gustaf Banér. He was considerably older than the bride, and it is likely that he was one of her mother's suitors, whom she had rejected. The other daughter, Gustava Juliana, was married to the royal councilman and governor general Christoffer Gyllenstierna. The young Juliana passed away before her mother.

But soon the golden age of prosperity came to an end, and setbacks began to pile up. Hard years came, merchant ships sank with precious cargoes, trading companies made losses, and the bank, where the Countess was both lender and publisher, went bankrupt. The Danish wars ruined the coal mining and devastated the estates. Unfaithful bailiffs and administrators made their mistress's life bitter. She often said bluntly what she thought of them, and her letters included statements about "that scoundrel", "that toad", "that dog". The Countess was known for her satire and her witty pen, as her relatives learned all too well when she unfortunately got into legal trouble with them over business transactions.

Instead of lightening the difficult economic crises, she was faced with an even harder blow, the Reduction. The year 1680 had now arrived. With this year, hardship and injustice, hatred and bitterness were brought into the country. The withdrawals were certainly called for by necessity. Kristina's generous donations alone had carelessly taken away an entire district of Crown land, and the nobility at this time owned more than half of Sweden's land, without paying taxes. Karl XI's great reckoning was crushing and paralysing over Maria Oxenstierna's house. There were "processes and trials, and finally the mortgage of all valuables and movables by the Court of Appeals' resolution of March 22, 1687".

The last years of the famous woman's life were marked by anxiety, worry and loneliness. She now dressed simply in black and purple. She had very little left of her former splendour and opulence. A little granddaughter, Gustava Gyllenstierna, a real ray of sunshine, who would one day benefit Tyresö and become beautiful, brave and energetic like her grandmother, brightened up the old woman's grey existence.

After being the sole mistress of Tyresö for 46 years, she was suddenly taken away by a stroke. She was visiting Stockholm when death came, on August 22, 1694. — She was given a royal funeral in Riddarholm Church, which was draped in black cloth; five hundred wax candles burned around the bier, and the King was present. In a black-clad shallop, "the late body", as they called it at the time, travelled by sea to Tyresö. The boat journey took five days, and wax torches shone day and night around the polished copper coffin. The common people met it at the Tyresö beach, and during a solemn funeral procession the respected housewife was laid to rest among the powerful, deceased lords of Tyresö.

There was not much to inherit from the Countess; most of it was taken by the bank. Her many treasures were gone; only a small collection of curiosities remained. Her daughter Märta got rid of some of it, and the rest of the assets were dispersed.

Maria Sofia de la Gardie's life was rich and varied, and her name and deeds will long shine in the history of Sweden. There was celebration and glory over her path, although gnawing worries and concerns bent her straight back and furrowed her beautiful face, which had no equal at Queen Kerstin's court.

Notes: The skogsrå is a mythical female creature of the forest in Swedish folklore. She takes the form of a small, beautiful and seemingly friendly young woman. The only signs that she is not fully human are a tail, a hollow back, or skin like tree bark. Anyone she lures into the forest is never seen again. It was said that any human man who ever slept with a skogsrå would become an introvert because his soul had remained with her. If that man is a hunter, she might reward him with good luck on his hunt, but if he is unfaithful to her, she will punish him with numerous accidents. If the skogsrå's vengeance causes a stormy night, he can stop it by firing a shot at her. The local version in the Nyland region of Finland has it that, like werewolves, a skogsrå can be killed with a silver bullet.

morning gift = a gift, here in the form of property, given by a man to his wife the morning after their wedding in Germanic cultures.

Tarwast is the old German name for the Estonian village of Tarvastu, in what is now Viljandi Parish, Viljandi County.

Anna Levertin's article recounting her visit to Princesse Murat and reviewing her new biography on Kristina, in "Hufvudstadsbladet" newspaper, year 1930

Source:

En fransk bok om drottning Kristina, article written by Anna Levertin for Hufvudstadsbladet, issue 181, page 2, issue of Thursday, July 10, 1930; original at the Finnish National Library (Kansalliskirjasto/Nationalbiblioteket)

https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/sanomalehti/binding/1832543?term=Kristina&term=drottning&term=Kristinas&term=drottningens&term=drottnings&term=Drottningens&page=2

Hufvudstadsbladet, 10.07.1930 no 181, s. 2 https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/sanomalehti/binding/1832543 Kansalliskirjaston Digitaaliset Aineistot

The article:

En fransk bok om

drottning Kristina.

Det välkända förlaget Flammarion i Paris utger sedan flera år tillbaka en berättelseserie som heter „Deras kärlek” och som behandlar kända historiska och konstnärliga personligheters kärleksliv.

Serien inleddes — ära den som äras bör — med „La vie amoureuse de Vénus”, framställt av Francis de Miomandre. Sedermera ha utkommit Ninon de Lenclos av Fernand Noziére, Pierre de Ronsard av Pierre de Nolhac, Casanova av Maurice Rostand, Madame du Barry och Madame Tallien av Paul Revoux, Madame de Pompadour av Marcelle Tinayre, Oscar Wilde av Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, Elisabeth av England och Balsac av J. H. Rosny, Katharina II av prinsessan Murat m. fl.

Att en sådan serie har stor framgång i ett land som Frankrike är ej att undra på — kärlekslivet har icke detroniserats här utan anses ännu som den främsta faktorn i den mänskliga tillvaron — i synnerhet som de trevligt utstyrda små böckerna, vilkas titelblad bär den gemensamma rubriken „La vie amoureuse de ....” äro skrivna endast av goda pennor.

Den stora framgång som prinsessan Murat rönte med sin Katharina har gjort att förlaget ivrigt uppmanat henne att behandla någon annan kunglig personlighets kärlekssaga. Hennes val föll då på drottning Kristina, dels därför att allt som rör Sverige intresserar henne på det högsta, dels därför att denna drottnings levnadssaga verkligen är en av de mest egendomliga i historien. Detta att en envåldshärskarinna i det stora och mäktiga rike, som Sverige då var, av eget skön i sin bästa ålder lämnade tronen för att lik en Ibsenisk hjältinna „leva sitt liv”, är något enastående i världshistorien. Att hon omgav sig med författare och konstnärer från Frankrike och att hon övergick till katolicismen har för den franska författarinnan haft stor dragningskraft. Dessutom var prinsessan Murats stamfader, hertig Henri av Rohan, chef för kalvinisterna i Frankrike, god vän med Gustaf Adolf och ett giftermål var till och med påtänkt mellan honom och den svenske konungens syster, Katharina. — Detta och mycket annat berättade mig prinsessan Murat, när hon tog emot mig i sitt vackra hem och gav mig boken, som då förelåg i korrektur, men som utkommer i dagarna.

Prinsessan tillhör en släkt med stolta traditioner både på fädernet och genom giftermål, och ehuru hon tillbringat hela sin ungdom i den medeltida borgen Josselin i Bretagne, som varit i släktesn [sic] ägo oavbrutet sedan 1400-talet, är hon en ytterst modern företeelse, och hennes salonger uppvisa även en angenäm blandning av gammalt och nytt: Porträtt av Madame de Montespan av Mignard, Marie Leczinska av Tocque, du Barry av Vigée-Lebrun, en pennteckning av familjen Murat tillskriven David häng sida om sida med dukar av Sargent, av Picasso, av van Dongen, av Marie Laurencin och en magnifik gammal brons, framställande den store Condé har till granne en byst av Rodin, föreställande prinsessans far samt är flankerad av skulpturer av Pompon och Maillol.

Och vid sidan av „Scener ur framtidens liv” av Georges Duhamel och Paul Morands „New-York” ligga strödda magnifika gamla böcker i kalvskinnsband, förskrivande sig från sextonhundratalet, som berätta drottning Kristinas levnadssaga. Prinsessan Murat har länge arbetat på boken och gjort forskningar i ett flertal bibliotek.

