She Was A Mystery
Marlene Dietrich, David Bowie, and Prince all played fast and loose when it came to what was the norm of dress and behavior for their gender. Let’s go back an astonishing 400 years and meet one of the original gender-fluid celebs. This was a Queen way off in Sweden and right from her birth, people had confused reactions to the child. Was it a girl? Was it a boy?
Queen Christina didn’t really care what people thought. She just wanted to live life to the fullest—and she most certainly did.
1. They Had Problems With Children
Before Christina was born, her parents—the Swedish King and his German wife—were having trouble producing an heir. Maria Eleonora had already had three children, which sadly included two stillborns and one who barely lived out her first year. When Maria Eleonora became pregnant again, her husband, King Gustavus Adolphus, and the rest of the country got very excited.
There was a lot of pressure on this newborn child.
Unknown artistUnknown artist, Wikimedia Commons
2. She Was A Miracle
It seemed like a miracle when, on December 18, 1626, this fourth child actually survived the delivery. The court was already celebrating the miraculous birth of a boy when someone took a closer look. Even though the child was hairy and had a “strong hoarse voice” it was a girl. Dad was happy with his little bundle of tomboy.
Mom, on the other hand, wasn't as thrilled.
Sebastien Bourdon, Wikimedia Commons
3. She Was A Bit Crazy
Maria Eleonora couldn’t quite seem to get over the fact that Christina was a girl and not a boy. It didn't help matters that her husband was often away taking care of his kingly duties. When the King was away, Maria Eleonora became crazy. The King didn’t want her instability to rub off on his child, so he made a rash and heartless decision.
By unknown contemporary artists., Wikimedia Commons
4. He Kept Them Apart
King Gustavus Adolphus was pretty sure his wife Maria Eleonora was losing it, so he simply decided that his wife could have no influence on the rearing of Christina. This wasn’t hard to enforce, as Maria Eleonora seemed to want little to do with her daughter anyway. By the way, there was a very good reason why the King was being so protective of Christina.
He knew that she would be very important one day.
Presumably Jacob Hoefnagel, Wikimedia Commons
5. She Was The One
While Christina was not directly in line to be the monarch of Sweden, there were some extenuating circumstances. Gustavus Adolphus' brother had already passed and there was also a deposed brother and nephew. The last obstacle was his half-sister, but she was out of the running because she’d married a non-Lutheran. This left little Christina as the child who would be queen.
But things were about to get rocky.
royal court painter Jacob Henry Elbfas (1600-1664), Wikimedia Commons
6. He Left Her
In June 1630, Christina’s dad had a mission. He had to “defend Protestantism”. This would take Gustavus Adolphus to Germany and put him in the Thirty Years War. As you might guess from the name, this was not going to be a short battle. Before he left, Gustavus Adolphus had a strange request for his daughter.
Johann Jakob Walter, Wikimedia Commons
7. He Wanted Something Special For Her
Before taking off for Germany, Gustavus made sure everyone knew that Christina would be the next monarch, and then he asked that she get the same education that boys got. Back in those days, boys and girls learned very different things. Gustavus was setting his daughter up to be something very different.
He had no idea just how different Christina would be.
8. She Lost Them Both
While still a young child, Christina received the news that her father had lost his life in battle. This sent her mother down a spiral of hysteria and depression. It also caused Maria Eleonora to focus her energy on Christina. However, the court didn’t like what kind of influence the apparently crazy Maria Eleonora had on Christina, so they exiled her to a castle.
Poor Christina now had no mother or father.
Unidentified painter, Wikimedia Commons
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9. She Studied Hard
The court didn’t want Christina to become attached to any mother figure, so they gave the job of raising her to several different women. They continued to educate her as if she were a boy and she took to her studies with zeal. She learned to speak eight languages including Swedish and German.
This was going to be one very remarkable Queen of Sweden.
British Museum, Wikimedia Commons
10. She Became An Adult
Christina turned 18 years old in 1644. This meant she was an adult and could take her place as the Queen of Sweden. Soon after her ascent to the throne, there was a Peace Congress in Germany. The Chancellor of Sweden, Axel Oxenstierna, sent his delegate to oppose peace. But Christina had a plan of her own.
Abraham Wuchters, Wikimedia Commons
11. She Had Her Own Ideas
Likely, most people thought that young Christina would just do what the Chancellor thought was best. Instead, she sent her own delegate to the congress to argue the opposite of what the Chancellor wanted. She wanted peace at any cost. It was a battle between Christina and the Chancellor, and only one could win.
12. She Took Home The Prize
In October 1648, Christina signed the Peace of Westphalia, letting everyone know who the real boss of Sweden was. But she wasn’t through with the Chancellor yet. She put a cap on his influence by declaring that her cousin, Charles Gustav, would become the heir presumptive. Anyone expecting Christina to be a “pushover queen” was now very aware they’d made a mistake.
