Kristina King of Sweden

The painting “Christina of Sweden” by Jacob Ferdinand Voet. It features a portrait of Christina, a white woman with brown hair pulled back with gold pieces. She wears a green and blue dress with gold details, gold earrings, and red lipstick. She smiles just slightly and stares at the viewer with dark eyes. Her cheeks and nose are flushed pink.

“I was born, have lived, and will die free.”

– Christina King of Sweden

In the stories of Marsha P. Johnson and Sappho, the identities are relatively straightforward; this is not always the case with queer history. Much of the time, a person shapes their identity around their culture’s understanding of queerness. In eras and areas where queerness is not discussed as an identity, any attempt to understand what words might fit is complicated. Some say not to try to use labels in these cases, which is a legitimate perspective. Unfortunately, this perspective is often twisted to excuse or justify the erasure of queerness from history. For this project, the belief is that self-identification is king, but when the person had no opportunity to self-identify under a label, all labels suggested are speculation. Speculation is not fact, but it is also not useless because sometimes speculation is all that is possible. Such is the case with Kristina of Sweden. There is an element of interpretation at play, as there are many labels Kristina may have fallen under. What is certain is that they were not heterosexual, cisgender, and dyadic.

The first thing that must be discussed is how this article will address Kristina. For a period of their life, they went under the name Kristine Alexandre, and it is difficult to find when or if that stopped. While it is possible they were still using that name within their personal life far into their later years, what is known is that they were publicly using the name Kristina for themselves again by the end of their life. Since that is the most recent and most evidenced, it is the name this article will use.

As for pronouns, there isn’t a set of pronouns to use for them that doesn’t make sense. There is good evidence to suggest they could have been a transgender man, a nonbinary person, an intersex person, or even a cisgender woman. The use of they/them/their pronouns is meant to reflect that uncertainty, not to erase it. Some of the quotes used in this article will refer to them with she/her/hers pronouns, but considering the ambiguity of Kristina's gender identity, they will be left unamended.

This is not the first time Kristina’s gender has been a point of contention; it has mystified people since they were born in December of 1626 in Stockholm, Sweden, as the nurses initially announced the birth of a son. It took a whole day for anyone to admit that the child had been born with genitalia traditionally used to indicate womanhood, as the nurses feared how the king would react.

King Gustavus Adolphus had been trying for a male heir for some time and was known for his nasty temper. Despite this, he took the news rather well, surprising most of the country, and he decided to make Kristina his heir and treat them as he would a prince.

There are many theories about how Kristina was identified at birth; some suggest they were just a very hairy baby, while others believe they may have been intersex. An examination of their bones was not conclusive in proving this idea, but it remains a possibility in the long line of theories about their identity.

Regardless, in being raised as a prince, they were given the best education and trained in the art of war. According to their father's wishes, they were crowned King of Sweden after his death, but they were a king like none had seen before.

Having access to the type of education that people assigned female at birth at the time could scarcely hope for, Kristina soon became well known for their thirst for knowledge and intelligence. In a letter, a friend of theirs, Father Mannerschield, wrote:

“She understands ten or eleven languages, to wit, Latin, Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, High-dutch, and both Swedish tongues, the Finnish, and, if I be not mistaken, the Danish. She can read likewise, and in some measure, understand Hebrew and Arabic. She hath read and understands all the ancient poets. The modern poets, both Italian and French, she hath almost by heart. She hath dived into all the ancient philosophers. She hath read many of the ancient fathers—but commends chiefly Nazianzen.— Her memory seems to be more than human. She seems to be ignorant of nothing, and to forget nothing.—She tires out daily I know not how many secretaries, to whom she dictates and corrects, turns over and finishes everything herself.”

Kristina had access to not only an extensive collection of books, but the men who taught them were among the most respected scholars available—educating them well and challenging some of the time’s prejudices in their discussions with them. This included questioning the religious rivalries that had fed The Thirty Years' War against the Catholics.

Soon after they were crowned king of Sweden, Kristina would call for peace, which they achieved in a relatively short time. However, it was not a popular choice, and they were encouraged to be more like their mother and sit back and let their advisors, and eventually their potential future husband, control matters of state. Kristina rejected that expectation firmly.

Though their time as ruler saw many advisors, it is clear that this was due to the value placed on knowledge and new perspectives rather than a case of dependence. From the letter mentioned above, Father Mannerschield wrote of their position in regards to their advisers:

“She says that it is a duty required of her by her Maker, to take the best care she can of the concerns of the kingdom; that she will do what in her lies; that if things succeed not as may be wished, she shall have this comfort, that nothing hath been wanting on her part.

She administers and finishes all public business herself. The ambassadors of potentates transact everything with her in person, and are remitted to no minister or secretary. When she gives public audiences to ambassadors, she alone makes all the answers to them.

