Biographical article on Kristina in "Biographie universelle classique", year 1829

Source:

Biographie universelle classique, ou Dictionnaire historique portatif, prèmiere partie: A—G, pages 629 to 630, published by "a society of men of letters" (une société de gens de lettres), 1829; original at the New York Public Library

https://books.google.com/books?id=55YoAAAAYAAJ&newbks=0&dq=reine+christine+de+su%C3%A8de&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Above: Kristina.

The article:

CHRISTINE, reine de Suède, née en 1626, fille du roi Gustave-Adolphe, et de Marie-Eléonore de Brandebourg, succéda à son père, m. en 1632, à la bataille de Lutzen. Gustave avait voulu que l'unique héritière de ses états fût élevée d'une manière forte et mâle, et qu'on l'instruisit dans toute les sciences qui pouvaient orner son esprit et communiquer une grande énergie à son caractère. L'éducation de Christine, devenue reine, fut continuée d'après le plan tracé par son illustre père. Douée d'une vive imagination, d'une mémoire heureuse et d'une intelligence rare, elle fit un peu de temps des progrès rapides et apprit les langues anciennes, l'hist., la géographie, la politique; mais en même temps elle signalait déjà cette singularité de conduite et de caractère qui eut tant d'influence sur les actes de sa vie. Se plaisant à tous les exercices violens, on avait beaucoup de peine à lui faire observer les usages et les convenances que prescrivait l'étiquette de la cour. Parmi les membres qui composaient le conseil de régence, la jeune Christine sut distinguer le chancelier Oxenstiern (v. ce nom), lui donna toute sa confiance, et se forma, d'après ses avis, à l'art de régner. Convaincus de la maturité de sa raison, les états du royaume, assemblés en 1642 [sic], l'engagèrent à prendre les rênes du gouvernement; mais Christine crut devoir différer encore pendant deux ans, alléguant son âge et son peu d'expérience. Ce délai expiré, elle se mit à la tête des affaires, termina d'abord la guerre avec le Danemarck, commencée en 1644, et, par la traité qu'elle fit conclure en 1645, elle obtint la cession de plusieurs provinces. Elle soutint ensuite dans plus. occasions l'honneur de sa couronne et la dignité de son pays. Son alliance fut recherchée par la France, l'Espagne, l'Angleterre, la Hollande; elle promulgua plus. édits favorables au commerce, et perfectionna les institutions savantes et littéraires créées sous les règnes précédens. Un vœu général se manifestait pour qu'elle fît choix d'un époux, et assurât ainsi la succession au trône; mais elle s'y refusa en disant à ceux qui la pressaient à ce sujet: «J'aime mieux vous désigner un bon prince et un successeur capable de gouverner avec sagesse et gloire; ne me forcez donc point au mariage; il peut naître de moi un Néron aussi bien qu'un Auguste.» Ce successeur dont parlait Christine était le prince Charles-Gustave, son cousin-germain, dont elle avait déjà refusé la main, mais qu'elle désigna aux états en 1649, comme devant la remplacer un jour sur le trône. Peu de temps après, le système d'administration et de conduite qu'elle avait suivi jusqu'alors changea d'une manière frappante. Négligeant les conseils d'Oxenstiern et des autres ministres, elle écouta ceux de plus. favoris ambitieux. Le trésor de l'état fut prodigué, les titres et les distinctions échurent en partage à des hommes corrompus ou sans talens. Environnée d'embarras et de difficultés, Christine voulut abdiquer le gouvernement; mais sur les représent. d'Oxenstiern et des anciens ministres qui espéraient que les années ramèneraient la reine à des idées plus sages, elle reprit la direction des affaires avec une nouvelle fermeté, et dissipa pour quelq. temps les nuages qui s'étaient élevés autour du trône de Suède. Elle reprit son goût pour l'étude; elle correspondit avec un gr. nomb. de sav. de l'Europe, et en appela plusieurs à sa cour. On peut croire que la societé habituelle de ces étrangers inspira à Christine du dégoût pour son pays, qui présentait encore peu d'attraits sous le rapport des lettres, des arts et de l'élégance des manières. De nouv. embarras s'étant manifestés dans l'administration, une conspiration (v. Messénius) ayant menacé non-seulement les favoris de Christine, mais encore cette reine elle-même, elle forma de nouveau la résolut. d'abdiquer le trône, et resta inébranlable dans ce dessein. Les états furent assemblés par son ordre à Upsal en 1654; elle leur fit part de sa résolution et déposa, en leur présence, les insignes de la royauté, pour les remettre au prince Charles-Gustave, se réservant le revenu de quelq. terres en Suède et en Allemagne, l'indépendance entière de sa personne, et une autorité absolue sur tous les individus qui composeraient sa suite ou sa maison. Elle n'avait point encore atteint sa 33e année [sic]. Ayant quitté la Suède peu de jours après, elle traversa le Danemarck, une partie de l'Allemagne septentrion., et se rendit à Bruxelles, où elle fit une entrée solennelle et où elle s'arrêta quelq. temps. Pendant son séjour dans cette ville, elle abjura, dit-on, le luthéranisme dans une entrevue secrète avec l'archiduc d'Autriche, Léopold, les comtes de Fuen-Saldagna, Montecuculli et Pimentel. Elle fit ensuite une abjuration plus solennelle dans la cathéd. d'Inspruck. De cette dernière ville elle alla à Rome, puis vint en France en 1656, s'arrêta quelq. jours à Fontainebleau, se rendit à Compiègne où résidait la cour, et de là à Paris. L'horreur générale qu'inspira le meurtre de Monaldeschi, gr.-écuyer de Christine, assassiné par ses ordres à Fontainebleau, dans un second voyage qu'elle fit à cette résidence royale en 1657, décida cette reine à quitter la France pour se rendre à Rome, où Alexandre VII lui assigna une pension de 12,000 écus romains. Charles-Gustave étant m. en 1660, Christine entreprit un voyage en Suède, avec l'espoir de rentrer en possession d'une couronne qu'elle regrettait. Mais les états, loin d'être disposés à la lui rendre, lui tirent signer un acte formel de renonciation. Elle revint à Rome pour la troisième fois, puis retourna en Suède en 1666 [sic], n'osa point aller jusqu'à Stockholm, fit un séjour à Hambourg, aspira à la couronne de Pologne, vit sa demande rejetée par les Polonais, reprit ensuite le chemin de l'Italie, et se fixa enfin à Rome, où elle m. en 1689. «Les inégalités de la conduite, de l'humeur et des goûts de Christine», dit d'Alembert, «le peu de décence qu'elle mit dans ses actions, le peu d'avantage qu'elle tira de ses connaissances et de son esprit pour faire le bonheur de ses peuples; sa fierté souvent déplacée, ses discours équivoques sur la religion qu'elle avait quittée, et sur celle qu'elle avait embrassé, enfin la vie pour ainsi dire errante qu'elle avait menée chez des étrangers qui ne l'aimaient pas, tout cela justifie plus qu'elle n'a cru la brieveté de l'épitaphe qu'elle voulut faire inscrire sur son tombeau: Vixit Christina annos 63. (Christine a vécu 63 ans).» Le pape Alexandre VIII y fit placer une inscription beaucoup plus longue. Christine a laissé quelques opuscules dans lesquels on retrouve son caractère; ce sont: Ouvr. de loisir, ou Maximes et sentences; Reflexions sur la vie et les actions d'Alexandre; Mem. de ma vie, dedié à Dieu; un Recueil de lettres secrètes, dont l'authenticité n'est pas bien prouvée. Les ouvr. de Christine ont été recueillis, pour la plupart, dans les Mém. concernant cette princesse, par le savant Archenholz (v. ce nom), Amsterdam, 1751-59 [sic], 4 vol. in-4. C'est de cet ouvr. que Lacombe a tiré sa vie de Christine, et d'Alembert ses Réflexions et anecdotes sur cette même reine. Colomiez a publié les Lettres de la reine de Suède, in-12, sans date.

English translation (my own):

KRISTINA, Queen of Sweden, born in 1626, daughter of King Gustav Adolf and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, succeeded her father, who died in 1632 at the Battle of Lützen. Gustav had wished that the sole heir to his kingdom be raised in a strong and masculine manner, and that she be instructed in all the sciences that could enrich her mind and instill great energy in her character.

Kristina's education, after becoming Queen, was continued according to the plan laid out by her illustrious father. Gifted with a vivid imagination, a remarkable memory, and exceptional intelligence, she made rapid progress for a time, learning ancient languages, history, geography and politics; but at the same time, she already displayed that singularity of conduct and character that would so profoundly influence the course of her life. Enjoying all forms of physical exertion, it was very difficult to make her observe the customs and conventions prescribed by court etiquette.