Her next move was in the arts.
private collection, Wikimedia Commons
13. She Received Gifts
Christina’s love of books was so well known that soldiers would often bring her books from their looting. But these acquisitions didn’t stop at books. Following the Battle of Prague in 1649, Christina made quite the haul. If you tally it up, she got 170 marble statues and 100 bronze ones. She also received 760 paintings and 600 pieces of crystal.
Next, Christina would indulge in her love of the theater.
Historical Picture Archive, Getty Images
14. She Had A Manly Walk
Christina fancied herself an actor, and she hired an architect to build a theater for her in her palace. Once she had the stage, she realized that she wasn’t happy with her very masculine way of walking on it. To fix this, she hired ballet master Antoine de Beaulieu to teach her to be more elegant. She then played the goddess Diana in a play written by Groeg Stiernheim.
Next on her list of interests was philosophy. But this hobby turned out to be lethal.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
15. She Gave Him The Cold Shoulder
When Christina became interested in the philosopher Rene Descartes, she sent for him. They started having private classes together, but there was little warmth between them. To make matters worse, they met at 5 am and in a cold and drafty room. After just a few classes, Descartes passed from pneumonia.
Descartes was teaching Christina his ideas about love, and then Christina came up with a few of her own—and they were shockers.
After Frans Hals, Wikimedia Commons
16. She Wasn’t Into Romance
Because she was the queen, everyone expected her to produce the next heir to the throne. The thing was, Christina had read about the virgin Queen Elizabeth I of England, and she also knew about how nuns and priests in the Catholic church abstained from marital relations. Even though she knew everyone expected her to produce an heir, she was dabbling with a celibate lifestyle.
But there was something else stopping her from finding a mate.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
17. She Dressed Badly
As a queen, Christina didn’t really have to worry about attracting a husband, but she seemed intent on repelling any potential suitors. She did this by not taking good care of herself. She rarely had time to comb her hair, and she always just dressed in whatever was at hand. The icing on the cake was her choice of men’s shoes.
But there was one man who saw through all this and fell in love with her anyway.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
18. She Found A Match
There was one man who had somehow fallen madly in love with Christina. This was her first cousin Charles. Christina must have thought he was as good as any man because they became secretly engaged. It’s not clear if Christina felt romantic toward Charles, but we do know she had a passion for someone else.
Celsius~commonswiki, Wikimedia Commons
19. She Liked Women
Christina had a friend named Ebba Sparre, who had been one of the many women who raised Christina. Letters that Christina wrote to Sparre had many professions of love for the woman. Oh, and the two often shared a bed. Christina also told Marquise Elisabeth de Castellane that if she were a man, she would “fall at your feet…languishing with love”.
But Christina’s real passion was for something else.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
20. She Was Overworked
By 1951, Christina had been reigning monarch for close to 20 years. Unlike many royals, she took her job seriously and worked tirelessly for her country. As it turned out, she should have taken a few more breaks. One day, she suddenly collapsed. For one full hour, most people assumed she had passed.
When she finally came to, the doctors had some serious advice for her.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
21. She Needed To Make Big Changes
French doctor Pierre Bourelot’s advice in a nutshell was to enjoy life. He wanted her to sleep more, to take warm baths and to eat better. He said she should take pleasure in life and stop working so hard. His final request was for her to take the books out of her apartments.
And then the doctor went a dangerous step further.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
22. She Did A Complete 180
Doctor Bourelot had something hidden in his suitcase, and he wanted to show it to Christina. This was a collection of poems by the Italian Pietro Arenino. These poems had an R rating, and they caused a change in Christina. Before, she had been coldly stoic, and now she was ready for the hedonism of the Epicureans.
It’s no understatement to say that these poems changed Christina’s life forever.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
23. She Changed Religions
One thing that reading these poems brought about was an issue with religion. Christina started studying Catholicism and found it suited her more than being a Lutheran. By May 1652, Christina had decided to convert fully to Catholicism. This was the one thing a Queen of Sweden could not do.
24. She Had Her Feelings Hurt
Back in 1645, Christina had made Arnold Johan Messenius the royal historian. For some reason, Messenius decided to write some scandalous stories about Christina. This was likely due to her religious conversion. He even went as far as to call her a Jezebel.
Messenius’ gossip did not amuse Christina, and she delivered him the ultimate punishment.
Attributed to Arent Lamprechtz, Wikimedia Commons
25. She Stunned Her People
Christina had Messenius beheaded and then—just for good measure—did the same for his son. This made her popularity take a nosedive, and her next move made it even worse. She stunned the population by announcing that she would never have a husband, and she refused to give a reason why. She then offered up her cousin—the one she was secretly engaged to—as the next king.
