Editing Christina, Queen of Sweden (section)

== Abdication ==

On 26 February 1649, Christina announced that she had decided not to marry and instead wanted her first cousin [[Charles X Gustav|Charles Gustav]] to be heir to the throne. While the nobility objected to this, the three other estates&nbsp;– clergy, burghers, and peasants&nbsp;– accepted it. She agreed to stay on the condition the councils never again asked her to marry. In 1651, Christina lost much of her popularity after the beheading of [[Arnold Johan Messenius]], together with his 17-year-old son, who had accused her of serious misbehavior and of being a "[[Jezebel]]".<ref>«The case of Arnold Johan Messenius», In: Oskar Garstein, ''Rome and the Counter-Reformation in Scandinavia: the age of Gustavus Adolphus and Queen Christina of Sweden, 1622-1656'', Leiden: Brill Editore, 1992, pp. 285-295, {{ISBN|90-04-09395-8}}, {{ISBN|9789004093959}} ([https://books.google.com/books?id=SJxEw4nVDXQC&dq=messenius&pg=PA285 Google books])</ref><ref>Henry Woodhead, ''Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden'', 2 vol., London: Hurst and Blackett, 1863, Vol. II, pp. 86–97 ([https://archive.org/details/memoirschristin01woodgoog/page/n95 <!-- pg=86 quote=messenius. --> Internet Archive])</ref> According to them "Christina was bringing everything to ruin, and that she cared for nothing but sport and pleasure."<ref>Henry Woodhead, ''Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden'', 2 vol., London: Hurst and Blackett, 1863, Vol. II, pp. 89 ([https://archive.org/details/memoirschristin01woodgoog/page/n95 <!-- pg=86 quote=messenius. --> Internet Archive])</ref>

[[File:Christina of Sweden's abdication 1654.jpg|thumb|Christina's abdication in 1654, drawing by [[Erik Dahlberg]]]]

In 1653, she founded the [[Amaranten order]]. Antonio Pimentel was appointed as its first knight; all members had to promise not to marry (again).<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jY02AAAAMAAJ|title=Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden|last1=Woodhead|first1=Henry|year=1863}}</ref> In the same year, she ordered Vossius (and Heinsius) to make a list of about 6,000 books and manuscripts to be packed and shipped to Antwerp. In February 1654, she plainly told the Council of her plans to [[abdicate]]. Oxenstierna told her she would regret her decision within a few months. In May, the [[Riksdag of the Estates|Riksdag]] discussed her proposals. She had asked for 200,000 ''rikstalers'' a year but received dominions instead. Financially she was secured through a pension and revenue from the town of [[Norrköping]], the isles of [[Gotland]], [[Öland]], [[Saaremaa|Ösel]], and [[Poel]], [[Wolgast]] and [[Neukloster]] in [[Mecklenburg]], and estates in [[Swedish Pomerania|Pomerania]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KNdAAAAAcAAJ&q=Charles+Gustavus&pg=PA153|title=Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden: In 2 volumes. II|first=Henry|last=Woodhead|date=10 July 1863|publisher=Hurst and Blackett|access-date=10 July 2017|via=Google Books}}</ref> <!--Her debts were taken over by the treasury.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}} or is it "Despite the war and heavy debts the Swedish government ...."?-->

Her plan to convert{{sfn|Granlund|2004|p=57}} was not the only reason for her abdication, as there was increasing discontent with her arbitrary and wasteful ways. Within ten years, she and Oxenstierna had created 17 [[count]]s, 46 [[baron]]s, and 428 lesser [[Nobility|nobles]].{{Efn|The Diet also argued that Oxenstierna's policy of giving away crown lands, in the hope that they would yield more revenue when taxed than when farmed, benefited none but the aristocracy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yourdictionary.com/|title=YourDictionary: Definitions and Meanings From Over a Dozen Trusted Dictionary Sources|website=www.yourdictionary.com|accessdate=19 February 2024}}</ref>}} To provide these new peers with adequate [[appanage]]s, they had sold or mortgaged crown property representing an annual income of 1,200,000 [[Swedish riksdaler|rikstalers]].<ref>{{EB1911|wstitle=Christina of Sweden|volume=6|last= Bain |first= Robert Nisbet |author-link= Robert Nisbet Bain |pages=291–292|short=1}}</ref> During the ten years of her reign, the number of noble families increased from 300 to about 600,<ref>Peter Englund: ''Sølvmasken'' (p. 61)</ref> rewarding people such as [[Lennart Torstenson]], <!--[[Du Rietz]], [[Andreas Sparman]],--> [[Louis De Geer (1587–1652)|Louis De Geer]] and [[Johan Palmstruch]] for their efforts. These donations took place with such haste that they were not always registered, and on some occasions, the same piece of land was given away twice.<ref>Peter Englund: ''Sølvmasken'' (p. 64)</ref>
[[File:Christina, Queen of Sweden act of abdication page 1.jpg|alt=Photograph of Christina's act of abdication. Written on parchment with a red seal hanging from its bottom.|thumb|Christina's act of abdication.]]
Christina abdicated her throne on 6 June 1654 in favor of Charles Gustav.{{sfn|Granlund|2004|p=57}} During the abdication ceremony at [[Uppsala Castle]], Christina wore her [[regalia]], which were ceremonially removed from her, one by one. [[Per Brahe the Younger|Per Brahe]], who was supposed to remove the crown, did not move, so she had to take the crown off herself. Dressed in a simple white [[taffeta]] dress, she gave her farewell speech with a faltering voice, thanked everyone, and left the throne to Charles X Gustav, who was dressed in black. Per Brahe felt that she "stood there as pretty as an angel." Charles Gustav was crowned later on that day. Christina left the country within a few days.<!--, proposed again to marry her.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}, hoping for a warm reception in Catholic countries. Before she left, she had sent many treasures, depleting the royal treasury and palaces. Charles Gustav had to move into an empty palace.{{Citation needed|date=March 2015}}-->