Among the members of the regency council, the young Kristina knew to distinguish Chancellor Oxenstierna (see this name), placed her complete trust in him, and, following his advice, learned the art of ruling. Convinced of the maturity of her reason, the Estates of the Realm, assembled in 1642 [sic], urged her to take the reins of government; but Kristina felt she should postpone for another two years, citing her age and lack of experience.

This delay having expired, she took charge of affairs, first ending the war with Denmark, which had begun in 1644; and, through the treaty she negotiated in 1645, she obtained the cession of several provinces. She then pursued further occasions honouring her crown and the dignity of her country.

Her alliance was sought by France, Spain, England and Holland; she promulgated numerous edicts favourable to commerce and perfected the learned and literary institutions created under previous reigns.

A general desire arose for her to choose a husband and thus secure the succession to the throne; but she refused, saying to those who pressed her on this subject: "I prefer to designate a good prince and a successor capable of governing with wisdom and glory; therefore, do not force me into marriage; a Nero just as well as an Augustus could be born from me."

This successor of whom Kristina spoke was Prince Karl Gustav, her first cousin, whose hand she had already refused, but whom she designated to the Estates in 1649 as one who would one day replace her on the throne.

Shortly afterward, the system of administration and conduct she had followed until then changed strikingly. Ignoring the advice of Oxenstierna and the other ministers, she listened to that of more ambitious favourites. The state treasury was squandered, and titles and honours were bestowed upon corrupt or talentless men. Beset by burdens and difficulties, Kristina wanted to abdicate the government; but, at the representations of Oxenstierna and the former ministers, who hoped that time would bring the Queen to wiser thinking, she resumed the direction of affairs with renewed firmness and, for a time, dispelled the clouds that had gathered around the Swedish throne.

She rediscovered her love of learning; she corresponded with a great many scholars from across Europe and summoned several to her court. It is reasonable to believe that the frequent company of these foreigners instilled in Kristina a disgust for her country, which still held little appeal in terms of literature, the arts and elegant manners.

New difficulties having arisen in the administration, and a conspiracy (see Messenius) having threatened not only Kristina's favourites, but also the Queen herself, she again resolved to abdicate the throne and remained steadfast in this intention. The Estates were assembled by her order at Uppsala in 1654; she informed them of her decision and, in their presence, laid down the royal insignia, handing them over to Prince Karl Gustav, reserving for herself the revenue from certain lands in Sweden and Germany, complete personal independence, and absolute authority over all the individuals who would comprise her suite or her household. She had not yet reached her 33rd year [sic].

Having left Sweden a few days later, she crossed Denmark and part of northern Germany and went to Brussels, where she made a solemn entry and stayed for some time. During her stay in that city, she reportedly abjured Lutheranism in a secret meeting with Archduke Leopold of Austria and the Counts Fuensaldaña, Montecuccoli and Pimentel. She then made a more solemn abjuration in the cathedral in Innsbruck.

From Innsbruck she went to Rome, then came to France in 1656, stopped for a few days at Fontainebleau, went to Compiègne, where the court resided, and from there to Paris.

The general horror inspired by the murder of Monaldeschi, Kristina's grand equerry, assassinated on her orders at Fontainebleau during her second visit to this royal residence in 1657, prompted the Queen to leave France for Rome, where Alexander VII granted her a pension of 12,000 Roman écus.

When Karl Gustav died in 1660, Kristina embarked on a journey to Sweden, hoping to regain the crown she longed for. But the Estates of Sweden, far from being willing to return it to her, forced her to sign a formal act of renunciation.

She returned to Rome for the third time, then went back to Sweden in 1666 [sic], did not dare go as far as Stockholm, stayed in Hamburg, aspired to the Polish crown, saw her claim rejected by the Poles, then returned to Italy, and finally settled in Rome, where she died in 1689.

"Kristina's inconsistencies in conduct, humour and tastes", said d'Alembert, "the lack of decency she displayed in her actions, the little advantage she derived from her knowledge and intellect to bring happiness to her people; her often misplaced pride, her equivocal pronouncements on the religion she had abandoned and on the one she had embraced; and finally, the almost wandering life she led among foreigners who did not love her — all this justifies, more than she believed, the brevity of the epitaph she wished to have inscribed on her tomb: Vixit Christina annos 63 (Kristina lived 63 years)."

Pope Alexander VIII had a much longer inscription placed there.

Kristina left behind a few short works, in which her character is evident; these are: Ouvrage de loisir, or Maximes et sentences; Réflexions sur la vie et les actions d'Alexandre; Mémoires de ma vie, dédié à Dieu; a Recueil de lettres secrètes, the authenticity of which is not well-proven.

Most of Kristina's works were collected in the Mémoires concerning this princess, by the scholar Arckenholtz (see this name), Amsterdam, 1751-59 [sic], 4 vols. in-4. It is from this work that Lacombe derived his Vie de Christine, and d'Alembert his Réflexions et anecdotes on this same Queen. Colomiès published the Lettres de la reine de Suède, in-12, undated.

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

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

Sources:

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

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

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

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

The article:

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

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

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

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

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

«Mais Azolin dans Rome

sceut charmer ses ennemis [sic].

Elle eût sans ce grand homme

passé des tristes nuits.»

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

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

English translation (my own):

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

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

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

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

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

"Mais Azolin dans Rome

sceut charmer ses ennemis [sic].

Elle eût sans ce grand homme

passé des tristes nuits."

["But Azzolino in Rome

knew how to charm her enemies [sic];

she had without this great man

passed sad nights."]

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

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

Above: Kristina.

Above: Cardinal Decio Azzolino.

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

Carl Grimberg's article on Kristina's life, in "The American-Scandinavian Review", September 1927

Source:

Romances of Swedish Queens: Kristina, Daughter of Gustavus Adolphus, article written by Carl Grimberg for The American-Scandinavian Review, volume 15, pages 523/525 to 535 (Number 9, September, 1927), published by the American-Scandinavian Foundation, 1927; original at the University of Michigan

https://books.google.com/books?id=nsqQ5hUGc2UC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=kristina+the+girl+king&source=gbs_navlinks_s

—

Above: Carl Grimberg.

"There are few characters in history more fascinating than Queen Kristina, Gustavus Adolphus's daughter who renounced her father's crown and his faith. Her story is the second in four "Romances of Swedish Queens" which the distinguished Swedish historian, CARL GRIMBERG, is writing for the REVIEW."

The account:

Romances of Swedish Queens:

Kristina, Daughter of Gustavus Adolphus

By CARL GRIMBERG

NEVER has a man been more profoundly worshipped by a woman than was the great hero-king Gustavus II Adolphus by his beautiful spouse, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. It was ardent love at first sight. The very first time the two young people saw each other, according to a spectator, "the princess could never take her eyes from His Majesty." Nay, not even death seemed capable of separating Maria Eleonora from her beloved Gustav. On receiving the sorrowful message that he had offered up his life on the battlefield of Lützen for the cause of Protestantism, she hurried to his bier; and day and night she could not be separated from his remains. In fact, two days after his body had been deposited in Riddarholmskyrkan, she wanted to descend into the vault and have the coffin opened.

It is indeed a heartrending thing to see a love so all-devouring, a passion so blind, that it cannot be checked even by the dread hand of death. And yet this woman, who lived and breathed only by the memory of her happy love, was no withered old woman, but young and radiantly beautiful still. At the death of Gustavus Adolphus she was not quite thirty-three years old. In a dark, shut-in chamber, lighted only by the dull gleam of funeral candles, she sat day in and day out, clad in deepest mourning, with her only child, little Kristina, who later, on becoming of age, was to succeed her great father on the throne. The little girl was now Maria Eleonora's only comfort, for she seemed to see in her daughter the image of her departed mate. But what a life for the lively little seven-year-old with the big questioning eyes to sit closeted thus with the hysterical woman who only wept and mourned!

If the little girl who later was to govern the realm of Sweden — then one of the great powers of Europe — was not to be entirely ruined, she must be separated in time from her mother, who moreover did all she could to arouse in the child antipathy toward Sweden. The separation was effected, in spite of the violent protests of the mother, who in her desperation even contemplated suicide. Finally she fled the country.

Little Kristina came under the guidance of her sensible and very excellent aunt.

It was no easy task to take charge of this child prodigy — for a prodigy she was already. At her very arrival to this earth she came as a surprise. The astrologists had prophesied that the ardent desire of Gustavus Adolphus and Maria Eleonora for a son would be fulfilled. When a swarthy little brat came to the world — "brown as a Moor", in Kristina's own words — and greeted those standing by with an uncommonly vigorous cry, a real boy's howl, everybody thought at first that the soothsayers had spoken the truth.

Then came the disappointment! But papa laughed it off. "She is going to be very clever", he remarked, "for she fooled us all." For that matter, it soon became evident that the little one was a regular tomboy. In her autobiography, written in her later years, she says that she had always harbored "an invincible dislike for all that was feminine in word and action"; and that dislike lasted all her life. As often as possible she sought masculine company; but what attracted her to men was, according to her own explanation, not so much that they were men as that they were — not women.