All she had to do now was abdicate the throne.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
26. She Said Goodbye
In order to abdicate there has to be a ceremony. The process was quite dramatic, as they slowly removed each piece of Christina’s regalia. Once they’d finished, Christina stood before the others in a simple taffeta dress. She said her thank yous and goodbyes and left Sweden almost immediately.
She was starting a new and exciting life.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
27. She Traveled In Cognito
Christina started her new life dressed as a man. You see, to leave Sweden, she had to pass through the hostile Denmark. To ensure her safety, Christina dressed up as Count Dohna. She and the Spanish poet Bernardino de Rebolledo looked like two guys taking a road trip.
She may have been traveling simply, but she had not forgotten all her fortunes back in Sweden.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
28. She Took Her Favorites
Before she left Sweden, Christina had packed up all her favorite books, paintings, and statues and sent them forward. Anyone walking into the Stockholm castle would likely think someone had robbed the place. In fact, she sort of had. With her collection of art going ahead of her, she was preparing to live life to the fullest.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
29. She Was A Hedonist
One of Christina's first stops was in Antwerp, Belgium, where she stayed with a Jewish Merchant. The old Christina would have been breaking her back with studies, but this was the new Christina. She amused herself with horse riding in the day and listened to music or partied the night away.
But living the hedonistic lifestyle had one major drawback.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
30. She Was Broke
Christina’s new hedonistic lifestyle was quickly draining her resources. She started hawking her jewelry, some tapestries, and even her silverware. Sadly, this was not enough to fix her economic problems. It was time to make a move to a place where she wouldn’t spend so much money.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
31. She Made The Change
The cash-strapped Christina made her way to the Coudenburg castle in Brussels. Here, she could finally make one of her dreams come true. She decided it was time to become Catholic. Once they’d baptized her, she got a new name: Christina Alexandra. But there was a problem.
She had a very good reason to keep her conversion top secret.
32. She Kept It Under Wraps
If folks back in Sweden heard about Christina’s change to Catholicism, they would likely cut off her allowance. So, she kept it secret. The allowance wasn’t enough, so she lived off of loans she received in exchange for works of art and books. Christina was living quite the bohemian life, but it soon became time to settle down and make roots.
Christina had just the perfect place for this.
Workshop of Sébastien Bourdon, Wikimedia Commons
33. She Arrived In Style
Since she was now a Catholic, her next destination would be the mothership: the Vatican. She moved south with her entourage, which seemed to grow and grow. She eventually entered Rome—in a sedan chair designed by artist Bernini—on December 20, 1656. The Vatican was certainly ready to receive the Queen who had become Catholic.
They welcomed her in a big way.
34. She Lived Large
As far as living arrangements were, Christina would live right in the Vatican. The same man who had designed her sedan chair also decorated her rooms. In fact, she and Bernini became close friends during this time. But Bernini was nothing compared to another man who wanted her attention.
Universal History Archive, Getty Images
35. She Was The Talk Of The Town
The Pope at this time was Alexander VII, and he was very happy to have Christina as his guest. To keep her happy, they rolled out the proverbial red carpet. This included operas, acrobatics, and even nightly fireworks. But Christina had a habit that disturbed some of the locals.
Giovanni Battista Gaulli, Wikimedia Commons
36. She Had A Suspiciously Close Friend
We know that Christina was not a woman in search of romance, so her close friendships with men would seem innocent to us. But when she had long private meetings with Cardinal Decio Azzolino from Spain, the Pope had to put a stop to them. While Christina did write to Azzolino that she would “live and die as your slave”, many just thought she was being dramatic.
And speaking of drama, she was about to get a big dose.
Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Wikimedia Commons
37. She Lost It All
Back in Sweden, the court found out about Christina’s changes in religion and attitude. Needless to say, the news did not thrill them. As a punishment, they took away anything of value she’d left in Sweden. But to Christina that was all ancient history. She was living in the here and now and heading off to France.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
38. She Had Manly Behavior
Christina arrived in Paris on September 8 1656, and made a shocking first impression. The French women had never seen such masculine behavior in a lady. They were particularly surprised at her behavior at the ballet. Christina crossed her legs and rested them on the arms of the chair. She even went as far as to applaud when she liked something on the stage. Imagine!
But Christina’s shocking behavior could also prove to be lethal.
DE AGOSTINI PICTURE LIBRARY, Getty Images
39. She Suspected A Friend
Back when she was traveling to Italy, Christina accepted Gian Rinaldo Monaldeschi into her entourage and he was still with her in Paris. One day, she came to suspect that Monaldeschi was not loyal. To prove it, Christina stole some of his incriminating letters and then asked him what the best punishment was for betrayal.