Ehuru stödd på källskrifter är det en ytterst modern bild hon ger av denna drottning från sextonhundratalets Sverige. „Boken går illa ihop med vår barnaföreställning om den stygga drottning Kristina, som hade „gunstlingar”, som lämnade Sverige vid tjugonio års ålder [sic] och som avsvor den tro för vilken hennes fader givit sitt liv”.

Bokens titel är „La vie amoureuse de Christine de Suède” och underrubriken lyder „La reine Andr*gyne”.

I en tudelning av drottningens psykiska och fysiska väsen liksom i hennes härstamning från Vasar och Brandenburgare ser prinsessan som en äkta Freud-discipel förklaringen till hennes skiftande levnadssaga.

Författarinnan påvisar hurusom hennes underliga uppfostran ej heller bidrog att göra henne harmonisk. Den dystra tiden hos modern, som klädde sina gemak, sina dvärgar och narrar i svart samt hängde hjältekonungens hjärta över sin alkov i ett gyllene skrin, var ej lugnande för ett nervöst barn, och detta var ej heller det övermått av grekisk och romersk litteratur som hennes lärare meddelade henne. När så hennes religiösa känsla tidigt försvann, kanske genom en alltför drastisk påskpredikan om helvetets fasor, så stod hon som envåldsdrottning, en ensam adertonårs flicka, vilken kunde tillfredsställa alla sina infall och dansen begynte!

Författarinnan ger goda porträtt av den vackra Ebba Sparre, av den kvicke Magnus de la Gardie, vilkens familj stammade från Gascogne [sic], av den milde filosofen Descartes, som åtlydde drottningens uppmaning, att skriva såväl ett balettdivertissement som en komedi på vers, kallad Parthenie, som spelades på slottet med stor framgång av Kristina själv, Ebba Sparre och Magnus de la Gardie [sic]. Författarinnan visar också vilket välde hennes franske läkare abbé Bourdelot fick över henne. Han botade hennes hälsa, men genom sin vantro och sitt raljeri drev han henne bort från sina plikter. Samma roll spelade alla de utländska sändebud, som kretsade kring Kristina för att genom smicker tillskansa sig fördelar för egen del och för sina respektive länder. — Man inser när man läser den lilla boken vilken stormaktsställning Sverige då intog. — Av alla utlänningar var den franske ambassadören Charnut [sic] den renhårigaste, han ville drottningens verkliga väl.

Missnöjet mot drottningens leverne och hennes slöseri utbredde sig i landet, och där liksom utomlands utkom en mängd pamfletter om henne. Hennes undersåtar misstrodde henne och själv trivdes hon ej med svenskarna, vilka hon fann tråkiga och okunniga. Och tanken att lämna kronan tog i hennes själ allt fastare form.

Kanske var det den pamflett, som utkom under titeln „Den store Cyrus” och som smugits in i hennes sovgemak, som kom bägaren att rinna över. I densamma förekom en viss Cléobuline, som Kristina igenkände såsom identisk med sig själv och vars andliga och kroppsliga svagheter förlöjligades. Hon insåg att det måste ha varit de la Gardie som prisgivit henne, och gunstlingen förvisades genast från hovet [sic]. I det brev, som hon skrev till den franske ambassadören, och som verkligen är nobelt i tonen, säger hon bland annat: att denna fantasi sysselsatt henne mycket, och att hon först sedan hon tänkt på den i åtta år sätter den i verket. Vidare, att denna hennes handling ej kan dömas efter gängse maximer .... att han ej skulle vara orolig för hennes skull, ty hon är i säkerhet och att hennes lycka icke är beroende av makten.

Drottningens filosofiska läggning hindrade henne ej för att ha sinne för realiteter. Hon lät packa in sina ägodelar rubb och stubb. De hade till största delen inköpts för allmänna medel såsom tavlor av Veronese, Raphael, Tizian, underbara gobelänger, smycken, silver, ja till och med sin säng och sina kökskärl.

Hon lämnade efter sig en skuld om tio miljoner kronor, en summa så enorm på den tiden att den bragte riket till ruinens brant. Dessutom försäkrade hon sig om en ränta om nära en miljon genom avkastningen från delar av Pommern, öarna Gotland, m. fl. svenska besittningar. —

Därjämte fordrade hon, och erhöll suverän höghetsrätt över sina uppvaktande och sina tjänare. Hon använde sig också av den i största utsträckning. Monaldesc[h]i betraktade hon såsom hörande till de sina som hon hade rätt att döda. Voltaire skrev om detta mord: „Det var icke en drottning som straffade en undersåte, utan en kvinna som slutade ett galant äventyr med ett mord.”

Så får man läsa om drottningens fantastiska färd genom Europa, föga uppbygglig i sanning. Hon sover i tarvliga värdshus och blandar sig med marknadsfolket, och dock pockar hon ständigt på att bli mottagen, som det anstod en furstinna. Kristinas mångåriga vistelse i den eviga staden går prinsessan hastigt förbi, hon dröjer endast vid hennes förhållande till kardinal Azzolini, vilken enligt författarinnan var Kristinas verkliga kärlek. Det var i hans armar hon drog sin sista suck med orden: „Jag tackar dig min Gud att den nåden blivit mig beskärd att inse sanningen och att ha blivit förd in på frälsningens väg.” [sic]

Boken om Kristina ingår i serien „Deras kärlek”, det bör man icke glömma — och det tillåter författaren oss icke heller att glömma! Hon vill förklara drottningens karaktär och framvisa hurusom denna trots sin upplösta moral dock var en personlighet, vilkens mod, sanningskärlek och intelligens man måste beundra.

Bland de många episoder som framdragas vill jag återgiva en som verkligen är värd att uppmärksammas. Den är den skrivelse som kardinal Azzolini sänder till den påvliga nuntien i Warschau, där Kristina, som nu överskridit de fyratio, på hans uppmaning söker den lediga polska tronen. — I Italien önskade man bli henne kvitt och på samma gång draga fördel av hennes ställning.

Kardinalen uppmanar nuntien att på allt sätt gynna denna plan. Han ber honom framhålla att om polackerna fruktade att Kristina ej skall skänka landet arvingar så är detta hopp dock ingalunda uteslutet.

„La vie amoureuse de Christine de Suède[”] innehåller flera intressanta brev av drottningens hand samt detaljer som klarlägga hennes karaktär. Rytmen i boken, liksom stilen är så pass gallisk att man har svårt att se det svenska sextonhundratalshovet i denna belysning. Men de stora undantagen ha intet begränsat fosterland, och så som Kristina framställes blir hon en senfödd renässansfigur med sina hjärterötter i Italien.

Anna Levertin.

English translation (my own):

A French book about

Queen Kristina.

The well-known publisher Flammarion in Paris has been publishing a series of stories called "Their Love" for several years now, which deals with the love lives of famous historical and artistic figures.

The series began — honour to whom honour is due — with "La vie amoureuse de Vénus", produced by Francis de Miomandre. Since then, Ninon de l'Enclos by Fernand Nozière, Pierre de Ronsard by Pierre de Nolhac, Casanova by Maurice Rostand, Madame du Barry and Madame Tallien by Paul Revoux, Madame de Pompadour by Marcelle Tinayre, Oscar Wilde by Lucie Delarue-Mardrus, Elizabeth of England and Balzac by J. H. Rosny, Catherine II by Princesse Murat, and others have been published.

That such a series is so successful in a country like France is not surprising — love life has not been dethroned here, but is still considered the most important factor in human existence — especially as the nicely decorated little books, whose title pages bear the common title "La vie amoureuse de ....", are written only by good pens.

The great success that Princesse Murat had with her Catherine has led the publisher to eagerly urge her to treat the love story of another royal personality. Her choice then fell on Queen Kristina, partly because everything that concerns Sweden interests her in the highest degree, and partly because this Queen's life story is truly one of the most peculiar in history. The fact that an absolute ruler in the great and powerful kingdom that Sweden was at that time, of her own free will, in her prime, left the throne to "live her life" like an Ibsenian heroine, is something unique in world history. The fact that she surrounded herself with writers and artists from France and that she converted to Catholicism had a great appeal for the French author. In addition, Princess Murat's ancestor, Duke Henri of Rohan, head of the Calvinists in France, was a good friend of Gustav Adolf and a marriage was even planned between him and the Swedish King's sister, Katarina. — This and much more was told to me by Princesse Murat when she received me in her beautiful home and gave me the book, which was then in proofreading, but which is being published in days.