Gustavus Adolphus was delighted with every indication of boyishness in his little girl. After all, he said, she was a warrior's daughter and ought to show it. That she had inherited her father's intelligence as well as courage soon became evident. With her large, eager eyes she literally drank in knowledge of every kind. Learning a new language like Greek she called a diversion for idle moments, about like playing chess, and never could her appetite for history, and politics be sated. For hours she could sit and discuss them with her teachers. A precocious and unusually gifted child who knew what she wanted — such is the impression one receives of the future regent of Sweden.

Kristina, however, was not only the highly gifted and strong-willed daughter of Gustavus Adolphus; she possessed also a heritage from her poor mother, so capricious and eccentric.

The most famous delineation of Kristina's appearance and manner is by the French envoy Chanut, who describes, in a letter to his government early in 1648, the impression made by the twenty-one-year-old queen on an observer who was both penetrating and enthusiastic. He says[,] among other things: "The first time you see her she does not awaken the same admiration as on closer observation. A single portrait is not sufficient to give an idea of her appearance; her face changes with her thoughts and emotions so that you scarcely recognize her from one moment to the other. But usually she appears thoughtful, and however her expression varies, she always retains a trace of the sunny and agreeable. At times her voice becomes more powerful than is characteristic of her sex. She attaches no importance to dress: in fifteen minutes she is dressed, and for everyday a comb and a bit of ribbon constitute her only head-dress. Yet her carelessly hanging hair is not unbecoming to her face, which she does not trouble to shield against rain or wind. While hunting she can sit on horseback for ten hours at a stretch; and there is no one in Sweden who can fell a leaping hare more surely. Neither cold nor heat bother her. Her food is simple and lacking in delicacies. She is chary of time and sleeps only five hours. She takes great pleasure in seeing learned men around her and hearing them treat difficult scientific problems. On such occasions she never expresses her opinion until all others have spoken, and then she does it well, with few words."

In our day, with the freer manners for women which have accompanied sports and comradeship between the sexes, Kristina would surely not have created such a sensation as in her own time. She would simply have been classified as a "modern sportswoman." But the thing which would have distinguished her in any age was her brilliant mind. Now, as in the age when she lived, the world would surely have reëchoed with admiration for the young girl who from 1644 governed independently that Northern land which her father had made a great power. Kristina herself enjoyed being famous, and her unusual endowment and thirst for knowledge showed her a way. Through valor at arms the Swedish nation had made itself a name in the world. Yet one thing remained; in the barren Swedish soil the finer flower of culture had not yet taken root. But why shouldn't it? Did it not seem as though Providence had appointed the great warrior's daughter as the guardian of science and art in the Northlands? A court in which the queen shone like a star in a constellation of European savants — that was an ambition worthy of the daughter of Gustavus Adolphus.

Scores of scientists, especially Frenchmen, accepted Kristina's invitation to Stockholm. They had left home and wife and child in order to behold the new goddess of wisdom on Sweden's throne, "the northern Minerva." For her sake they had been tossed about for weeks on a stormy sea in frail little ships, or shaken till they were bruised and tender on ungodly country roads. Indeed these children of the South even braved the dreaded cold of the Northlands in the blissful certainty that the queen of Sweden would richly reward all their trouble.

Towering above them all was the Frenchman Descartes, one of the greatest philosophers who have ever lived. After a long period of correspondence and persistent exhortation[,] Kristina succeeded in getting him to Stockholm, in the fall of 1649. He was no mouldy bookworm, this penetrating thinker with whom the queen of Sweden now found opportunity to discuss life's deepest problems. Descartes was an aristocrat, an experienced man of the world. He had been an officer, and enjoyed a reputation not only as a philosopher but also as a gallant. But surely no woman had so selfishly monopolized him as his royal admirer in Stockholm. At five o'clock in the morning he had to report in her library to instruct her and argue with her. Alas for him, who had assumed the comfortable habits of the man of the world! In the dark and chilly rooms of the Stockholm palace he shook with cold, and after four months he contracted pneumonia and died.

The young queen, however, had an eye not only for learning and genius in the opposite sex[,] but also for superficial excellencies. She had by nature a keen esthetic sense and loved to feast her eyes on what was beautiful and brilliant. Around her was a swarm of young nobles who had won her favor. The most celebrated was Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, the son of General Jacob De la Gardie and beautiful Ebba Brahe, the first love of Gustavus Adolphus. He was beyond comparison the most handsome and cultured of the Swedish noblemen. Queen Kristina was overcome by his charm, and she made no secret of her liking; she showered him with unmerited distinctions. At the age of twenty-two he became Colonel of the Guards, and at the same time she placed him at the head of a brilliant embassage to Paris, which cost the poor Swedish nation a tidy sum of money.

It was even rumored that the queen contemplated the pampered favorite as her consort. Indeed[,] her very frank autobiography conveys the impression that the rumor was not without foundation, but pride restrained her from devoting herself to any man and subordinating herself to a husband. During the regency, when one of her guardians put the question of matrimony to her, the fifteen-year-old Kristina gave the cutting reply: "The person who can belong to herself should not belong to any one else." As for De la Gardie, his star was destined soon to pale. When the queen found that he was too cowardly to fight a duel, her admiration suddenly turned to disdain. In vain the pampered favorite sought to win back the heart of his queen. "Do not believe that I am angry with you", she wrote to him. "I assure you that I am not. The only feeling I can have for you henceforth is pity."

Discussing science and art and following up one brilliant court festivity with another are not the chief mission of a ruler, however, though Kristina seemed to think so. She soon turned a deaf ear to her more serious and tedious duties to the government. Yet this was a time of great opportunity in Sweden: difficult social problems craved solution, and only from the throne could help come. The nobility, the upper class of the realm, had become so powerful that it threatened to destroy the time-honored freedom of the Swedish peasantry. Sweden's constant quarrels with her neighbors had given caste to the warrior, and the deeds of prowess accomplished by leading men on the battlefields were rewarded, in accordance with the custom of the time, with investiture of lands. Year by year the earldoms and baronies and other tax-free estates increased, so that they finally embraced half the territory of the realm. When the land came into the possession of a nobleman, it became entirely or at least partially free from taxation to the Crown. The small farms were in danger of being swallowed up by manors, and the freedom of the peasantry was threatened. "We have heard", grumbled the peasantry at the Rigsdag [sic] of 1650, which was called to witness the queen's coronation, "that in other lands the peasant is a slave, and we fear that the same may befall us." The situation was aggravated by dearth and famine. Even in the most fertile provinces the people had to resort to bark bread. Many starved to death, and the roads were full of beggars.

To those who understood the lay of the land[,] it was very evident that the demands of the commoners could not long be ignored by the government. Kristina too realized it; but it is one thing to realize, and another to act. Far from trying to ameliorate conditions, Kristina made them worse from year to year. She created, on an average, one new nobleman each week, and in many cases the actual worth of the new-baked nobleman was highly disputable. The royal tailor may have been a very clever fellow in his trade, but it is doubtful whether his spirit had the heroic trend which would justify Her Majesty's cutting him a lion's shield with her own fair hand.

All the new earls and barone created by Kristina had to be provided with earldoms and baronies. The result was such a giving of lands that the queen finally could not keep track of which estates had been given away and which still belonged to the Crown.

At the same time[,] Kristina wasted quantities of money on court festivities, one more lavish than the other. Never before had Sweden seen anything to equal the splendor with which she celebrated her coronation. It was a dazzling spectacle to behold — all the land could offer of splendor and magnificence started in procession from the Stockholm palace toward Storkyrkan. But all the rest was eclipsed by the Queen of Sweden in her carriage de luxe, drawn by six snow-white steeds, silvershod, caparisoned with red velvet embroidered in gold and wearing tufts of pure white plumes on their heads. She was resplendent in a gown almost totally covered with gold, pearls, and jewels. Behind her carriage came her favorite white horse, whose mane and tail almost swept the ground. He wore a saddle richly embroidered in silver and gold, and about his silvershod hoofs was a rattling of gold chains.

After the coronation came a series of banquets and other diversions for the poor people. On the main market-place an ox roasted whole, a "coronation" ox, as it was called, was served to the people, and wine flowed from several fountains.

In the course of these festivities, the queen had found it necessary to order that the beggars who, because of the famine, had swarmed into Stockholm be led away, so that they would not "fill up the streets, to our dishonor and that of the Crown, especially considering the foreigners who have come to the city."

And now for some statistics! On Kristina's ascending the throne, three percent of the total income of the realm was consumed by court expenses. During her last year the figure had risen to twenty percent! In our day the Swedish court requires about one-third of one percent of the state revenues.