It is scarcely to be believed, but ‘tis what I see every day, that these very Swedish generals, whose name and arms have so long made Germany tremble, in her presence stand speechless, (...) and seem to be in the greatest confusion. She was scarce seven years old when she lost her father: who could believe that the daughter, at the age of twenty- seven, could so establish her power in a kingdom, the constitution whereof is pretty free, as to rule alone, depend upon the wills and councils of none, be under the influence of none, but alone administer, conduct and finish everything? ”

One of Kristina’s top priorities throughout their entire life was to surround themselves with art and knowledge, bringing people from all over Europe to teach and later learn with them. They befriended some of the most educated people of the time and worked to learn just as much as them. By all accounts, they succeeded, amassing Sweden's library during their time as king. They moved the country from war and conflict to education. They established the first countrywide school ordinance and started the first newspaper, Ordinari Post Tijdender ("Regular Mail Times"), which continues today as the world's longest-running newspaper.

Through all of this, they also publicly challenged what was expected of someone in their station who was assigned female at birth. Father Mannerschield wrote:

“She hath nothing feminine about her but the sex. Her voice is masculine, and so is her manner of speaking, her movement and gesture.

I see her on horseback almost every day: and tho’ she fits in her saddle as ladies do, yet she shakes and bends her body in such a manner, as that one who is not very near her, would take her for a man. When she rides, she wears a hat, and a waistcoat after the Spanish fashion. Her skirts alone discover her to be a woman. She keeps but one foot in the stirrup, and yet she rides so hardily, that none are able to keep up with her. One would think her flying rather than running. Our master the king of Spain hath desired her picture, in a riding posture, to be sent to him. Her riding-garb is to far from being costly, that I scarce believe it is worth four or five ducats.

At court she wears clothes so very plain, that I never saw any gold or silver about her but a single ring. She takes no manner of care in decking her person; she adjusts her hair but once a week; and sometimes only once a fortnight. On Sundays she spends half an hour in dressing, on a week days scarce a quarter. I have sometimes, when I was discoursing with her, seen her smock stained with many spots of ink. Occasioned by her writing much; and even sometimes is torn. When she is advised to bestow more pains in adorning her person, she says that it is an idle employment.”

Kristina was known to dress in traditionally masculine clothing and refused to marry and produce an heir. They were reportedly so vocally disgusted by pregnancy that their ladies-in-waiting would hide their pregnancies to avoid being fired.

To avoid the fate the Swedish people wished upon them—namely marrying their cousin—they chose instead to adopt him and named him the prince. Despite the good they brought the country and their skill, they abdicated the throne to their adopted son after only ten years as king.

Aside from their disgust toward marriage and pregnancy, there may have been further reasons for their avoidance of men. This is where it gets complicated. It is well known that Kristina slept with Ebba Sparre, one of their handmaidens. They introduced Sparre as "my bedfellow" and took little effort to hide it. After their relationship ended, so did Kristina's interest in pursuing any relationships.

It could be they were heartbroken, or they may have been somewhere on the asexual spectrum. One possibility is that they were demisexual, requiring a solid emotional connection with someone to be attracted to them, and Sparre was one of the few with whom they felt that connection.

In their writing, Kristina would say things suggesting this view of love, writing:

“People do not always love what they esteem; but they always esteem what they love.”

Or:

“Nothing pleases, nothing touches, but the beloved object.”

It must be noted that the works of King Kristina are, more than anything else, contradictory. So, while there can be many quotes from them to suggest one view of love and sexuality, others seem to suggest an entirely different view. This, while making conclusions harder to come to, actually could be seen as more evidence to support the possibility of their demisexuality. Throughout their life, they interacted with philosophers often and can be viewed as a philosopher in their own right, and one of the things that interested them the most was the nature of love and passion.

While those are not particularly obscure topics, the depth of their interest is a little more remarkable. They had a fascination with the Catholic views of celibacy and the virgin Queen Elizabeth the First’s life.

It is also clear that this interest transferred to their personal life, as when they announced their decision to abdicate the throne, they said to their councilors:

"I do not intend to give you reasons, [I am] simply not suited to marriage."

This seems to indicate more than just a lack of suitable partners. Whatever the reason, they note that Ebba Sparre was the one love of their life in their memoirs. Even after their relationship ended and Kristina left Sweden, they attempted to reunite with their dear Ebba, only to be blocked by the Sparre family.

That said, it's entirely possible that they were an allosexual person attracted to women and just kept their relationships quiet as they got older. It wouldn't be surprising, given the number of nude paintings of women they had adorned throughout their home. It is clear, whatever level of attraction they may have felt, they had no interest in marriage as it existed at the time. They died unmarried, and, as relationships with women weren't counted, they are widely considered a virgin.