La Princesse belongs to a family with proud traditions both on her father's side and through marriage, and although she spent her entire youth in the medieval castle of Josselin in Brittany, which has been in the family's possession continuously since the 15th century, she is an extremely modern phenomenon, and her salons also display a pleasant mixture of old and new: Portraits of Madame de Montespan by Mignard, Marie Leczinska by Tocque, du Barry by Vigée-Lebrun, a pencil drawing of the Murat family attributed to David hang side by side with canvases by Sargent, by Picasso, by van Dongen, by Marie Laurencin and a magnificent old bronze, depicting the great Condé, is flanked by a bust by Rodin, depicting la Princesse's father, and is flanked by sculptures by Pompon and Maillol.

And next to "Scènes de la vie future" by Georges Duhamel and Paul Morand's "New York" lie magnificent old books in calfskin bindings, dating from the 17th century, which tell the story of Queen Kristina's life. Princesse Murat has been working on the book for a long time and has done research in several libraries.

Although based on source writings, it is an extremely modern picture she gives of this queen from seventeenth-century Sweden. "The book does not fit well with our childhood idea of the naughty Queen Kristina, who had 'favourites', who left Sweden at the age of twenty-nine [sic] and who abjured the faith for which her father had given his life".

The title of the book is "La vie amoureuse de Christine de Suède", and the subtitle is "La reine Andr*gyne".

In a dichotomy of the Queen's mental and physical makeup, as well as in her lineage from Vasas and Brandenburgers, la Princesse, as a true disciple of Freud, sees the explanation for her shifting life story.

The author shows how her strange upbringing did not contribute to making her harmonious either. The gloomy time with her mother, who dressed her chambers, her dwarfs and buffoons in black and hung the heart of the hero king over her alcove in a golden casket, were not soothing for a nervous child, and neither was the excess of Greek and Roman literature that her teachers introduced to her. When her religious feeling disappeared early, perhaps through an overly drastic Easter sermon about the horrors of Hell, she stood as an absolute queen, a lonely eighteen year old girl who could satisfy her every whim, and the dance began!

The author gives good portraits of the beautiful Ebba Sparre, of the witty Magnus de la Gardie, whose family came from Gascony [sic], of the gentle philosopher Descartes, who obeyed the Queen's call to write both a ballet divertissement and a comedy in verse, called Parthénie, which was performed at the castle with great success by Kristina herself, Ebba Sparre and Magnus de la Gardie [sic]. The author also shows what power her French physician, the abbé Bourdelot, had over her. He cured her health, but through his unbelief and his taunting he drove her away from her duties. The same role was played by all the foreign envoys who circled around Kristina in order to obtain benefits for themselves and their respective countries through flattery. — When one reads the little book, one realises what a great power position Sweden then occupied. — Of all the foreigners, the French ambassador Chanut was the most pure-hearted, he wanted the Queen's true well-being.

Discontent with the Queen's lifestyle and her extravagance spread throughout the country, and there, as well as abroad, a multitude of pamphlets were published about her. Her subjects distrusted her, and she herself did not like the Swedes, whom she found boring and ignorant. And the idea of quitting the crown took on an ever firmer form in her soul.

Perhaps it was the pamphlet, which was published under the title "The Great Cyrus" and which was smuggled into her bedroom, that made the cup run over. In it appeared a certain Cléobuline, whom Kristina recognised as identical with herself and whose mental and physical weaknesses were ridiculed. She realised that it must have been de la Gardie who had betrayed her, and the favourite was immediately expelled from court [sic]. In the letter which she wrote to the French ambassador, which is truly noble in tone, she says, among other things: that this fantasy occupied her a great deal, and that she only put it into practice after having thought about it for eight years. Furthermore, that this act of hers cannot be judged by common maxims .... that he should not be anxious for her, because she is safe and that her happiness does not depend on power.

The Queen's philosophical disposition did not prevent her from having a sense of reality. She had her belongings packed up neatly. They had been mostly purchased with public funds, such as paintings by Veronese, Raphael, Titian, wonderful tapestries, jewelry, silver, and even her bed and kitchen utensils.

She left behind a debt of ten million kronor, a sum so enormous at the time that it brought the kingdom to the brink of ruin. In addition, she secured an interest of nearly a million through the yield from parts of Pomerania, the islands of Gotland, and other Swedish possessions. —

She also demanded and received sovereign authority over her courtiers and servants. She also used it to the greatest extent. She considered Monaldeschi as one of her own whom she had the right to kill. Voltaire wrote of this murder: "It was not a queen who punished a subject, but a woman who ended a gallant adventure with a murder."

Thus we read about the Queen's fantastic journey through Europe, which was not very edifying in truth. She slept in shabby inns and mixed with the market people, and yet she constantly insisted on being received, as befitted a princess. Kristina's many years of stay in the Eternal City passed quickly by the princess, she only lingered on her relationship with Cardinal Azzolino, who, according to the author, was Kristina's true love. It was in his arms that she drew her last sigh with the words: "I thank You, my God, that the grace has been granted me to realise the truth and to have been led onto the path of salvation." [sic]

The book about Kristina is part of the series "Their Love", we should not forget that — and the author does not allow us to forget it either! She wants to explain the Queen's character and show how, despite her dissolute morals, she was a personality whose courage, love of truth, and intelligence must be admired.

Among the many episodes that are brought forward, I would like to cite one that is truly worthy of attention. It is the letter that Cardinal Azzolino sends to the papal nuncio in Warsaw, where Kristina, now over forty, is seeking the vacant Polish throne at his request. — In Italy they wanted to get rid of her and at the same time take advantage of her position.

The Cardinal urges the nuncio to support this plan in every way. He asks him to point out that if the Poles feared that Kristina would not give the country heirs, this hope is by no means excluded.

"La vie amoureuse de Christine de Suède" contains several interesting letters from the Queen's hand and details that clarify her character. The rhythm of the book, as well as the style, is so Gallic that it is difficult to see the Swedish court of the seventeenth century in this light. But the major exceptions have no limited homeland, and as Kristina is portrayed, she becomes a late-born Renaissance figure with her heart-roots in Italy.

Anna Levertin.

Gurli Sevón-Rosenbröijer's review of Princesse Murat's biography of Kristina, in "Astra" magazine, year 1930

Source:

Ännu en bok om drottning Kristina: Princesse Murat: La vie Amoureuse de Christine de Suède, review written by Gurli Sevón-Rosenbröijer for Astra: årgång XII, pages 345 to 346, issue of August 1, 1930; original at the Finnish National Library (Kansalliskirjasto/Nationalbiblioteket)

https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/aikakausi/binding/732506?term=Kristina&term=drottning&term=Drottningens&term=drottningens&term=Kristinas&term=drottnings&page=3

Astra, 01.08.1930 no 16, s. 345-346 https://digi.kansalliskirjasto.fi/aikakausi/binding/732506 Kansalliskirjaston Digitaaliset Aineistot

The review:

Ännu en bok om drottning Kristina:

Princesse Murat: La vie Amoureuse de Christine de Suède

Förlaget Flammarions omtyckta serie »Leurs amours» har utökats med ett nytt verk av prinsessan Murat, författarinna till det talangfulla arbetet om la Grande Catherine. Framgång uppmuntrar och prinsessan Murat har inte varit rädd för att den här gången ta itu med en av de mest omskrivna, mest gåtfulla kvinnor, som väckt uppseende på historiens jättescen. Boken är rolig även om den inte kommer med några häpnadsväckande nyheter. Ämnet är för övrigt så saftigt att knappast ens den torraste läroboksförfattare skulle lyckas förvanska det.