Kristina realized fully that in the long run the state finances of Sweden could not be handled in this way; but it was too tedious a task to start economic and social reforms. Her capricious and impulsive nature had long since tired of the daily grind of government worries. Once[,] when two secretaries came in with a pile of government negotiations to be signed by the queen, she greeted them with the kind words that it was "just as much fun for her to see them enter as if the devil himself had come for a visit." With the ruthless determination characteristic of Kristina, she soon found a way out of the difficulty: she would renounce the crown and leave Sweden forever. Free! She wished to be free, free from all duties, free from all bonds! She had never harbored any warm sentiments for her fatherland, and as little had she ever felt any obligation to work for the welfare of the loyal though poverty-stricken people of Gustavus Adolphus [sic], for her insight into the popular character had never penetrated beneath the rather rough surface.

Kristina's whim to leave Sweden had other reasons than those enumerated. The daughter of Gustavus Adolphus had secretly become a Catholic. In her heart of hearts she had never been a Lutheran — so she claimed. She found the Lutheran church service monotonous; she longed for the mystic ceremonies which gave atmosphere to the worship in the Catholic churches. Her independent nature from the beginning had resisted all attempts of well-meaning educators to implant in her a faith in the excellency of Protestantism. Yet her restless, doubting heart felt an actual need of making reason a captive to faith, faith in the infallibility of the pope and all the dogmas incidental to it. Irreconcilable elements united in one human soul!

Kristina awaited with impatience the time when she could resign her queenship in order to be a human being. In the lands of the South she would live as a queen in the realm of genius, surrounded by the creations of art and the foremost poets and scholars of the age. All the honor she could win as the queen of Sweden was already hers. Her life's greatest triumph would now be this: at the acme of her power and glory, still young and fêted, she would voluntarily lay down the crown.

One reason for Kristina's resolution to abdicate was her distaste for giving the world a successor of her own flesh and blood. Her feeling toward matrimony was, as we have seen, one of decided antipathy. Multitudes of princes sought her hand, but none succeeded in winning her. Of no avail were the pleas of her subjects that she should marry. And "woman's will is God's will."

When the Riksdag convened in Uppsala in 1654, Kristina set in motion her plans to abdicate. She appeared in person before her people and announced her decision. When she had assured herself of a very considerable annual maintenance, consisting of the revenues from several Swedish provinces, the formal abdication took place in the hall of state in Uppsala castle. In the presence of the councillors and Estates of the Realm she laid down the crown, the apple, and the sceptre, and thereupon spoke "so gently and freely to those assembled that she moved many an honest man to tears", says an eyewitness. "Beautiful as an angel she stood there in a white robe."

In an ecstasy of happiness and freedom she left Sweden. Her goal was Rome, the eternal city. On the way thither she met an envoy from the pope in Innsbruck in the Tyrol, and before him, in the castle chapel, she publicly foreswore the faith for which her father had died, and expressed her conviction that no one can achieve salvation outside the Catholic church. "All wept; she alone shed no tear", says a spectator. Everywhere the Catholics rejoiced that the daughter of the heretic king had come to a realization of the truth and become the obedient child of his holiness the pope; and[,] hailed as a victor, she made her entrance in Rome, mounted on a snow-white horse and escorted by a brilliant cortège.

Kristina's first weeks in Rome were a dance on roses. The pope, the cardinals, and the society people of Rome took pains to show their most agreeable side to this most recent acquisition of the Roman church. But the first intoxication passed, and Kristina was to learn that fortune is not constant, even under the sunny skies of Italy. First the pope showed that he was not entirely satisfied with her. He had expected to see a crowned saint with the fragrance of holiness about her — a convert who spent her time in long prayers and good works, and was an example to be followed. Instead he found a woman uncommonly free in speech and bearing, who smiled and jested during the church services and who — Oh, height of impropriety! — turned the heads of the cardinals.

It was not only the pope who showed a bit of acid in his sweetness; the respect for the queen began to decrease here and there when it became noticeable that she was sometimes short of cash. "The Italians do not like converts without money", as the English ambassador in Livorno once said.

In her difficulties, however, Kristina found a helper and friend, faithful unto death: Cardinal Azzolino, who became a profound influence in her life. Azzolino's appearance was both forceful and pleasing, and his quick intelligence and high culture were to Kristina's taste. A very interesting glimpse into the relations between him and the ex-queen is gained by a study of the still existing letters of Kristina and the cardinal. This woman, who pours out her soul to her friend in complete sincerity, was very different from the queen who with bold courage defied the whole world. In these letters, intended for no eye but his, her womanliness comes to light. The will of the beloved has become her law, and without him life holds no value. She, the proudest of women, exclaims: "In relation to me you are omnipotent, and however you choose to treat me, I shall never complain." It is certain that, if Kristina ever gave herself wholly to any man, it was to Azzolino.

Kristina had expected to find in the eternal city the great peace and happiness. Now she had learned by experience that neither in the north nor in the south is peace to be found by a celebrity-hunter. Kristina wished to be independent of her fellow-men, but could not; but worse than that, she could not escape her own capricious self, which never allowed her a feeling of complete contentment; which drove her, throughout her whole life, to chase after phantoms. Hardly had she become settled in Rome when she appeared at the court in Paris. There she created a huge sensation, because of her eccentric appearance as well as her genius. People were amazed at her masculine way of flinging herself into chairs and throwing her legs over the arms of chairs in the presence of the king and the entire court. The French queen, Anne of Austria, vowed that she had never been so completely astonished. She had heard that "the travelling queen" was not like other people, but had never imagined anything quite so different. Yet for all her oddities, she could not help liking Kristina.

The following year [1657] she suddenly appeared again at the French court. While she was sojourning at the beautiful pleasure castle of Fontainebleau outside of Paris, there happened a sensational occurrence which has smirched her reputation. By order of the ex-queen her chief house-steward, the Italian Marquis of Monaldesco, was killed. Legend has spun around this deed the motive of love and jealousy, and Alexandre Dumas has built on this legend his treatment of the drama at Fontainebleau, however without any basis in reality. The true motive for the execution or the murder — whichever we should call it — was that Monaldesco for money had betrayed an important political confidence.

Her French visits were connected with plans, suddenly born in this restless head, to gain by intrigue the crown of the kingdom of Naples. In 1660, when her successor on Sweden's throne suddenly died, she could not forbear starting directly for Stockholm to try to obtain a new right to the crown; but her former subjects were now quite cool toward the adventuress from the pope's city.

One remark made by her during this visit deserves to be rescued from oblivion. When the eighty-seven-year-old archbishop, heading a delegation of ministers, came and admonished her to give up her erroneous religion and lamented "the pope's evil plots against our souls", Kristina retorted scornfully: "Good gentlemen, I know the pope better than you: he wouldn't give four dollars for all your souls together." Despite the failure of her trip to the homeland, however, Kristina visited it again in 1667, this time with still more ignominious results. The Swedish government gave her to understand plainly that the visit was not desired, and in her vexation she turned back when half-way to Stockholm. Shortly thereafter she took it into her head to seek the vacant throne of Poland. What attracted her was the suspense in playing for a throne rather than the throne itself — which she did not win in the end, for that matter.

La regina nomada, the travelling queen, had now become one of the curiosities of Rome. There she sat in Palazzo Riario, which she had changed to a museum of exquisite paintings, statues, books, and manuscripts, most of which she had brought with her from the royal palaces in her impoverished native land. With the years, she had become a fat little old woman with a double chin adorned with long, coarse hairs, an enormous eagle nose under bushy eyebrows, a protruding underlip and clipped hair, sprinkled with gray. But the big blue eyes still retained their fire. She was not forgotten by the good Romans in her old age; she saw to that by providing constant quarrels with the pope to liven up her existence. Once his holiness dismissed such a dispute with a shrug of the shoulders and the pertinent remark: "E donna"— she is a woman.

The only change in her life which she anticipated calmly and quietly was the greatest and last which awaits all. She had always declared that she did not fear death, and when she stood face to face with it, she showed that she had spoken the truth.

On the morning of April 19, 1689, she quietly drew her last breath, at the age of sixty-two. Her restless and storm-tossed life was ended. Her last hours were sweetened by the presence of Azzolino, who, though attacked by illness himself, watched day and night by her bedside. Under the crimson mantle of the cardinal beat a heart which mourned her, after all.

With great pomp and ceremony she was interred in St. Peter's cathedral, where her tomb constitutes a permanent reminder of the greatest triumph of Jesuitism, the conversion of the great heretic king's daughter.

"E donna" — those words which were received by Kristina as an unpardonable insult nevertheless explain better than anything else her restless, fluttering career. But what is the reason, we finally ask, for the depressing feeling of desolation, of meaningless emptiness, which results from a contemplation of Kristina's life and destiny? Why must we always see happiness just escaping this brilliant personality? The answer is that true happiness is absolutely unknown to the person who lives in constant concern for his own ego. All work for personal development becomes meaningless if the new powers developing within are not used in work for the happiness of others. Herein lies one of the great secrets of civilized community: no one may break the law of interdependence. Only by working at a life mission can any one find true happiness.

