CHRISTI'NA, Queen of Sweden, only child of the great Gustavus Adolphus,was b. Dec., 1626, and succeeded her father in 1632, when only six years old. Distinguished equally by beauty and the possession of a lively imagination, a good memory, and uncommon in telligence, she received the education rather of a man than of a woman; and to this may in part be attributed the many eccentricities of her life. During her minority, the king dom was governed by the five highest officers of the state, the principal being chancellor .Oxenstiern. In 1644, she assumed the reins of power, and, in 1630, was crowned with the title of king. She had previously declared her cousin, Charles Gustavus, her sue cessor. For four years thereafter, she ruled the kingdom with vigor, and was remark. able for her patronage of learned and scientific men. In 1654, however. at the age of 28, weary of the personal restraint which royalty imposed on her, she abdicated in favor of her cousin, reserving to herself sufficient revenues, entire independence, and supreme authority over her suite and household. Leaving Sweden, she proceeded to Brussels,
where she embraced the Roman Catholic religion. She afterwards went to Rome, which she entered on horseback, in the costume of an amazon, with great pomp. Confirmed by pope Alexander VII.. she adopted the surname of Alessandra. In 1656, she visited Paris; and the following year, on a second residence there, she caused her grand equerry, Monaldeschi, who had enjoyed her entire confidence, to be executed in her own house hold for treason. In 1658, she returned to Rome, and, in 1660, the death of the king, her cousin, caused her to hasten to Sweden: but, failing in her attempt to be reinstated on the throne, she again left the country. In 1666, she aspired to the crown of Poland. but was unnoticed by the Poles. The remainder of her life was spent in Rome in artis tic and scientific pursuits. Besides founding an academy, she collected valuable 111S5.. medals, and paintings, and died April 19, 1689. Much of her conduct favors the idea that at times she was scarcely sane.