Tillsammans med konung Gustav Adolf och hans bildsköna gemål, Maria Eleonora, gick hela Sverige under hösten 1626 och väntade på att en arvprins skulle födas. Den 8 december var den stora stunden inne och barnet drog in i kungaborgen under pomp och ståt och i övrigt under samma plåga och möda som alla andra barn. Angelägen om att vara Hans Majestät till behag rusade man så snart det bruna och ludna byltet upphävt sitt första starka skrik, till konungen och lyckönskade honom till hans sons födelse. Det undersåtliga nitet hade slarvat i väg. Konungen tog dock det fatala misstaget med gott humör. »Hon får ett gott huvud», sade hon, »hon lurade oss allesammans». Den förutsägelsen skulle slå in till en grad som den höge fadern aldrig kunnat drömma om. På ett alldeles annat sätt reagerade modern, som i barnet endast sett ett uppfyllande av den avgudade makens önskan om en arvtagare. I Maria Eleonoras hjärta flammade en enda lidelse, så stark att den förbrände alla andra känslor, det var kärleken till Gustaf Adolf. Moderskärlek var för henne ett okänt begrepp, hon ville helst inte se för sina ögon denna fula varelse, vars blotta ankomst till världen måste ha varit en missräkning för hennes älskare.

Konungen, som kände sin hustru och älskade sin dotter, tog själv hennes uppfostran om hand och föreskrev att hon i allt skulle handledas som en pojke. Denne förutseende man ville rätta naturens misstag och skydda Sveriges rike för följderna därav. Han tog den lilla ungen med på sina resor, förtjustes när hon klappade i händerna åt kanonernas salut och kunde icke återhålla strömmande tårar när han för sista gången lyfte sin tvååriga dotter [sic] i sina armar före avresan till Tyskland. Under kriget hinner han följa med hennes studier och ännu aftonen före Lützen [sic] skriver han till sin bästa vän Axel Oxenstierna och ber denne undandraga prinsessan moderns inflytande i händelse av en olycka. Denna uppmaning var sannerligen nödvändig, ty i sin vansinniga sorg över makens död hade Maria Eleonora kommit ihåg att hon hade ett levande minne av honom i Kristina, och hon hade tvingat det arma barnet att stänga in sig tillsammans med henne i den med svarta draperier förtäckta våning där hon sörjde Gustaf Adolf. Från sitt sjunde till sitt tionde år levde flickan i denna mörka atmosfär, som uppfylldes blott av änkedrottningens snyftningar och klagan. Man kan icke förvåna sig om hennes karaktär rönte inflytande av en sådan uppfostran.

Kristinas enda glädje var studierna. Sällan har ett vetgirigare, mer begåvat barn vuxit upp i någon kungaborg. Det dröjde inte länge förrän hon citerades som ett underverk av lärdom i hela Europa. Enligt sin egen uppgift tillbringade hon ända till tolv timmar om dagen med ansträngande studier och sov — tre timmar. Mat, dryck och kläder intresserade henne knappast alls, vilda ritter så mycket mera. De vördnadsvärda riksråden, som ansvarade för hennes uppfostran, hade inte lätta dagar och snart nog lät hon dem känna av att hon var drottningen. Den unga flickan hade auktoritet och lärde sig tidigt att befalla.

Den vilda flickan, som älskade att klä sig som en pojke, hade till lekkamrat sin kusin, Karl Gustaf, och mellan de båda barnen rådde en vänskap, som från gossens sida snart övergick till en varmare känsla. Han påminde henne ideligen om ett gammalt löfte att hon skulle bli hans hustru, men ju äldre hon blev desto mindre hågad var hon att inlösa ett sådant barnsligt löfte. Tvärtom visade hon en allt starkare motvilja mot äktenskapet. Underordna sig en man, aldrig! Prinsessan Murat uppehåller sig rätt länge vid Kristinas passionerade vänskap för den vackra Ebba Sparre och citerar de ord drottningen vid denna tid lancerade: »Själen har intet kön.»

I alla fall blev Ebba snart en smula åsidosatt för en man, den lysande Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, som till och med under en vistelse vid franska hovet fått rykte om sig att vara en av den tidens mest fulländade kavaljerer. Huru bortskämd Kristina än var genom umgänget med de intelligenta och lärda män hon förstått att samla omkring sig och vilka Magnus Gabriel var betydligt underlägsen, blev hon dock alldeles förtrollad av hans bildsköna yttre och hans spirituella konversation. Han lyckades roa henne och huru lärd hon än var, tyckte hon om att bli road. Han fick henne att skratta högt med sin löjliga imitation av riksråd och andra vördnadsbjudande herrar och han var bedårande att se på. Kristina flirtade med honom och slösade oförtjänta gunstbevis på honom precis som förälskade män och kvinnor gjort i alla tider. Den blonde Magnus Gabriel fjädrade sig och hoppades på mera än flirt. Men hans hopp kom på skam, Kristina behöll huvudet kallt, om också med svårighet, och troligen för att undvika ett nederlag i manliga armar sände hon gunstlingen i spetsen för en beskickning till Frankrike. Denna seger kostade henne själv bittra tårar och först när hon var säker på att ha övervunnit frestelsen att kyssa hans röda läppar kallade hon honom tillbaka och gifte bort honom med sin kusin Maria Euphrosyne.

Ständigt och jämt pinade riksråden Kristina med äktenskapsfrågan. Till och med hennes gamla religionslärare Johannes Matthiae sändes till henne för att förehålla henne den skyldighet hon hade att sätta barn i världen. Kristina blev slutligen otålig och förklarade på det bestämdaste, att hon aldrig skulle gifta sig. »Skälet härför förtiger jag och vill endast säga eder, att mitt sinne ej är sådant.« För att lösa barnfrågan föreslog hon att Karl Gustaf skulle bli tronföljare och genomdrev med sin kända energi detta impopulära förslag.

Allt detta bråk, den omöjliga ekonomiska situationen — Kristina var en slöserska av kungliga mått — de sociala stridigheterna, det kalla landet, som Kristina egentligen aldrig älskat, allt gjorde att hon började längta efter att slippa hela eländet och bli en »fri människa». Prinsessan Murat har naturligt nog icke ingått på någon analys av drottningens förhållande till sitt folk, detta folk som dottern aldrig lärde sig förstå på samma sätt som hennes store fader gjort det. För Kristina tedde sig de kärva svenskarna som okunniga bönder och jämförelsen mellan dem och de lärda utlänningar hon inkallade utföll alltid till de senares fördel. Kristina älskade glans och prakt. Redan som barn avskydde hon de torra predikningarna i de nakna kyrkorna och bragte den stackars Matthiae till förtvivlan med sina fyndigt formulerade frågor. De män hon mest beundrade voro katoliker. Till och med Descartes, tvivlaren, var en rättrogen kyrkans son. På det hållet gavs det svar, där fanns stämning, prakt och lärdom. Och Rom dröjde icke att sända sina bästa jägare för att fånga sådant högvilt. Visserligen ställde Kristina också till jesuiterna så snärjande frågor att kyrkan ofta förtvivlade om detta får, men hennes beslut var fattat fastän hon roade sig med att leka. Hon visste mycket väl vad hennes religionsförändring betydde för hela den katolska världen.

Drottningens avsägelse av kronan skedde under pomp och ståt. Kristina var icke den, som ställde sitt ljus under ena skäppo. Hennes sista tal till ständerna var så lysande att tårarna trillade utför böndernas barkade kinder. Hon var också upprörd själv, den 28 åriga furstinnan [sic], som avsade sig ett helt rike för att bli en fri människa. Men mycket snart glömde hon sin rörelse för njutningen att kunna följa alla sina infall. Under resan från Sverige lät hon klippa sitt praktfulla hår, klädde sig som en man, sjöng skabrösa visor, tog in på illa beryktade vårdshus och gjorde sin kur för en massa vackra flickor. Överallt väckte hon ett ofantligt uppseende och efter hennes offentliga övergång till katolicismen liknade hennes resa till Rom mest ett glänsande triumftåg. Hela Europa sysselsatte sig med hennes göranden och låtanden, vilket var alldeles i Kristinas smak. Prinsessan Murat berättar rätt utförligt om hennes kända äventyr i Frankrike och påpekar kanske onödigt mycket hennes lidelsefulla känslor för flere vackra kvinnor hon mötte på sin väg. Till och med blev hon förtjust i Ninon. Inför Kristinas privatliv under dessa år vill man inte gärna tänka på vad hennes fader, den ädle Gustav Adolf, skulle tänkt därom.