This life mission Kristina never found. Hence her great qualities never became the blessing which they might have become to her fellowmen; and consequently they never became a blessing to her.

Note: Palazzo Riario is the old name for the Palazzo Corsini alla Lungara.

Anonymous biography of Kristina in "Eccentric Biography; or, Memoirs of Remarkable Female Characters, Ancient and Modern", year 1803, part 11

Source:

Eccentric Biography; or, Memoirs of Remarkable Female Characters, Ancient and Modern, pages 97 to 99, by anonymous author, 1803; original at The British Library

https://books.google.com/books?id=znNZAAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=Eccentric+Biography%3B+or,+Memoirs+of+Remarkable+Female+Characters,+Ancient+and+Modern+1803&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The biography:

... The inconstancy of Christina's temper appeared from her going perpetually from place to place; from Brussels she went to Rome; from Rome to France, and from France she returned to Rome again; after this she went to Sweden, where she was not very well received; from Sweden to Hamburg, where she continued a year, and then went again to Rome; from Rome she returned to Hamburg, and again to Sweden, where she was received still worse than before, upon which she went back to Hamburg, and from Hamburg again to Rome; she intended another journey to Sweden, but it did not take place any more than an expedition to England, where Cromwell did not seem well disposed to receive her; and after many wanderings, and many purposes of wandering still more, she at last died at Rome. It must be acknowledged, that her journeys to Sweden had a motive of necessity, for her appointments were very ill paid, though the States often confirmed them after her abdication; but to other places she was led merely by a roving disposition, and, what is more to her discredit, she always disturbed the quiet of every place she came into, by exacting greater deference to her rank, as queen, than she had a right to expect, by the total nonconformity to the customs of the place, and by continually exciting and fomenting intrigues of state. She was indeed always too busy, even when she was upon the throne, for there was no event in Europe in which she was not ambitious of acting a principle part. During the troubles in France, by the faction called the Fronde, she wrote with great eagerness to all the interested parties, officiously offering her mediation to reconcile their interests, and calm their passions, the secret springs of which it was impossible she should know; this was first thought a dangerous, and afterwards a ridiculous behaviour. During her residence in France, she gave universal disgust, not only by violating all the customs of the country, but by practising others directly opposite; she treated the ladies of the court with the greatest rudeness and contempt; when they came to embrace her, she being in a man's habit, cried out, 'What a strange eagerness have these women to kiss me! is it because I look like a man?' But, though she ridiculed the manners of the French court, she was very solicitous to enter into its intrigues. Lewis the XIVth, then very young, was enamoured of Mademoiselle de Mancini, niece to Cardinal Mazarine; Christina flattered their passion, and offered her service: 'I would fain be your confidant', said she; 'if you love, you must marry.' The expressions constantly used by Christina, in her letters, with respect to those with whom she was offended, were exceedingly harsh; for she scarce ever signified her displeasure without threat[e]ning the life of the offender. 'If you fail in your duty', said she to her secretary (whom she sent to Stockholm after her abdication) 'not all the powers of the king of Sweden shall save your life, though you should take shelter in his arms.' In the affair of the Franchises, the pretended rights of which she asserted with great haughtiness, she wrote thus to the pope's officers: 'Take my word, that those whom you have condemned to die, shall, if it please God, live some time longer, and, if it happens that they die a violent death, be assured they shall not die alone.' A musician having quitted her service for that of the duke of Savoy, she was so transported with rage as to disgrace herself by these words, in a letter written with her own hand: 'He lives only for me; and, if he does not sing for me, he shall not sing long for any body. — It is his duty to live only in my service; and, if he does not, he shall sorely repent it.' Bayle was also threatened very severely, for having said that the letter which Christina wrote, upon the revocation of the edict of Nantes, was a remain of protestantism: but he made his peace by apologies and submission. ...

Above: Kristina.

Note: embrace = kiss.

Philip Zoete van Laeke's diary entry of February 23/March 5 (New Style), 1658

Source:

Journal d'un voyage à Paris en 1657-1658, pages 427 to 428, by Philip Zoete van Laeke, published by A. P. Faugère, 1862

https://books.google.com/books?id=DtZZAAAAcAAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=reyne+christine+de+suede+lettre&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The diary entry:

Le 5e, qui estoit le mardy-gras, nous fusmes, de mesme que l'année passée, tous pourmener au cours Saint-Antoine pour voir finir les folies du carnaval; mais il y avoit une si horrible confusion de carrosses, et de plus de trois mille, que nous ne pusmes iamais gaigner la porte. Nous vismes pourtant quantité de masques tant à pied qu'en carrosse et à cheval, qui estoient assez gentiment aiustés. L'apres-soupée nous voulusmes courir les bals, mais comme nous estions sur le Pont-Neuf, une soupante se cassa au carrosse et nous empescha d'executer le dessein que nous avions pris. Ce soir-là toute la Cour se partagea par bandes, et la Reyne, le Roy, Monsieur, Mademoiselle et nostre reyne Christine furent chacun à part courre les bals. Son Eminence, qui a les gouttes et qui de l'autre costé n'a guere l'esprit libre depuis que le mareschal d'Hocquincourt s'est ietté dans Hesdin, garda le Louvre. On ne sçait pourtant s'il est veritablement malade: il y a bien de monde qui dit qu'il feint de l'estre pour obliger la reyne de Suede à luy quitter au plus tost son apartement, le voyant ainsi reduict à l'estroict et incommodé. Mais elle ne s'en esmeut guere, et on ne croit pas qu'elle parte sitost. Cependant elle desole la Cour par ses façons de faire: quand l'envie l'en prend, elle descend à la chambre du Roy, va à celle de la Reyne et à celles de Monsieur et de Son Eminence sans les en faire advertir et à des heures si incommodes qu'ils en sont à la gesne. Elle les fait veiller toute la nuict, et comme elle dort peu ou point, elle se leve de si bon matin qu'elle ne leur donne pas le temps de dormir.

With modernised spelling:

Le 5e, qui était le mardi gras, nous fêmes, de même que l'année passée, tous pourmener au cours Saint-Antoine pour voir finir les folies du Carnaval; mais il y avait une si horrible confusion de carrosses, et de plus de trois mille, que nous ne pûmes jamais gagner la porte. Nous vîmes pourtant quantité de masques tant à pied qu'en carrosse et à cheval, qui étaient assez gentiment ajustés. L'après-soupée, nous voulûmes courir les bals, mais comme nous étions sur le Pont-Neuf, une soupante se cassa au carrosse et nous empêcha d'exécuter le dessein que nous avions pris.

Ce soir-là, toute la Cour se partagea par bandes, et la reine, le roi, Monsieur, Mademoiselle et notre reine Christine furent chacun à part courre les bals. Son Éminence, qui a les gouttes et qui de l'autre côté n'a guère l'esprit libre depuis que le maréchal d'Hocquincourt s'est jetté dans Hesdin, garda le Louvre. On ne sait pourtant s'il est véritablement malade; il y a bien de monde qui dit qu'il feint de l'être pour obliger la reine de Suède à lui quitter au plus tôt son appartement, le voyant ainsi reduit à l'étroit et incommodé. Mais elle ne s'en émut guère, et on ne croit pas qu'elle parte si tôt.

Cependant, elle désole la Cour par ses façons de faire: quand l'envie l'en prend, elle descend à la chambre du roi, va à celle de la reine et à celles de Monsieur et de Son Éminence sans les en faire avertir et à des heures si incommodes qu'ils en sont à la gêne. Elle les fait veiller toute la nuit, et comme elle dort peu ou point, elle se lève de si bon matin qu'elle ne leur donne pas le temps de dormir.

Swedish translation (my own):

Den 5, som var fettisdag, gick vi alla på en promenad, som förra året, till Cours Saint-Antoine för att se karnevalens dårskap ta slut; men det var en sådan förfärlig förvirring av vagnar och mer än tre tusen, att vi aldrig kunde nå porten. Vi såg dock ett antal masker, både till fots och i vagnar och till häst, som var fint anpassade. På sena kvällen ville vi gå till balerna, men när vi var på Pont-Neuf bröt en soupante i vagnen och hindrade oss från att genomföra den avsikt vi hade tagit.

Den kvällen delade sig hela hovet i band, och drottningen, konungen, monsieur, Mademoiselle och vår drottning Kristina var åtskilda vid balerna. Hans Eminens, som har gikt och som på andra sidan knappast haft en fri ande sedan marskalken d'Hocquincourt kastade sig in i Hesdin, vaktade Louvren. Man vet dock inte om han verkligen är sjuk; det finns många som säger att han låtsas vara det för att tvinga Sveriges drottning att så snart som möjligt lämna sitt appartemang och se sig därmed reducerad till trånga förhållanden och besvärad. Men hon blev knappast rörd av det, och man tror inte att hon beger sig så snart.

