{"id":763,"date":"2014-05-09T04:18:48","date_gmt":"2014-05-09T02:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tacotichelaar.nl\/wordpress\/?page_id=763"},"modified":"2021-09-21T07:30:09","modified_gmt":"2021-09-21T05:30:09","slug":"christina-queen-of-sweden","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tacotichelaar.nl\/wordpress\/biographies-english\/christina-queen-of-sweden\/","title":{"rendered":"Christina, queen of Sweden"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christina<\/b> (18 December [O.S.<\/a> 8 December] 1626 \u2013 19 April 1689) was queen regnant of Sweden<\/a> from 1632[1]<\/a><\/sup> to 1654, with the titles of Queen of the Swedes<\/a>, Goths<\/a> (or Geats<\/a>) and Wends<\/a>[2]<\/a><\/sup> (Suecorum, Gothorum Vandalorumque Regina<\/i>);[3]<\/a><\/sup> Grand Princess of Finland<\/a>, and Duchess of Estonia<\/a>, Livonia<\/a> and Karelia<\/a>,[4]<\/a><\/sup> Bremen-Verden<\/a>, Stettin<\/a>, Pomerania<\/a>, Cassubia<\/a> and Vandalia,[5]<\/a><\/sup> Princess of Rugia<\/a>, Lady of Ingria<\/a> and of Wismar<\/a>.[6]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

Christina was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph<\/a> and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg<\/a>. At the age of six she succeeded her father on the throne upon his death at the Battle of L\u00fctzen<\/a>, but didn’t begin ruling until she reached the age of 18.<\/p>\n

Christina is remembered as one of the most educated women of the 1600s.[7]<\/a><\/sup> She was fond of paintings, books, manuscripts, and sculptures. With her interest in religion, philosophy, mathematics and alchemy, she attracted many scientists to Stockholm, wanting the city to become the “Athens of the North”. She was intelligent, fickle and moody; she rejected the sexual role of a woman. She caused a scandal when she decided not to marry [8]<\/a><\/sup> and in 1654 when she abdicated her throne. She changed her name to Kristina Augusta Wasa[9]<\/a><\/sup> and converted to Roman Catholicism<\/a>, adopting the name Christina Alexandra.[note 1]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

At the age of 28 the “Minerva<\/a> of the North” moved to Rome.[11]<\/a><\/sup> The Pope described Christina ‘as “a queen without a realm, a Christian without faith, and a woman without shame”.[12]<\/a><\/sup> Notwithstanding all that, she became a leader of the theatrical and musical life and protected many Baroque artists, composers, and musicians.<\/p>\n

Being the guest of five consecutive popes,[13]<\/a><\/sup> and a symbol of the Counter Reformation<\/a>, she is one of the few women buried in the Vatican grotto<\/a>. Her unconventional lifestyle and masculine dressing and behavior has been featured in countless novels, plays, opera and film. In all the biographies on Christina her biological and cultural identity plays an important role.[14]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n

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