Monaldeschi-dramat i Fontainebleau behandlas utförligt och kommer författarinnan att fälla följande omdöme: »Dessa perversa kvinnor, lockade av artificiella paradis, äro oftare blodtörstiga än andra kvinnor. Sällan mottagliga för medlidande ha de mindre känslighet och söka ofta en njutning i hämnden.»

I en bok, som heter La vie Amoureuse de Christine de Suède, måste naturligtvis det egendomliga kärleksäventyret med kardinal Azzolino inta en betydande plats. Att Kristina verkligen var hans älskarinna har prinsessan Murat lika litet som någon annan av de oräkneliga biograferna kunnat bevisa, men tydligt är att hon tror det. I alla händelser hade Kristina funnit sin herre och i hennes dyrkan finner man något av moderns allt uppslukande lidelse för Gustaf Adolf. Denna själviska och kalla kvinna, som aldrig kunnat göra något för andra, hon glömmer helt sitt jag för denne man. »Jag vill leva och dö som Er slav» skriver hon till honom. Och försvunnen är hennes orimliga stolthet då hon skriver: »I förhållande till mig är Ni allsmäktig, och huru Ni än finner för gott att behandla mig skall jag aldrig klaga.» Det finnes tusen bevis på Kristinas ytlighet och obeständighet, men nitton år efter sin bekantskap med Azzolino skriver hon: »Han är mig kärare än mitt liv; han förmår allt hos mig.» Genom livets stormiga bränningar har drottning Kristina seglat sin farkost mot kärlekens och ödmjukhetens hamn. Vilket sublimt slut på ett så stort människoöde. Enligt mitt anspråkslösa omdöme har prinsessan Murat icke förstått att ge slutet av sin bok den glans som ämnet är värt. Kristina, äventyrens drottning, den stolta självkära ärelystna Kristina — lugn och stilla på dödsbädden med blicken följande den älskade, som natt och dag vakar över henne, finnes det en bild, mer värd en stor författares penna? I denna drottnings själsutveckling har kärleken ännu en gång visat sin underbara makt över människorna.

Gurli Sevón-Rosenbröijer.

English translation (my own):

Yet another book about Queen Kristina:

Princesse Murat: La vie Amoureuse de Christine de Suède

The publisher Flammarion's popular series "Leurs amours" has been expanded with a new work by Princesse Murat, author of the talented work on la Grande Catherine. Success is encouraging and Princesse Murat has not been afraid to tackle this time one of the most talked about, most enigmatic women who has caused a stir on the giant stage of history. The book is amusing, even if it does not come with any astonishing news. The subject is, moreover, so juicy that even the driest textbook author would hardly manage to distort it.

Together with King Gustav Adolf and his beautiful wife, Maria Eleonora, all of Sweden went through the autumn of 1626, waiting for a hereditary prince to be born. On December 8 the great moment arrived, and the child entered the royal castle amidst pomp and circumstance, and otherwise under the same pain and toil as all other children. Eager to please His Majesty, as soon as the brown and hairy bundle had stopped its first loud cry, people rushed to the King and congratulated him on the birth of his son. The submissive zeal had gone astray. However, the King took the fatal mistake in good humour. "She will have a good head", she said, "she has fooled us all". That prediction would come true to a degree that the noble father could never have dreamed of.

The mother, who saw in the child only a fulfillment of her idolised husband's wish for an heir, reacted in a completely different way. In Maria Eleonora's heart burned one single passion, so strong that it burned away all other feelings: it was her love for Gustav Adolf. Motherly love was an unknown concept to her, she would rather not see before her eyes this ugly creature whose mere arrival into the world must have been a misfortune for her lover.

The King, who knew his wife and loved his daughter, took charge of her upbringing himself and prescribed that she should be taught in everything like a boy. This farsighted man wanted to correct nature's mistake and protect the kingdom of Sweden from its consequences. He took the little child with him on his travels, was delighted when she clapped her hands at the cannon salute, and could not hold back tears when he lifted his two year old daughter [sic] in his arms for the last time before leaving for Germany. During the war he managed to follow her studies, and the evening before Lützen [sic] he wrote to his best friend Axel Oxenstierna and asked him to remove the influence of the princess's mother in the event of a misfortune. This request was truly necessary, because in her insane grief over her husband's death, Maria Eleonora had remembered that she had a living memory of him in Kristina, and she had forced the poor child to sequester herself together with her in the black-draped room where she mourned Gustav Adolf. From her seventh to her tenth year the girl lived in this dark atmosphere, which was filled only by the sobs and lamentations of the Dowager Queen. It is not surprising if her character was influenced by such an upbringing.

Kristina's only joy was her studies. Seldom has a more inquisitive, more gifted child grown up in any royal castle. It was not long before she was cited as a miracle of learning throughout Europe. According to her own account, she spent up to twelve hours a day in strenuous studies and slept — three hours. Food, drink and clothing hardly interested her at all, wild rides much more. The venerable councilmen of the realm, who were responsible for her upbringing, did not have easy days, and soon enough she let them know that she was the Queen. The young girl had authority and learned early to command.

The wild girl, who loved to dress like a boy, had as a playmate her cousin, Karl Gustav, and between the two children there was a friendship which, on the boy's part, soon turned into a warmer feeling. He constantly reminded her of an old promise that she would become his wife, but the older she became, the less she was willing to fulfill such a childish promise. On the contrary, she showed an increasingly strong aversion to marriage. Submit herself to a man, never! Princesse Murat dwells at length on Kristina's passionate friendship for the beautiful Ebba Sparre and quotes the words the Queen uttered at this time: "The soul is not of any sex."

In any case, Ebba soon became somewhat supplanted by a man, the brilliant Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, who, even during a stay at the French court, gained a reputation as one of the most accomplished cavaliers of the time. However spoiled Kristina was by the association with the intelligent and learned men she had managed to gather around her and whom Magnus Gabriel was considerably inferior to, she was nevertheless completely enchanted by his picturesque appearance and his witty conversation. He managed to amuse her, and however learned she was, she liked to be amused. He made her laugh out loud at his ridiculous imitation of councilmen and other awe-inspiring gentlemen, and he was adorable to look at. Kristina flirted with him and lavished undeserved favours on him just as men and women in love have done in all times. The blond Magnus Gabriel was showing off and hoping for more than flirtation. But his hopes were dashed, Kristina kept her cool, if with difficulty, and, probably to avoid defeat in male arms, she sent her favourite at the head of an embassy to France. This victory cost her bitter tears, and only when she was sure she had overcome the temptation to kiss his red lips did she call him back and marry him to her cousin Marie Euphrosyne.

The councilmen constantly tormented Kristina with the question of marriage. Even her old religious teacher, Johannes Matthiæ, was sent to her to remind her of her obligation to bring children into the world. Kristina finally became impatient and declared most firmly that she would never marry. "I will not give the reason for this and only want to tell you that my mind is not of that nature." To solve the question of children, she proposed that Karl Gustav should become heir to the throne, and with her well-known energy she pushed through this unpopular proposal.

All this trouble, the impossible financial situation — Kristina was a spendthrift of royal proportions — the social strife, the cold country, which Kristina never really loved, all made her begin to long to escape all the misery and become a "free person". Princess Murat has naturally not entered into any analysis of the Queen's relationship to her people, this people whom her daughter never learned to understand in the same way that her great father had done. To Kristina, the harsh Swedes seemed like ignorant peasants, and the comparison between them and the learned foreigners she summoned always turned out in the latter's favour. Kristina loved splendour. Even as a child, she detested the dry sermons in the bare churches and drove poor Matthiæ to despair with her ingeniously formulated questions.