Emellertid plågar hon hovet genom sina sätt att göra saker: när lusten tar henne, går hon ner till konungens kammare, går till drottningens och till monsieurs och Hans Eminens' utan att låta dem veta det och på timmar så obekvämt att det är en genans. Hon håller dem vakna hela natten, och eftersom hon sover lite eller inte alls går hon upp så tidigt på morgonen att hon inte ger dem tid att sova.

English translation (my own):

On the 5th, which was Mardi Gras, we all went for a walk, like last year, to the Cours Saint-Antoine to see the follies of Carnaval come to an end; but there was such a horrible confusion of carriages, and more than three thousand, that we could never reach the gate. We saw, however, a number of masks, both on foot and in carriages and on horseback, which were nicely adjusted. In the late evening, we wanted to go to the balls, but as we were on the Pont-Neuf, a soupante broke in the carriage and prevented us from carrying out the plan we had taken.

That evening the whole Court divided into bands, and the Queen, the King, Monsieur, Mademoiselle, and our Queen Kristina were each apart at the balls. His Eminence, who has gouts and who on the other side has hardly had a free spirit since Marshal d'Hocquincourt threw himself into Hesdin, guarded the Louvre. One does not know, however, if he is truly ill; there are many people who say that he pretends to be so to oblige the Queen of Sweden to leave his apartment as soon as possible, seeing himself thus reduced to cramped conditions and inconvenienced. But she was hardly moved by it, and one does not believe that she is leaving so soon.

In the meantime, she distresses the court by her ways of doing things: when the fancy takes her, she goes down to the King's chamber, goes to that of the Queen and to those of Monsieur and His Eminence without letting them know and at hours so inconvenient that it is a discomfort. She keeps them up all night, and as she sleeps little or not at all, she gets up so early in the morning that she does not give them time to sleep.

Above: Kristina.

Description of Kristina from an early posthumous biography, year 1697

Sources:

Histoire des intrigues galantes de la reine Christine de Suede: et de sa cour, pendant son sejour à Rome, pages 3 to 5, by Christian Gottfried Franckenstein, 1697

https://books.google.com/books?id=jGutbU5XSQEC&newbks=0&dq=christian+gottfried+franckenstein&source=gbs_navlinks_s

The history of the intrigues & gallantries of Christina, Queen of Sweden, and of her court whilst she was at Rome faithfully render'd into English from the French original, pages 13 to 15, translated by Philip Hollingworth, 1697 (1927 edition in second link)

https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A43928.0001.001/1:4?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

https://books.google.com/books?id=7Kj_dlvUmG4C&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&dq=The+history+of+the+intrigues+%26+gallantries+of+Christina,+Queen+of+Sweden&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Vi Christina med Guds nåde, page 49, by Py Sörman, 1942

Above: Kristina.

The description:

Christine Alexandre, a peut-être, été la Princesse de notre siecle qui a le plus imposé, & fait parler d'elle dans le monde: elle sçavoit si bien assortir un certain caractere de grandeur dans toute sa personne, que tout le monde en étoit charmé; son Esprit donnoit de l'admiration à ceux qui l'approfondissoient, mais certaines graces qui brilloient sur son visage, donnoient encore plus d'amour à ceux qui la consideroient. Il y avoit cependant plus d'agrément dans l'un que dans l'autre, mais toutes ses qualitez extraordinaires empéchoient de faire reflexion sur les defauts qu'il y avoit en sa personne. Elle étoit beaucoup voutée, pour ne pas dire presque bossuë, sa taille étoit mediocre & grossiere, cependant elle se regardoit comme dans un enbon point raisonnable, son teint étoit le plus beau du monde, elle avoit les yeux beaux & brillans, tous les traits delicats, les levres vermeilles, la bouche petite, les dents belles, le nez aquilin, la Gorge & les mains blanches quoiqu'elle ne se lavât jamais les mains, & le visage que dans de l'eau de fontaine. Outre tous ces agrémens de son sexe qui font une beauté dans son naturel, elle avoit encore plusieurs belles qualitez du nôtre, la hardiesse, & l'intrepidité, une parfaite connoissance de toutes choses, une grande dexterité à conduire les affaires importantes, & delicates, enfin elle avoit presque tout le merite des deux sexes; la beauté de son esprit, la facilité de son genie, la justesse de ses pensées, la delicatesse de ses expressions, en un mot cette memoire prodigieuse qui faisoit que le passé étoit devant ses yeux comme le present; tous ces rares talens dis-je, & toutes ces belles qualitez ebloüissoient tellement ceux qui l'approchoient, qu'ils étoient incapables de faire attention à autre chose quà celles qu'ils voyoient. Cependant ceux qui nese laissoient pas seduire si aisement, reconnoissoient que dans cet esprit tout transcendant & tout capable de grandes choses qu'il étoit, il y avoit des defauts considerables; elle aimoit les plaisirs, & ne gardoit gueres de mesures ni de bien seance en les prenant: on la Vuë s'abbaisser jusqu'à se familiariser avec plusieurs de ses Officiers; ses Domestiques qui la voyoient prendre toutes sortes de libertez avec tant de personnes de differens sexes, ont quelque fois douté du sien: ses favoris l'ont trouvée souvent legere, & inconstante, contrariante, & toujours pleine d'elle même, ce qui n'est pas supportable dans les Princes mêmes. ...

With modernised spelling:

Christine Alexandra a peut-être été la princesse de notre siècle qui a le plus imposé et fait parler d'elle dans le monde. Elle savait si bien assortir un certain caractère de grandeur dans toute sa personne que tout le monde en était charmé. Son esprit donnait de l'admiration à ceux qui l'approfondissaient, mais certaines grâces qui brillaient sur son visage donnaient encore plus d'amour à ceux qui la considéraient. Il y avait cependant plus d'agrément dans l'un que dans l'autre, mais toutes ses qualités extraordinaires empêchaient de faire réfléxion sur les défauts qu'il y avait en sa personne.

Elle était beaucoup voûtée, pour ne pas dire presque bossue. Sa taille était médiocre et grossière, cependant elle se regardait comme dans un en bon point raisonnable. Son teint était le plus beau du monde. Elle avait les yeux beaux et brillants, tous les traits délicats, les lèvres vermeilles, la bouche petite, les dents belles, le nez aquilin, la gorge et les mains blanches, quoiqu'elle ne se lavât jamais les mains; et le visage que dans de l'eau de fontaine.

Outre tous ces agréments de son sexe qui font une beauté dans son naturel, elle avait encore plusieurs belles qualités du nôtre: la hardiesse et l'intrépidité, une parfaite connaissance de toutes choses, une grande dextérité à conduire les affaires importantes et délicates. Enfin, elle avait presque tout le mérite des deux sexes. La beauté de son esprit, la facilité de son génie, la justesse de ses pensées, la délicatesse de ses expressions, en un mot, cette mémoire prodigieuse qui faisait que le passé était devant ses yeux comme le présent — tous ces rares talents, dis-je, et toutes ces belles qualités eblouissaient tellement ceux qui l'approchaient qu'ils étaient incapables de faire attention à autre chose qu'à celles qu'ils voyaient.

Cependant ceux qui ne se laissaient pas séduire si aisément reconnaissaient que dans cet esprit tout transcendant et tout capable de grandes choses qu'il était, il y avait des défauts considérables.

Elle aimait les plaisirs et ne gardait guère de mesures ni de bienséance en les prenant. On l'a vue s'abaisser jusqu'à se familiariser avec plusieurs de ses officiers. Ses domestiques, qui la voyaient prendre toutes sortes de libertés avec tant de personnes de différents sexes, ont quelquefois douté du sien. Ses favoris l'ont trouvée souvent légère et inconstante, contrariante et toujours pleine d'elle-même, ce qui n'est pas supportable dans les princes-mêmes. ...

Swedish translation (my own):

Kristina Alexandra var kanske vår sekels prinsessa som har påtvingat mest och fått folk att prata om henne över hela världen. Hon visste så väl hur hon skulle assortera en viss karaktär av storhet i hela sin person att alla charmerades av henne. Hennes espri gav beundran till dem som lärde sig förstå henne, men vissa gracer som lyste i hennes ansikte gav ännu mer kärlek till dem som såg på henne. Det fanns dock mer charm i den ena än i den andra, men alla hennes extraordinära egenskaper hindrade reflektion över de fel som fanns i hennes person.

Hon var väldigt krokig, för att inte säga nästan puckelryggig. Hennes figur var medioker och tjock, men hon såg sig själv som ganska rimlig. Hennes hy var den vackraste i världen. Hon hade vackra, glänsande ögon, alla drag ömtåliga, rubinröda läppar, en liten mun, vackra tänder, en kroknäsa och en vit hals och händer, fastän hon aldrig tvättade händerna; och hon tvättade bara sitt ansikte i fontänvatten.

