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mark. In 1678 it was nearly destroyed by Charles XI. of Sweden, during his contest with Christian V. of Denmark. It was rebuilt in 1710 and 1748.
Christianstad.
CHRISTIANSTED, a town, capital of the island of St. Croix and of the Danish West Indies; pop. about 6,000. It has a good harbor, defended by Fort Christiansvärn, and a battery, contains a Danish and an English church, and a bank, and is the chief entrepot of commerce with Copenhagen.
CHRISTIANSUND, a seaport town of Norway, in the province and 85 m. S. W. of Drontheim, on the North sea, at the mouth of the Thingve fiord; lat. 63° 10′ N.; pop. in 1866, 5,709. It is built upon three islands, Kirkland, Nordland, and Inland, which enclose a singularly pretty harbor, in form almost circular. The view of the town is completely shut off on the seaward side. The houses, uniformly red and of wood, are grouped together in picturesque disorder. The place is thriving, the trade being chiefly in cured fish (cod), which is exported hence to Spain and the Mediterranean, also to the West Indies. It was founded in 1734 by Christian VI. of Denmark.
CHRISTINA, queen of Spain. See Maria Christina.
CHRISTINA, queen of Sweden, the only legitimate child of Gustavus Adolphus who survived infancy, born in Stockholm, Dec. 8, 1626, died in Rome, April 19, 1689. She was but six years of age when her father died at Lützen, and she was early separated from her mother, and sent to be educated under the eye of her aunt, the princess Catharine, sister of Gustavus and consort of the count palatine John Casimir. She remained under his guardianship until the death of her aunt in 1638. The young queen's early education does not appear to have been judicious or effective. The palatine court rather sought its own aggrandizement. The son of the princess, Charles Gustavus, afterward Charles X. of Sweden, was betrothed to Christina during this guardianship. She was educated in deep distrust of the guardians appointed by the diet to have charge of her youth, and to govern the kingdom, during her minority. In 1636 the diet declared its opinion concerning the mode of educating the young queen. Christina herself relates that her father had ordered that she should receive a masculine education. Her tutor, whom he had himself appointed, was John Matthiae, at first a professor in the college of nobles, and afterward the king's court preacher. Her progress in accomplishments of every kind was remarkable. At 18 she read Thucydides and Polybius in the original, and wrote and spoke Latin, German, and French. In council and administration she showed much acuteness; while the grace of her manners and personal demeanor at this period exercised great influence over all who approached her, although she affected rather to slight than to assert outward dignity. Her portrait during the height of her renown was elaborately drawn by Chanut, a French ambassador at her court. “Her countenance,” he says, “changes with every change of mental emotion. For the most part she is pensive, and in every change of aspect she preserves something that is agreeable. If she disapprove of a remark made, her face is covered for a moment as with a cloud, which inspires terror. Her voice, usually mild, can nevertheless assume the strength of a man's. Her spirit is filled with incredible love of virtue, and she is passionately fond of honor. She talks about virtue like a stoical philosopher. There are times when she seems to lay her crown beneath her feet.” Chanut then praises her gift of comprehension and retentiveness of memory; her love for the society of learned men and scientific conversation; her reserve in the treatment of public affairs, and in council; her valuation of secrecy, and her power to preserve it inviolate; her apparent mistrust, and the difficulty with which she was made to change her mind; her power over the senate and her council of state. She was a great horsewoman, often ten hours at a time in the saddle, and no hunter in her kingdom was a better marksman. Her character was essentially masculine, always avoid-