The men she admired most were Catholics. Even Descartes, the doubter, was a staunch son of the Church. That was where the answers were given, there was atmosphere, splendour and learning. And Rome did not hesitate to send its best hunters to capture such high game. It is true that Kristina also asked the Jesuits such enticing questions that the Church often despaired of this sheep, but her decision was made, although she amused herself by playing. She knew very well what her change of religion meant for the entire Catholic world.

The Queen's abdication of the crown took place with pomp and circumstance. Kristina was not the one who put her light under a bushel. Her last speech to the Estates was so brilliant that tears rolled down the ruddy cheeks of the peasants. She was also upset herself, the 28 year old princess [sic], who renounced an entire kingdom to become a free person. But very soon she forgot her emotion for the pleasure of being able to follow her every whim. During the journey from Sweden she had her magnificent hair cut, dressed like a man, sang scabrous songs, entered ill-reputed inns, and courted a lot of beautiful girls. She caused an immense sensation everywhere, and after her public conversion to Catholicism her journey to Rome resembled more than a glittering triumphal procession. All of Europe was occupied with her doings and sayings, which was entirely to Kristina's taste. Princesse Murat tells quite extensively about her famous adventures in France and perhaps unnecessarily points out her passionate feelings for several beautiful women she met on her way. She even became fond of Ninon. In view of Kristina's private life during these years, one does not like to think about what her father, the noble Gustav Adolf, would have thought about it.

The Monaldeschi drama at Fontainebleau is discussed in detail, and the author makes the following judgement: "These perverse women, attracted by artificial paradises, are more often bloodthirsty than other women. Rarely susceptible to pity, they have less sensitivity and often seek pleasure in revenge."

In a book called La vie Amoureuse de Christine de Suède, the strange love affair with Cardinal Azzolino must of course occupy a prominent place. That Kristina was really his lover has been proved by Princesse Murat as little as by any other of the countless biographers, but it is clear that she believes it. In any case, Kristina had found her master, and in her adoration one finds something of her mother's all-consuming passion for Gustav Adolf. This selfish and cold woman, who has never been able to do anything for others, completely forgets her ego for this man. "I want to live and die as your slave", she writes to him. And her unreasonable pride has disappeared when she writes: "In relation to me you are omnipotent, and however you see fit to treat me, I shall never complain."

There are a thousand proofs of Kristina's superficiality and inconstancy, but nineteen years after her acquaintance with Azzolino, she writes: "He is dearer to me than my life; he can do anything with me."

Through the stormy waves of life, Queen Kristina has sailed her vessel towards the harbour of love and humility. What a sublime end to such a great human destiny. In my humble opinion, Princesse Murat has not understood how to give the end of her book the brilliance that the subject deserves. Kristina, the queen of adventures, the proud, self-loving, ambitious Kristina — calm and quiet on her deathbed with her gaze following the beloved man who watches over her night and day, is there a picture more worthy of the pen of a great writer? In the development of this Queen's soul, love has once again shown its wonderful power over human beings.

Gurli Sevón-Rosenbröijer.

Faith Compton Mackenzie on Kristina's abdication

Source:

The Sibyl of the North: The Tale of Christina, Queen of Sweden, pages 93 to 107, by Faith Compton Mackenzie, 1931; original scan at the Universal Digital Library

https://archive.org/details/sibylofthenortht008021mbp/page/n101/mode/2up

The account:

CHAPTER VI

ABDICATION, 1654

THE Commonwealth Ambassador, puzzled but ignorant of the upheaval that was threatening Sweden, persevered conscientiously in his mission, cultivating the right people, lecturing his suite on the folly of late nights, the evil of carousing and the sacred duty of Lord's Day observance, and getting a little impatient of the Chancellor Oxenstierna's procrastination. His audiences with the Queen were frequent, and it was at one of these that he complained of the difficulties he had with the Chancellor. Knowing well the reason for this, she listened and questioned him for a while; then drew her stool nearer to him and said:

"I shall surprise you with something which I intend to communicate to you; but it must be under secrecy."

"Madam, we that have been versed in the affairs of England do not use to be surprised with the discourse of a young lady. ..."

"I have great confidence in your honour and judgment, and therefore, though you are a stranger, I shall acquaint you with a business of the greatest consequence to me in the world, and which I have not communicated to any creature; nor would I have you to tell anyone of it — no, not your General, till you come to see him; and in this business I desire your counsel."

"Your Majesty does me in this the greatest honour imaginable, and your confidence in me I shall not, by the grace of God, deceive in the least measure ... and wherein Your Majesty shall judge my counsel worth your receiving, I shall give it with all sincerity, and according to the best of my poor capacity."

"Sir, it is this. I have it in my thoughts and resolution to quit the crown of Sweden, and to retire myself unto a private life, as much more suitable to my contentment than the great cares and troubles attending upon the government of my kingdom."

The Punchinello secret was out.

"I am sorry to hear Your Majesty call it a resolution; and if anything would surprise a man, to hear such a resolution from a lady of your parts, power and judgment, would do it. But I suppose Your Majesty is pleased only to droll with your humble servant."

"I speak you the truth of my intentions; and had it not been for your coming hither, which caused me to defer my resolution, probably it might have been done before this time."

Whitelocke remonstrated warmly against the project, and asked her if she could forsake her people that loved her.

"It is my love to the people which causeth me to think of providing a better governor for them than a poor woman can be, and it is somewhat of love to myself, to please my own fancy by private retirement."

Christina could be humble when it suited her.

After much improving discourse on both sides, the practical Whitelock said:

"Madam, let me humbly advise you, if any such thing should be, as I hope it will not, to reserve that country in your possession out of which your reserved revenue shall be issued; for when money is to be paid out of a prince's treasury, it is not always ready and certain."

Prophetic Whitelock!

Christina replied:

"The Prince Palatine is full of justice and honour; but I like your counsel well, and shall follow it, and advise further with you in it."

Whitelock went on:

"Suppose, Madam, as the worst must be cast, that by some exigencies or troubles your lessened revenues should not be answered and paid to supply your own occasions. You that have been mistress of the whole revenue of this Crown, and of so noble and bountiful heart as you have, how can you bear the abridging of it, or, it may be, the necessary supplies for yourself and your servants to be wanting to your quality?"

"In case of such exigencies, notwithstanding my quality, I can content myself with very little; and for servants, with a lackey and a chambermaid."

The Chancellor's tardiness was explained. He was trying to hold off the final stages of the Alliance until this period of transition was over and the Prince on the throne. Besides, he was much engaged, sadly, on the business of the Queen, whose decision he now knew to be irrevocable. He was a sick old man, though still active at the head of affairs.

Soon after this audience the Queen invited Whitelock to come and hear some music, when some excellent Italian singers and a French lady, Madame de Bar [sic], and her brother amused the company with music "very rare". It was a diverting evening. Montecuculi[,] from the Court of Austria[,] was there. Among the ladies was Ebba Sparre[,] "the beautiful Countess". The Queen brought her to Whitelock.

"Discourse with this lady, my bed-fellow, and tell me if her inside be not as beautiful as her outside."

Whitelock gladly tested the quality of the lovely lady's soul, while Christina seized her gloves and tore them in four pieces, dividing them between Pimentelli, the Italians and Count Tott. Whitelock gallantly responded to this with a present next day to Ebba of a dozen pairs of English white gloves, much prized among the fair sex.

Everything was now in train for Christina's abdication. It was quite obvious to everyone around her that all business of the Crown was odious to her. When the secretaries came to her with papers to sign, she cried:

"When I see these people it's like seeing the devil. ... I want to give up government to one who has strength enough for it. The King of Sweden should be able to lead his armies."

This was ever her modest cry. In her heart she was sure she could lead an army as well as anyone else, but just now she was not going to admit it.

