Swedish Empire, Livonia, Christina (1632-1654), Solidus Or Schilling(C)

Christina was the daughter of Sweden’s greatest king, Gustavus Adolphus, whose premature death in 1632, at the Battle of Lutzen, made her both an orphan and queen at age six. Christina is remembered as one of the most educated women of the 1600s. She was fond of books, manuscripts, paintings, and sculptures. With her interest in religion, philosophy, mathematics and alchemy, she attracted many scientists to Stockholm. She caused a scandal when in 1654, she abdicated her throne, converted to Roman Catholicism and went into exile in Rome, where she died. Swedish Livonia was part of the short-lived Swedish Baltic Empire.