Förutom alla de tjusningar av hennes kön, som gör en skönhet i hennes natur, hade hon fortfarande flera fina egenskaper hos vårt kön: djärvhet och orädsla, en fullkomlig kunskap om alla ting och en stor skicklighet i att sköta viktiga och ömtåliga affärer. Enfin, hon hade nästan alla förtjänster av båda könen. Skönheten i hennes sinne, faciliteten i hennes ingenium, noggrannheten i hennes tankar, ömheten i hennes uttryck, med ett ord, det vidunderliga minnet som fick det förflutna att verka som nuet framför hennes ögon — alla dessa sällsynta talanger, säger jag, och alla dessa vackra egenskaper bländade dem som närmade sig henne så mycket att de inte kunde uppmärksamma något annat än vad de såg.

Men de som inte lät sig förföra insåg så lätt att det i denna anda, så fullkomligt transcendent och kapabel till stora ting som den var, fanns avsevärda fel.

Hon älskade nöjen och iakttog lite återhållsamhet eller anständighet när hon tog dem. Hon sågs böja sig för att bekanta sig med flera av sina officerare. Hennes tjänare, som såg henne ta alla möjliga friheter med så många människor av olika kön, tvivlade ibland på hennes eget kön. Hennes favoriter fann henne ofta lättsinnad och inkonstant, störig och alltid full av sig själv, vilket inte är uthärdligt hos furstar själva. ...

English translation (by Hollingworth):

Christina Alexandra has perhaps been the Princess, who has most of all imposed on us, and made her self most talk'd of in the World. She knew so well to assert a certain Character of Greatness in her whole Personage that she charmed all Mankind. Her Wit caused Admiration in all who were able to comprehend it; and certain Graces sparkled in her Face, which caused Love in all that view'd them: Nevertheless she had more agreeableness in the one than the other; and her extraordinary Qualities hindred People from reflecting upon the real Defects of her Person. She was a little bent, not to say crooked: Her Stature was middle-sized, inclining to be fat; and yet she was at a reasonable stand as to that Point: Her Complexion was the finest in the World: Her Eyes were beautiful and sparkling; her Lips red; she had good Teeth, and an Aquiline Nose; her Neck and Hands white, tho' she never wash'd them in any thing but cold Water. Besides these Excellencies of her Sex, which made her a Beauty in her own Nature, she had some of the best Qualities of ours, such as Courage and Undauntedness, with an admirable knowledge of most things; a great dexterity in the Conduct of the weightiest Affairs, as also of the most curious. And in a word, she had almost all the choicest Qualifications of both Sexes. The greatness of her Wit, the facility of her Genius, the exactness of her Thoughts, the delicacy of her Expressions, and last of all a prodigious Memory, which made past things appear as present: All these rare Talents should I say, or rather all these extraordinary Qualities did so astonish all that approach'd her, that they were not capable of attending any other thing. And yet those who would not suffer themselves to be so easily led away without a nicer Inspection, could find considerable Faults in her, how great and transcendent soever her Wit were. She so much loved her Pleasure, that she observed no Measures in the taking of it, and would Debase her self so far as to be Familiar with many of her Officers. Her Domesticks, who would take all sorts of Liberty with both Sexes, were sometimes Doubtful of their own, and her greatest Favourites have oftentimes found her Light, Inconstant, Contradictory, and always full of her self; things scarce Supportable even in Princes themselves. ...

With modernised spelling and punctuation for easier reading:

Kristina Alexandra has perhaps been the princess who has most of all imposed on us and made herself most talked of in the world. She knew so well to assert a certain character of greatness in her whole personage that she charmed all mankind. Her wit caused admiration in all who were able to comprehend it; and certain graces sparkled in her face, which caused love in all that viewed them. Nevertheless, she had more agreeableness in the one than the other; and her extraordinary qualities hindered people from reflecting upon the real defects of her person.

She was a little bent, not to say crooked. Her stature was middle-sized, inclining to be fat; and yet she was at a reasonable stand as to that point. Her complexion was the finest in the world. Her eyes were beautiful and sparkling, her lips red, she had good teeth and an aquiline nose, her neck and hands white, though she never washed them in anything but cold water.

Besides these excellencies of her sex, which made her a beauty in her own nature, she had some of the best qualities of ours, such as courage and undauntedness, with an admirable knowledge of most things; a great dexterity in the conduct of the weightiest affairs, as also of the most curious. And, in a word, she had almost all the choicest qualifications of both sexes.

The greatness of her wit, the facility of her genius, the exactness of her thoughts, the delicacy of her expressions, and, last of all, a prodigious memory, which made past things appear as present — all these rare talents, should I say, or rather all these extraordinary qualities, did so astonish all that approached her that they were not capable of attending any other thing. And yet, those who would not suffer themselves to be so easily led away without a nicer inspection could find considerable faults in her, how great and transcendent soever her wit were.

She so much loved her pleasure that she observed no measures in the taking of it, and would debase herself so far as to be familiar with many of her officers. Her domestics, who would take all sorts of liberty with both sexes, were sometimes doubtful of their own; and her greatest favourites have oftentimes found her light, inconstant, contradictory, and always full of herself — things scarce supportable even in princes themselves. ...

English translation (my own; this is more accurate):

Kristina Alexandra was perhaps the princess of our century who has imposed the most and made people talk about her all the world over. She knew so well how to match a certain character of grandeur in her whole person that everyone was charmed by her. Her spirit gave admiration to those who learned to understand her, but certain graces that shone on her face gave even more love to those who looked at her. There was, however, more charm in one than in the other, but all her extraordinary qualities prevented reflection on the faults there were in her person.

She was very stooped, not to say almost hunchbacked. Her figure was mediocre and chubby, yet she saw herself as fairly reasonable. Her complexion was the most beautiful in the world. She had beautiful, shining eyes, all the features delicate, ruby red lips, a small mouth, beautiful teeth, an aquiline nose, and a white throat and hands, although she never washed her hands; and she only ever washed her face in fountain water.

Besides all those charms of her sex which make a beauty in her nature, she still had several fine qualities of ours: boldness and intrepidity, a perfect knowledge of all things, and a great dexterity in conducting important and delicate affairs. Enfin, she had almost all the merit of both sexes. The beauty of her mind, the facility of her genius, the accuracy of her thoughts, the delicacy of her expressions, in a word, that prodigious memory which made the past seem like the present before her eyes — all these rare talents, I say, and all these beautiful qualities dazzled those who approached her so much that they were unable to pay attention to anything other than what they saw.

However, those who did not allow themselves to be seduced so easily recognised that in this spirit, as completely transcendent and capable of great things as it was, there were considerable faults.

She loved pleasures and observed little restraint or propriety in taking them. She was seen stooping to familiarise herself with several of her officers. Her domestics, who saw her taking all sorts of liberties with so many people of different sexes, sometimes doubted her own. Her favourites often found her light and inconstant, irritating and always full of herself, which is not bearable in princes themselves. ...

Further account of Kristina from Mademoiselle de Montpensier

Source:

Mémoires de Mlle de Montpensier: petite-fille de Henri IV, Volume 2, page 477

https://books.google.com/books?id=boQaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA455&dq=mademoiselle+de+montpensier+reine+christine+de+suède&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixgKGtlNnpAhUGop4KHVUPBMQ4ChC7BTABegQIARAJ#v=snippet&q=couverture&f=false

The account:

La reine de Suède descendit au milieu de la cour. La reine dit qu'elle ne fut jamais si surprise que de la voir, et que, quoique l'on lui eût bien dit qu'elle n'étoit pas faite comme les autres, elle ne se la pouvoit imaginer faite comme elle la trouva. Le maréchal et la maréchale de La Mothe donnèrent une grande collation. ...

Le temps que cette reine fut à Compiègne, on tâcha de lui donner tous les divertissements possibles: les comédiens françois et italiens, et les vingt-quatre violons du roi; mais elle ne voulut pas danser; toutes sortes de musiques et de chasses. Elle se plaisoit fort à la cour; mais comme elle n'y plaisoit pas tant, on lui fit dire qu'elle y avoit été assez longtemps, mais fort honnêtement. Il se rencontra que les jésuites de Compiègne firent jouer une tragédie par leurs écoliers; on la convia d'y aller; ce qu'elle fit, et Leurs Majestés aussi. Elle se moqua fort de ces pauvres pères, les tourna en ridicule au dernier point; elle fit les postures que je lui avois vu faire à Essonne, dont la reine fut fort surprise.

Elle avoit entendu parler de l'amour du roi pour mademoiselle de Mancini; de sorte que, pour faire sa cour, elle s'alloit mettre en tiers, et leur disoit qu'il falloit se marier ensemble; qu'elle vouloit être la confidente, et disoit au roi: «Si j'étois à votre place, j'épouserois une personne que j'aimerois.» Je crois que ces discours ne plurent ni à la reine ni à M. le cardinal, et qu'ils contribuèrent à hâter son départ; car à la cour, on n'aime pas les gens qui entrent en matière sans que l'on les en prie.

