Courage and Grief

Ailes, Mary Elizabeth

doi:10.2307/j.ctt1ws7vqq

Cited by 2 publications

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“…80 This means that since she was a child Christina had had a lot of practice in the art of politics and warfare, but also in physical exercise. 81 As a result, her military and leadership skills could be, in fact, highly regarded. The queen also claimed that she did not fulfil the vision of a woman being 'fickle and weak', writing to Hacki: At the time I ruled in Sweden, I was only a maiden.…”

Section: The 'Obstacle Of Sex' and Marriagementioning

confidence: 98%

“…Prevalent social attitudes prohibited Christina from being directly involved in combat, but she actively managed her kingdom's administration. 78 Christina was Gustav II Adolf's only surviving daughter, and since the war kept her father away from court for most of the time, the Swedish king was well aware of his limited chances of fathering another heir (six years later, he died in the battle of Lützen). Already conscious of the precariousness of his dynasty's future, the king had ordered his only daughter to be raised as a prince, having obtained from the Riksdag the acknowledgement for transmitting sovereignty to Christina (female succession was previously sanctioned in 1604, in Norrköping).…”

Section: The 'Obstacle Of Sex' and Marriagementioning

confidence: 99%

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The ‘Obstacle of Sex’. Christina of Sweden and Her Aspirations to the Polish–Lithuanian Throne

Gregorowicz

2021

Gender & History

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An important field of research related to early modern sovereignty is the topic of female political authority. This article aims to utilise the category of gender to analyse potential obstacles that Queen Christina of Sweden had to overcome in order to obtain royal dignity in an elective monarchy, the early modern Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Could the election of a female monarch constitute an acceptable and functional alternative for the Catholic and conservative noble society of this vast composite state? Former examples of Jadwiga of Anjou (1384) and Anna Jagiellon (1576) elected and crowned Kings of Poland seemed to suggest as much. The case of Christina's aspirations is all the more interesting, as her prominent supporter during the royal election of 1669 was the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Clement IX. It is, in fact, the diplomatic correspondence created by the papal Secretariat of State that constitutes the historical basis for the research presented here.One cannot overlook the importance of female rule in early modern Europe. Despite the restrictions of Salic law regarding female succession, in sixteenth-century France, Catherine de' Medici exercised authority as regent for two of her sons for several years. This practice was repeated during the seventeenth century by Maria de' Medici and Anne of Austria. In England, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor reigned in their own right, while in Scotland, Mary Stuart, daughter of James V, assumed power following her return from France. Her mother, Mary of Guise, had governed as regent up to that point. In the Netherlands, regency was exercised by Margaret of Austria and Margaret of Parma. Finally, the office of the viceroy of Portugal was given to Margaret of Savoy. Female governance frequently caused controversies and even factional disputes. Nevertheless, European societies became quickly accustomed to these unusual rulers, often appreciating their virtues. 1 In this article, I use the category of gender to analyse potential obstacles that Queen Christina of Sweden had to overcome in order to obtain a new royal dignity in an elective monarchy, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, after she had abdicated the Swedish throne in 1654. Could the election of a woman constitute an alternative for the noble society? The earlier examples of Jadwiga of Anjou (1384) and Anna Jagiellon (1576), elected and crowned 'Kings' of Poland, seemed to suggest as much. The case

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Section: The 'Obstacle Of Sex' and Marriagementioning

confidence: 98%

Section: The 'Obstacle Of Sex' and Marriagementioning

confidence: 99%