Pimentelli was again dismissed a month or so before her abdication. She followed him with letters full of violent expressions of affection, which were opened and read by various people en route, and a M. Borsel [sic], writing to a M. de Witt in Paris, declares that if he did not know the virtue of the Queen, one might arrive at the false impression that the particular letter which M. Borsel had had the honour of reading was prompted by un amour tout charnel. The fact was that Pimentelli was not dismissed as far as Christina was concerned, but was engaged on important business for her in Flanders.

The Whitelock affair was at last settling itself, and, as soon as Christina was assured that the alliance between England and Sweden was concluded, she sent for Whitelock and suggested a secret article by which, if Sweden neglected its obligations to her, the Protector should not be bound by the treaty. Whitelock was not in favour of this — saw, naturally, little advantage to his own country in it, but assured the Queen that as the Protector was a great maintainer of justice and honour, he could be depended upon to be a true friend to her in any difficulties that should come to her.

"Wherewith, poor lady, she seemed much comforted, having brought her affairs to so low an ebb as this was."

Yes, this was where Christina's doubts were deepest; the question of finance, the ability and willingness of her country to supply her with a revenue — the possibility, however firmly signed and sealed the contract, that when the whole truth was out, obligations to an errant Queen who was also a Papist might be regarded as negligible. This was the only flaw in the pattern of Christina's future, but it was a very big one, and was capable of marring the whole. She made huge demands, probably on the principle that the more you ask[,] the more you will eventually get. To begin with, following Whitelock's advice, she asked as her absolute property certain lands, including the port of Gothenburg. The suggestion was summarily refused. Only the revenue from the lands would be bestowed upon her, and Gothenburg was certainly too great a treasure to be sacrificed.

Finally she was granted the revenue from the fertile island of Öland, where Charles Gustavus had spent most of his days in a castle of beautiful stone like marble, which was quarried from the island itself and in great demand for fine buildings: the island of Gottland, larger than Öland, but of less importance and little value: the islands of Ösel, Wollin and Usedom: the town and castle of Wolgast, and some lands in Pomerania were ceded to her, and the whole would bring in an income of two hundred thousand crowns.

In those days there might be seen great wagons rolling through the forest, skirting the lake with its four thousand islands — rolling along to Gothenburg, piled high with the treasures that Christina was taking out of the country. This activity had been going on so long and so secretly that few people realized the extent of it until it was too late to protest. Not only did she take the whole of her priceless library, and quantities of pictures and statues in marble and brass, the greater part of which she had collected herself, but she denuded the royal palaces of their finest furniture, gold and silver pieces of enormous value, and a vast quantity of jewellery and bijouterie which was the property of the Crown. In fact, she took away exactly what she wanted, without regard to anyone.

Marie Eleanore, meanwhile, had been in residence at Nyköping, and Christina had not altogether neglected her. Whitelock writes of her, wrapped up warm with furs, driving in her sledge over rivers and lakes and arms of the sea, to visit her mother, alas! as was often the case, in spite of Whitelock's remonstrances, on the Lord's Day. The last of these visits was made to announce her coming abdication. She took Charles Gustavus with her, and in the presence of the Court, told her mother that the time had come for them to part, and that in losing a daughter she was gaining a son. Charles was formally presented as that son, and Christina resolutely kissed her mother — a farewell salute — coldly and without a trace of emotion. Marie Eleanore, true to tradition, burst into tears, was led to her room and cried throughout the night. Again Christina was called to her bedside and attempted to console her. In the early hours of the morning she left Nyköping, and Marie Eleanore never saw her again.

One of Christina's last acts before she abandoned the throne was one of her most astonishing, because gratuitous. It showed the direction in which her mind was at the moment almost fanatically set. She sent a messenger by diligence to Stockholm, with a secret paper of which no one but she knew the contents. The messenger was to go to the Portuguese Resident, to open the paper and read it to him without letting him see it or handle it. The messenger found himself obliged to tell the amazed Resident that his employment at the Court was useless, because Christina had decided not to recognize the Duke of Braganza as King of Portugal, that title belonging to Philip IV of Spain and to him and his successors alone; that she had always considered Braganza as a usurper; that she thought it better to warn the Resident of this resolution so that he might have leisure to prepare for departure from a country in which he could no longer be received in a manner fitting to his position; that the Prince, her successor, would be in accord with her in this. Apart from her infatuation for Pimentelli, Spain was for the moment more important than any other nation, because Philip IV was interesting himself in her conversion, and because she was intending to spend some time in the Low Countries on her journey South. Her progress must be one long triumph, and everything should be concentrated on that.

The Senate was shocked when it heard of the insult to the harmless Portuguese Resident, but the conclusion was that it was Christina's way of getting the right side of Spain for her own purposes, purposes which were not quite clear to her Ministers, ignorant as they were of her ultimate intentions. The fact that this event happened only eight days before her abdication seemed to imply that as soon as Charles came to the throne relations could be re-established with Portugal, and the Minister, after lying low for a space, reinstalled. Meanwhile Christina would have achieved her object, and no one would be any the worse. Whether this was what Christina did mean or not, it was what happened, and by the time she was out of Sweden she did not mind what became of Portugal or its Resident.

Still[,] the financial side of things kept her uneasy. It was fairly certain that Charles Gustavus would be punctual with his obligations — he could hardly do otherwise after all that she had done for him. But supposing he did not marry, and had no heirs and predeceased her? Anyone might come into power, and what was to prevent the repudiation of her claims? With no absolute property she was utterly dependent on the good faith of those at the head of Sweden, whoever they might be. Accidents must be guarded against.

A stipulation that she had made when she first made Charles Gustavus her heir was accepted by the Senate. It was that his brother Duke Adolphus, whom she disliked, should not inherit under any circumstances. Charles Gustavus might die young — he might be killed in battle. She decided that Count Tott must be nominated successor to Charles if he died without heirs. Tott had Vasa blood, being descended from Eric XIV, whose daughter married a Tott, and he was one of her most faithful friends. When Christina laid this proposal before the Senate, she was thanked for her solicitude for the throne, but was assured that since she had renounced it she renounced forever all authority in Sweden, either for herself or possible descendants. In other words[,] she was not to dictate to them who should or should not succeed Charles Gustavus. Then she wanted to make Tott a duke, and to bestow a like honour upon Pierre Brahe, the First Senator, and the Chancellor Oxenstierna. All three declined and protested that their honour was satisfied in serving their country faithfully, without vain titles to hand down to their children, who should also be satisfied with the high places in their country's services they might be called upon to fill.

After this vain groping for a secure foothold, Christina was compelled to leave the future to Fate, and to hope that Charles would live to a ripe old age and do his duty by his generous cousin and benefactor.

Before her abdication the Senate asked her to withdraw the sentence of banishment she had passed on Magnus de la Gardie. It was pointed out that his offences so far as they knew did not merit such severe punishment. He was, after all, a Grand Officer of the Realm, and it would be a gracious act to pardon him before she laid down her crown.

"I have other things to think about", she said. "When I am gone the Prince can do as he likes, but please do not speak to me of de la Gardie again."

She refused to say good-bye to him, though she gave an audience of farewell to his wife. The result of this was that de la Gardie made a great noise about his delight at Christina's abdication, and declared that he would soon take office again. Charles Gustavus repudiated the possibility of reinstating one who had offended his benefactress. Nevertheless, Christina had not long been out of the kingdom before de la Gardie was back at Court and in high favour. This was not altogether surprising, since his wife was the King's sister.

For the great meeting of the Senate at which Christina was formally to abdicate, the stage was carefully set. The hall was hung with splendid arras, some of it from Whitelock's house; red cloth-covered forms were ranged for the senators, and at the upper end was the silver chair of state, with a rich cushion upon it, and a canopy of crimson velvet above it. First to enter were the Boors — members of the Council — about eighty of them, led by their Marshal. Then followed a hundred and twenty Citizens, led by their Marshal. All took their places and were covered. Then by the same door entered the Marshal of the Nobility, followed by about two hundred gentlemen of the first families. At their approach the Boors and Citizens rose and uncovered. Then came the Archbishop of Upsala with his Bishops and Clergy, while all the rest stood uncovered. When all were seated, the Queen's Guard entered, and many of her servants.