J'étois à Pont, lorsqu'elle partit de Compiègne; je croyois qu'elle y dût passer, et c'eût été son chemin, si elle eût pris celui de Bourgogne. J'envoyai à Melun lui faire compliment; elle me manda qu'elle vouloit me venir voir à Pont; mais que l'on lui avoit dit que j'étois à Saint-Fargeau, et que c'étoit son chemin d'y passer et qu'elle étoit au désespoir de ne me point voir. Le gentilhomme que j'y avois envoyé me dit qu'elle coucheroit le lendemain à Montargis; la fantaisie me prit de la voir encore une fois. J'envoyai des relais, et je partis à la pointe du jour, j'arrivai à Montargis à dix heures du soir. Je n'avois que madame de Thianges et madame de Frontenac avec moi, la comtesse de Fiesque et mademoiselle de Vandy n'ayant pas assez de force pour soutenir une telle fatigue.

Comme j'arrivai, je fus droit à son logis; on me dit: «La reine se vient de coucher.» Je fis semblant de n'entendre pas l'italien, et je disois que l'on dit à la reine que c'étoit moi. Enfin, après l'avoir dit plûsieurs fois, on me vint dire de monter toute seule. Je la trouvai couchée dans un lit où mes femmes couchoient toutes les fois que je passois à Montargis, une chandelle sur la table, et elle avoit une serviette autour de la tête comme un bonnet de nuit; pas un cheveu; une chemise fermée sans collet, avec un gros nœud couleur de feu; ses draps qui ne venoient qu'à la moitié de son lit; une vilaine couverture verte. Elle ne me parut pas jolie en cet état. Elle me salua d'abord, et me dit qu'elle étoit bien fâchée de la peine que j'avois prise; que j'avois bien eu de la fatigue de me lever si matin; puis me demanda qui étoit venu avec moi. Je lui dis: «Madame de Thianges et madame de Frontenac.» Elle me dit de les faire appeler; elle fit assez bonne chère à madame de Thianges.

Je lui demandai comme elle avoit trouvé le roi. Elle me dit: «Fort bien fait et fort honnête homme;» que c'étoit dommage qu'il n'aimât une plus belle personne que mademoiselle de Mancini; qu'elle trouvoit Monsieur fort joli; mais qu'il avoit été honteux avec elle; ce qui l'avoit surprise, croyant le roi le plus farouche. Puis elle me demanda des nouvelles du comte de Hollac. Je ne lui dis pas qu'il étoit prisonnier, car je ne le savois point pour lors. Elle me parla encore de M. le Prince; si je lui écrivois. Je lui dis que non, que cela m'étoit défendu; puis je m'en allai, jugeant bien que ma visite avoit été trop longue. Si elle eût été plus civile, elle me seroit venue voir le lendemain avant que de partir; mais ce seroit trop demander à une reine des Goths.

Je me levai matin et m'en allai à son logis; je la trouvai jolie, avec un justaucorps neuf, bien poudrée, en belle humeur. Elle proposa à madame de Thianges de s'en aller à Rome avec elle, et que c'étoit une raillerie de s'amuser à son mari; que le meilleur n'en vouloit rien, et qu'il étoit fort à propos de le quitter. Elle pesta fort contre le mariage, et me conseilla de ne me jamais marier, trouvant abominable d'avoir des enfants. Elle se mit à parler des dévotions de Rome d'une manière assez libertine. Ensuite elle me dit: «Je passe à Turin; que voulez-vous que je dise si on m'y parle de vous?» Je lui répondis que je ne doutois pas que ce ne fût de la bonne manière, parce que madame de Savoie étoit ma tante et qu'elle m'avoit toujours témoigné beaucoup d'amitié. A quoi elle répliqua: «Son fils vous aime plus qu'elle; il vous désire fort et il a raison; mais pour elle, elle vous craint, parce qu'elle veut gouverner, et elle a peut-être raison aussi de son côté.»

On la pressa de partir, ayant une assez longue journée à faire. Elle disoit: «Vous me donnez le plus sensible déplaisir que je sois capable de recevoir, de me séparer de Mademoiselle; je ne la verrai peut-être jamais.» Enfin elle me fit mille cajoleries de cette force. Je la vis monter en carrosse avec Sentinelli, un autre, et un gentilhomme qui étoit au roi, nommé Lesin. Rien n'est si bizarre que de voir une reine sans pas une femme. Je m'en allai coucher à Egreville chez madame la duchesse de Vitry, et de là je m'en retournai à Pont, où je fus le temps que j'ai dit.

English translation (my own):

The Queen of Sweden descended to the middle of the court. The Queen [of France] said that she was never so surprised to see her, and that, although she had been told that she was not formed like the others, she could not imagine her being made as she found her. The marshal and maréchale de la Mothe gave a great collation. ...

While this Queen was at Compiègne, they tried to give her all possible entertainment: the French and Italian comedians, and the King's twenty-four violins; but she did not want to dance; all kinds of music and hunting. She takes great pleasure in court; but as she did not like it so much, they made her say that she had been there long enough, but very honestly. It was found that the Jesuits of Compiègne had their schoolchildren play a tragedy; they invited her to go; which she did, and so did Their Majesties. She made fun of these poor fathers, ridiculed them excessively; she made the postures I had seen her do at Essonne, which very much surprised the Queen.

She had heard of the King's love for Mademoiselle de Mancini; so that, in order to pay her court, she went to a third party, and told them that it was necessary to marry together; that she wanted to be the confidante, and said to the King: "If I were in your place, I would marry a person whom I would love." I believe that these speeches pleased neither the Queen nor the Cardinal, and that they contributed to hasten her departure; because at court, we don't like people who enter into matters without being asked.

I was at Pont when she left Compiègne; I believed that she must have passed there, and it would have been her way if she had taken that of Burgundy. I sent Melun to compliment her; she told me that she wanted to come and see me at Pont; but that she had been told that I was at Saint-Fargeau, and that it was her way to go there and that she was in despair at not seeing me. The gentleman I sent there told me that she would be sleeping in Montargis the next day; the fancy took me to see her again. I sent horses, and I left at daybreak, arriving in Montargis at ten in the evening. I had only Madame de Thianges and Madame de Frontenac with me, the Comtesse de Fiesque and Mademoiselle de Vandy not having enough strength to bear such fatigue.

As I arrived, I went straight to her lodgings; I was told: "The Queen has just gone to bed." I pretended not to hear the Italian, and I said that the Queen was told that it was me. Finally, after saying it several times, I was told to go up on my own. I found her lying in a bed where my women slept whenever I passed Montargis, with a candle on the table, and she had a towel around her head like a nightcap; she had no hair; a closed shirt without a collar, with a large fire-colored ribbon; her sheets only came up to half of her bed; an ugly green blanket. She did not look pretty to me in this state. She greeted me first, and told me that she was very angry at the trouble I had taken; that I had been tired of getting up so early in the morning; then asked me who had come with me. I said to her: "Madame de Thianges and Madame de Frontenac." She told me to call them; she had already feasted enough on Madame de Thianges.

I asked her what she thought of the King. She said to me: "Very well formed and a very honest man"; that it was a pity that he did not love a more beautiful person than Mademoiselle de Mancini; that she found Monsieur very pretty; but that he had been ashamed with her; which surprised her, believing him to be the fiercest king. Then she asked me for news of the Count de Hollac. I did not tell him that he was a prisoner, for I did not know it at the time. She spoke to me again of the Prince; if I wrote to him. I told her no, that it was forbidden me; then I went away, judging that my visit had been too long. If she had been more civil, she would have come to see me the next day before leaving; but that would be asking too much of a queen of the Goths.

I got up in the morning and went to her lodgings; I found her pretty, with a new justaucorps, well powdered, in good humour. She proposed to Madame de Thianges to go to Rome with her, and that it was a mockery to amuse her husband; that the best wanted nothing of it, and that it was very fitting to leave him. She railed strongly against marriage, and advised me never to marry, finding it abominable to have children. She began to speak of the devotions of Rome in a rather libertine manner. Then she said to me: "I am going to Turin; what do you want me to say if people talk to me about you?" I replied that I had no doubt that it was the wrong way, because Madame de Savoie was my aunt and that she had always shown me great friendship. To which she replied: "Her son loves you more than she does; he wants you strong and he is right; but as for her, she fears you, because she wants to govern, and she may also be right."

She was urged to leave, her having a fairly long journey to make. She said: "You give me the most sensitive displeasure that I am capable of receiving, of separating myself from Mademoiselle; I may never see her." Finally she gave me a thousand cajoleries of this strength. I saw her get into a carriage with Santinelli, another man, and a gentleman who belonged to the King, named Lesin. Nothing is so strange as seeing a queen without a woman. I went to sleep at Egreville at Madame la Duchesse de Vitry's, and from there I returned to Pont, where I was the at time I said.

Above: Kristina.

Above: Mademoiselle de Montpensier.