CHRISTINA (1626-89). Queen of Sweden front 1632 to 1654. She was the daughter of the great (;ustavus Adolphus, anti was born De cember 18. 1626. she became Queen after the death of her father in the battle of Liitzen, in 1632. Tin 1614 she reigned under a regency headed by the Chancellor Oxenstierna. Distin guish•d by the possession of a lively imagina tion, a good memory, uncommon intelligence, and remarkable aptitude for serious study, she received the education of a man rather than that of a W0111811, and to this may in part be attribut ed the many eccentricities of her life. lIer sub jects and counselors earnestly desired her to marry, but the Queen's restless spirit would ac cept no such bond. In 1649 she had her cousin, C. 'ha rles. Gustavus ( see Crtuti,Es X.) . declared her successor by the Estates of the realm. Her reign was notable for the patronage of learning and science: but the Queen was too eccentric and eared too little for politics to give that force to the administration which the position of Sweden in Europe at that time, and its own lively inter nal politics, required. In 1654 Christina volun
tarily abdicated in favor of her cousin, reserving to herself sufficient revenues, her entire independ ence, and supreme authority over her suite and household. She embraced Roman Catholicism, and afterwards resided chiefly in Rome and in France, gathering about her a court of brilliant and learned men. and spending much time in literary and scientific pursuits. She covered her self with infamy by the murder in 1657 at Fon tainebleau of her grand equerry and favorite, Monaldeschi. .After the death of Charles Gus tavus in 1660, Christina repaired to Sweden and began to intrigue for the recovery of her throne: but her subjects cut short her pretensions by forcing her to sign another formal act of abdica tion. She died April 19, 1689. Consult: Geyer. Geschi•hte Sehmcdens, Vol. III. (Hamburg, 1S3ti) ; A rchenholtz, Vie de Christine par elle mem(' (Stockholm, 1751 ) : Bain, Christina, Queen of Smcdca (London, 18,89).