Lastly came the Queen, also with her head bare, and walked up the lane made by her attendants to her silver chair. Everyone except members of the Council then left the hall and the doors were closed.

Christina sat a moment in her chair, all eyes upon her, before she beckoned to the Chancellor. He came to her with respect, and after a short colloquy returned to his place. The Queen sat, pale and evidently deeply chagrined. Then she rose courageously and[,] "advancing with a good grace and confidence", says Whitelock, addressed the assembly in a speech that was entirely extempore. The Chancellor, whose duty it was to announce the cause of the Council being summoned, had, without warning her beforehand, refused point-blank to do it.

When, some days later, Whitelock alluded to this incident, the Chancellor explained that by reason of the oath he had taken to Gustavus Adolphus to keep the crown on his daughter's head, he desired to be excused from making the proposal. Whitelock remarked:

"Indeed, Her Majesty spake with an excellent grace and spirit, which was a wonder to see it done by a young lady to so great and grave an assembly; and the matter of her speech was pertinent and full of weight."

"Indeed", said the Chancellor, "she spake very well and materially, and like a prince."

After the Queen's excellent little speech, the Archbishop spoke at great length, begging her to desist from her intention of resigning the government, but at the same time extolling the virtues of the Prince, her heir. He was followed by the Marshal of Nobility and the Marshal of the Citizens, who both made long and flowery orations.

At last stepped out the Marshal of the Boors, "a plain country fellow, in his clouted shoon, and all other habits answerable, as all the rest of his company were accoutred. This boor, without any ceremony or congés at all, spake to Her Majesty, after this phrase:

"'Oh, Lord God, Madam, what do you mean to do? It troubles us to hear you speak of forsaking those that love you so well as we do. Can you be better than you are? You are Queen of all these countries, and if you leave this large kingdom, where will you get such another? If you should do it (and I hope you won't for all this) both you and we shall have cause, when it is too late, to be sorry for it. Therefore my fellows and I pray you to think better on't, and to keep your crown on your head, then you will keep your own honour and our peace; but if you lay it down[,] in my conscience you will endanger all. Continue in your gears, good Madam, and be the fore-horse as long as you live, and we will help you the best we can to bear your burden.

"'Your father was an honest gentleman and a good King, and very stirring in the world; we obeyed him and loved him as long as he lived; and you are his own child and have governed us very well, and we love you with all our hearts; and the Prince is an honest gentleman, and when his time comes, we shall be ready to do our duty to him as we do to you; but as long as you live we are not willing to part with you, and therefore I pray, Madam, do not part with us.'

"When the boor had ended his speech he waddled up to the Queen without any ceremony, and taking her hand, shook it heartily and kissed it two or three times; then[,] turning his back to her, he pulled out of his pocket a foul handkerchief and wiped the tears from his eyes, and in the same posture as he came up returned to his own place again."

Christina's comment on this episode is interesting. When Whitelock remarked on how highly she was complimented by all the Marshals, especially by the Boor, she said:

"Were you so taken with his clownery?"

"It seemed to me as pure and clear natural eloquence, without any forced strain, as could be expressed."

"Indeed", said Christina, "there was little else but what was natural, and by a well-meaning man, who has understanding enough in his country way. ... I think he spoke from his heart."

"I believe he did, and acted so, too, especially when he wiped his eyes."

"He showed his affection to me in that posture more than greater men did in their spheres."

It was like Christina to describe as clownery what had obviously moved her deeply. Till she was sure of Whitelock's attitude towards the incident[,] she was not going to reveal her own sentiments. The episode of the clumsy boor with his filthy handkerchief and ridiculous tears must have made a diverting story for the Court snobs. Christina would have kept her emotion shut in her heart, not for the world to see. Here was indeed a single gem of value in a vast array of elaborately set imitations. Even Oxenstierna's devotion was more to the throne and the memory of Gustavus Adolphus than to herself. If he had had real affection for her, would he have risked a collapse in the abdication ceremony when, at the outset, he refused to play the part which it was his duty to play? There was no reason why he should not have announced his conscientious scruples before the ceremony, and spared the Queen a situation which only her own wit and savoir-faire saved.

The next ceremony was the entry of Prince Charles Gustavus into Upsala. The Prince, in a pale grey suit, mounted upon a very brave grey horse, with pistols at his saddle and his sword by his side, waited for the Queen half a league outside the town. The whole Court and all the nobility and gentry in full panoply attended Christina, who "went gallantly mounted, habited in her usual fashion in grey stuff, her hat on her head, her pistols at her saddle bow", says Whitelock, with twenty-four of her Guard in attendance.

When the royal cousins met[,] they both dismounted. He kissed her hand, and stood bare-headed while she spoke to him, very respectful to her as his Queen. After a short parley, they mounted their horses again, and the procession to the town began, Christina turning often and calling to the Prince, who was riding respectfully in attendance on her — his Queen. Then he would ride beside her for a while, but always bare-headed.

So they came through great multitudes to Upsala, and to the Castle[,] where the Prince was conducted to the royal apartments which Christina had given up to him. There was nothing left now but to resign the throne.

On the 6th of June Christina heard the Act of Abdication read in the Senate, Charles Gustavus by her side. She renounced the throne for ever for herself and her posterity, and recognized Charles as her successor, so long as he maintained her rights to her revenues. She promised on her side to do nothing that would injure the State. Another Act, in which the Prince undertook these conditions, was signed, after which Christina was clothed in her royal purple robes and the crown set on her head. Carrying the Sceptre and Ball, and preceded by two senators carrying the Sword and Keys, she entered the grand hall of the Castle and ascended the silver throne. On her left stood the Prince. Then the two Acts were read in a loud voice by Rosenhaue [sic], and handed to each of the cousins. Now was the moment for Christina to deliver up the Royal Insignia. It was the duty of Count Brahe to take the crown from her head.

He refused.

This second unrehearsed incident was boldly faced by the Queen, who took it off with her own hands, and delivered the rest of the insignia to the Marshals. Then she threw off her royal mantle, which was subsequently torn into a thousand pieces by those present for souvenirs, and, in a simple garment of white taffeta, she stood and addressed the assembly in a beautifully delivered and moving speech, which few heard without tears. She then addressed the Prince, with many admonitions, among which was a request that he would not neglect Marie Eleanore, her mother.

The Prince made a pretty effort to lead her up to the throne again, and she smilingly returned the compliment, but he would not have it. Instead, he took her hand and led her back to her apartment, himself retiring to his own, which had so lately been hers.

The same afternoon Charles Gustavus walked in his ordinary habit through the thronged streets to the Cathedral, where he was crowned King of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals. After the ceremony, which was of the simplest, the whole city of Upsala rang with cries of "God save the King!" When the procession came to the court of the castle, Christina was seen at her window, with a cheerful countenance, watching the scene, and her deep voice was clearly heard as she wished her cousin joy of his crown and government. She did not appear again, and in the evening all the nobles feasted with "him who was the rising sun".

Christina could not be persuaded to stay a moment longer in Upsala.

"How can you ask me to stay here[,] where till now I have reigned as sovereign, and where I should see another with all the power in his hands?" came from her heart when Brahe begged her to wait.

There was still strong feeling among the people that she should stay and spend her revenues in Sweden, and it was because of this that she announced her departure for the Spa to take the waters. She fretted to get free from all entanglements, and she would not feel safe until she had crossed the border.

While Charles Gustavus and his nobles were still toasting and pledging, Christina stole away from Upsala in a downpour of rain.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Bulstrode Whitelocke.

Above: Ebba Sparre.

Above: Karl Gustav.

Notes: Ösel is the old German and Swedish name for the Estonian island of Saaremaa.

Wollin is the German name for the Polish island of Wolin in the Baltic Sea.

Usedom is the German name for the Polish island of Uznam in the Baltic Sea.

Kristina's coronation robe was not destroyed, but she took it along on travels and later sold it in order to make ends meet during one of her lowest points financially. In fact, it still exists today and can be seen on display at the Royal Armoury (Livrustkammaren) in Stockholm.