As for gender, they never settled into an identity, using both king and queen regularly. In general, much of their life was spent seemingly to confuse any historians trying to understand them. Their conversion to catholicism, their desire to become a monarch again, and their belief system remain hotly debated topics.

In some cases, though, it seems that the debate is made out of nothing. One of the more clear parts of Kristina’s life after abdication was their support of Jewish people and the Jewish community. Though, in retrospect, some have become very invested in either erasing or delegitimizing this activism, the reality of it seems very clear.

Kristina, throughout their life, was passionate about religious tolerance, and one of the more popular theories as to why they converted to Catholicism in the first place was to increase tolerance for Catholic people after The Thirty Year War. In their later life, they would travel and stay with Jewish friends, using their sway as a well-known and respected figure even after their abdication, to support their efforts for change as well as just making a life for themselves. This is shown from things as simple and relatively small as sending letters to authorities to argue against the antisemitism threatening a Jewish friend’s trading business, and as large as threatening the Pope that they would convert back from Catholicism if he didn’t step in to stop a tradition of literally throwing stones at Jewish people in the streets.

While not all their efforts were successful, and criticizing their work is entirely acceptable, the criticism often seems odd. Specifically, trying to brush away all of it as misguided and a sign that they were foolish and easily influenced, or suggesting they only did any of this because they planned to convert the Jewish people in their life to catholicism. There is little to no evidence for either of these suggestions, so the motivations for these assertions are somewhat questionable as one pulls them into the light.

That being said, criticizing, discussing, and questioning a person’s life and actions in the past is not necessarily a bad thing, even if it can sometimes be used as a guise for other less noble goals.

While this article has suggested that King Kristina was a transgender demisexual person, there is also evidence to support alternate theories. An essential part of discussing Kristina's life, and many historical queer figures, is recognizing that discussing their identity is not inherently harmful. For one, they are dead. No one is outing them, endangering them, or enforcing a label when they have chosen another for themself. Additionally, it is not harmful to their legacy to suggest that they were transgender, on the asexual spectrum, or attracted to women because those are not harmful things. Ascribing modern labels to historical events and peoples is a large part of studying history.

We look at our past through a modern lens so we can better understand and learn from it. As this article is not written in Swedish, we've already removed ourselves from the language Kristina may have used for themself. This argument against using modern language when examining historical events seems to come up most often when queerness is introduced. The word "volcano" is used when discussing Pompeii, but the citizens of Pompeii had no such word for the thing that killed them.

In the end, it is better to tell a story with questions and no real answers than never to tell the story at all. Kristina was a remarkable person, whatever language they would have identified with today, and they deserve to have their story told as a whole.

They loved and slept with a woman. They dressed in men's clothes and lived the childhood of a young man. They named themself after Alexander the Great and were known as one of the most educated and intelligent people of their time. None of this can be removed without losing something incredible; the true, complicated, and contradictory story of a beloved King of Sweden.

[Disclaimer: some of the sources may contain triggering material]

Bawer, B. (2004, November 7). ‘Christina, Queen of Sweden’: A Royal Mess. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/07/books/review/christina-queen-of-sweden-a-royal-mess.html

Boothe, K. (2015, December 7). The unconventional reign of Sweden’s queer Queen Christina. Women in the World. Retrieved from https://womenintheworld.com/2015/12/03/the-unconventional-reign-of-swedens-queer-queen-christina/

Buckley, Veronica (2004). Christina; Queen of Sweden. London: Harper Perennial.

Cavendish, R. (2004). Abdication of Queen Christina of Sweden. History Today, volume 54 (issue 6). Retrieved from http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/abdication-queen-christina-sweden

Christina, Queen of Sweden (1753). The Works of Christina Queen of Sweden. D. Wilson & T. Durham. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?id=7jhcAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Conley, J. J. Kristina Wasa (1626-1689). Retrieved from https://iep.utm.edu/wasa/

Franzen, C. (2020). Christina’s Cool. In Hermanson, G. & Jørgensen, J. L. (Eds.), Exploring Nordic Cool in Literary History (pp. 269-283). John Benjamins Publishing Company. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=wWsHEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA269&dq=Kristina+wasa&ots=v9njtWbbH8&sig=G2RhgXHL_YydpG9UgH7hGgrz3YA#v=onepage&q=Kristina%20wasa&f=false

Waithe, M. E. (Ed.). (2012). A History of Women Philosophers: Modern Women Philosophers, 1600-1900. Springer Science & Business Media. Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4eHUBgAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PT11&dq=Kristina+wasa&ots=ELoDTzJ-Ln&sig=tYE7rjp87x6eFl29nzst6A1_JAk#v=onepage&q=Kristina%20wasa&f=false

Woods, K. (2003). Christina of Sweden. Kings College. Retrieved from http://departments.kings.edu/womens_history/christina.html