Monaldeschi had no idea she was talking about his betrayal, and his answer sealed his fate.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
40. She Dealt With Him Swiftly
Of course, Monaldeschi said that the punishment for betrayal was execution—and that was exactly what Christina was going to give him. When he pleaded for mercy, Christina had her assistants stab him. When his protective coat of mail made it difficult to end his life, they heartlessly went for his throat.
This brutal act wasn’t going to make Christina any friends.
Johan Fredrik Höckert, Wikimedia Commons
41. She Had To Leave
The letters that Christina had taken from Monaldeschi apparently spoke about her clandestine amorous adventures. Either way, she was no longer welcome at the palace. England didn’t want her either, so she made the trip back to Rome. On her first visit to Rome, they welcomed her with pomp and circumstance, now she simply arrived without fanfare.
This was going to be tough.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
42. She Found A Home
Due to her bad behavior, the Pope no longer wanted to associate with Christina and called her a “woman born of a barbarian”. She finally found a permanent home in Palazzo Riario in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome, and she surrounded herself with the paintings that she loved. She was only still in her early 30s, but it seemed as if she could spend the rest of her days here.
But that didn’t happen.
Universal History Archive, Getty Images
43. She Wanted To Be Queen
Just a year later, Christina heard that her cousin—the King of Sweden—had passed. She thought this would be a great time to return to Sweden and resume her position as the Queen. She left immediately but had somehow forgotten that she was now a Catholic and not eligible to be the monarch.
No one in Sweden wanted a Catholic for their queen and they told her so.
Queen Christina (1933) New Trailer, The Grinning Penguin
44. She Had To Escape
In 1662, Christina found herself living in Hamburg. She threw a huge party for the new Pope and it was the kind of hedonistic event that had wine flowing in the fountains. The pious citizens of Hamburg hated this hedonistic display. There was a shooting, and then they went for Christina herself. She was lucky to escape through a backdoor in disguise.
All Christina wanted was to be back in a place she could call home.
Filippo Gagliardi / Filippo Lauri, Wikimedia Commons
45. She Made Some Changes
By 1668, Christina was back in Rome and she soon got political. She witnessed a rather barbaric custom that shocked her. During Carnival, Romans would chase Jews through the streets. They even sometimes rode the Jews as if they were horses. Christina pleaded with the Pope and he put a stop to this brutal ritual.
Christina continued her life in her adoptive city of Rome until one day she fell ill.
Jacob Ferdinand Voet, Wikimedia Commons
46. She Lived A Long Life
By 1689, Christina was 62 years old, which in those days was a very full life. She soon became ill and knowing she was about to pass, she sent a note to the Pope. She wanted forgiveness for all her “insults”, although she failed to list them. On April 19, 1689, she passed. The cause was pneumonia.
Christina had been a very wealthy woman, and she had no familial heir.
Nationalmuseum, Wikimedia Commons
47. She Left It To Her BFF
Christina had taken the time to choose an heir to her fortune, and it was Azzolino, her dear friend from way back. Sadly, Azzolino was also ill, and he passed before he could do anything with Christina’s enormous collection of art and precious things. Azzolino’s only heir was his nephew, and he promptly sold off the entire collection.
Aside from her art collection, Christina’s legacy was her unusual lifestyle.
Unidentified painter, Wikimedia Commons
48. She Was A Mystery
Because Christina never married, there has been all kinds of speculation about her orientation. Some letters she wrote made it seem like she preferred women as romantic partners. Her friendship with Azzolino suggested she was into men. We’ll likely never know the truth, but we do know that she was never afraid to play with gender norms.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
49. She Had A Masculine Air
Some have said that Christina “walked like a man, sat and rode like a man and could eat and swear like the roughest soldiers”. Her choice of clothing was also masculine. She wore ascots, toques, and she even shaved her head and wore a man’s wig. We don’t know exactly what she was up to, but we know one thing: she was way ahead of her time.
Sadly, this story doesn’t end there.
THE GIRL KING Trailer US final, Wolfe Video
50. They Wanted To Know The Truth
Christina of Sweden’s unconventional sense of fashion led to bizarre rumors about her gender that followed her throughout her lifetime—and beyond the grave. Even centuries after her death, historians were so fascinated by Christina's unconventional rule, appearance, and lifestyle that they went to gruesome lengths to determine the truth.
In 1965, a team of investigators led by physical anthropologist and anatomist Carl-Herman Hjortsjö exhumed her skeleton and tried to figure out if she had been male, female, or some combination of the two. Based on the experts who concocted this—what some might call unnecessary—intrusion into Christina’s peaceful rest, they found that her skeletal structure and historical accounts of menstrutation led them to the conclusion that she was all woman.
Sebastien Bourdon, Wikimedia Commons
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