I Am Louis XIV

  Chapter 447 Before the War - Rome - Christina

  Sister Teresa, the former Queen of Sweden, Ms. Christina, who has almost been forgotten, has once again appeared in France.

She left France when Versailles was unfinished, she lived in the Louvre, later Fontainebleau, and even so, the prosperity of Paris still made her sigh deeply... Because Stockholm, Sweden, is a dark place by comparison. ordinary villages. Now, standing in Versailles, she didn't know whether to say anger, happiness, or a little joy that couldn't be found.

Her country and people abandoned her, but she must admit that they did the right thing. As long as the eldest princess can bring 1/10 of France to Sweden, she is worthy of being Queen of Sweden, and she does not fail Carl Ten. I's affection for her - she knew that Karl XI built a palace exclusively for her on the "Queen's Island" for the queen.

  Louis XIV is also looking at the former queen, now the nun.

  When he saw Christina for the first time, not long after she stepped down from the throne, she was proud and arrogant, and even after his repeated reminders, she still insisted on executing the attendant who betrayed her at the Palace of Fontainebleau.

Fontainebleau is the domain of the king of France, the castle, that is to say, starting from Christina, everyone is his gracious guests. Even if Christina wants to punish rebellion, she should return to Sweden instead of disregarding France. The king's face, killing one of his guests, this is a provocation to the king and the "guest law".

That is to say, from that day on, Louis XIV completely withdrew his support for Christina - being a woman and tending towards Catholicism were originally the two major weaknesses of the young queen, which put her at a disadvantage in many ways, but this This situation is also conducive to France trying to win over Sweden, so it is said that Louis XIV originally wanted to form an alliance with her, but in just a few days, everyone saw that this lady could not even control her emotions, or, Can't read the situation, thinks she has no control - she's not fit to be a ruler.

Louis XIV immediately reached an agreement with Christina's cousin, the mother of King Carl XI of Sweden. For the Queen Mother of Sweden, Ms. Christina has always been a big concern for her and her children - everyone knows that her The husband is the grandson of Karl IX, and Christina is the grandson of Karl IX, not to mention that they only returned to Sweden from Germany during the Thirty Years' War, so it is not surprising that they are regarded as foreigners by the Swedes.

After Karl X ascended the throne, he often fought outside, and he was not often in Stockholm. The Swedes were very unfamiliar with him. When he went to see God, Karl XI was only five years old. At that time, someone called out that he should abdicate. The queen returned to Sweden, and Christina said something like if Karl XI could not be a proper king, she would return to the throne, and put it into practice - and began to travel around the country to seek support.

  The king of France did not fall into the trap at this time, which was enough for Karl XI and his mother to be grateful. This is why, when the eldest princess began to discuss marriage, Sweden showed the most sincerity.

   But for Christina, this is betrayal and deception.

   Not to mention, the marriage between Charles XI and the eldest princess Elizabeth is certain. Here Louis XIV asked Madame Milady to send a nun's turban to Madame Cristina, who was under house arrest in Rome.

After more than ten years of captivity, Christina has completely lost her original color, like a rose that has been scorched by the years, haggard, thin, and empty, only those eyes still have a bit of light that belongs to the queen, oh , by the way, and a knife pierced through the courage and skill of the "accidental visitor".

Ms. Christina, who has been forgotten by many people, is remembered by some people. After all, the French king has few weaknesses. When the war is coming, it is obviously a good idea to let Sweden fall into civil strife. The original Spanish queen Antonia is also a good idea. The assassination was just a smokescreen they let out, and they went to the former queen of Sweden while the French king's manpower in Rome was busy protecting the former queen.

What they say is very pleasant, and it sounds like there is room for implementation. As the reigning ruler, some people will always be disgusted and dissatisfied by some people, and some people will deliberately take advantage of riots and coups to seek opportunities to climb. Christina is in power. At that time, although there were many opponents, there were also many supporters, especially the commoners who were promoted to the noble class by her. "They always remember you." Those people said this and tried their best to persuade Christina and them to go back to Sweden. He even said that if Christina wanted to, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire would be her patron.

  Christina remembered that His Majesty the Emperor, Karl X was his patron at the time. After all, Karl X's father was the son of the Duke of Palatinate-Zweibrücken.

She pretended to be obedient, and when the other party was negligent, she stabbed the people around her—the one who gave orders among them—she knew very well that in a group of people, the most honorable person suddenly fell, whose life and death are unknown, and the others He will definitely think about saving him first rather than catching the fleeing people, at least for a while. She guessed right, that while she was sitting side by side with the man in the carriage, the knife drawn from under the nun's robe stabbed the leader in the waist—Christina had never fought in battle, but her father regarded her as a Taught by a son, she knew that the lower back was a pretty deadly place—no bones in the way, the muscles were thin, and the pain from a stab wound would make it impossible to scream.

   Then she quickly jumped out of the carriage and slid into the dark alley.

It's not that she didn't feel moved when she heard the words of these people, but in the ten years in the monastery, she did not think about it. Although Mrs. Milady's words were cruel, they were also very practical. She was in her fifties and could not have any more children. , the result of no heir is that the throne she took from Karl XI still has to be returned to him and his descendants? And even if she could sit on the throne for many years, how would she deal with the wrath of Louis XIV?

  Louis XIV's plan to take the Spanish throne may fail, but how can Sweden face France with a standing army of 150,000 or more?

  Sweden is also the Sweden that her father left to her. She lost it, but it does not mean that she is willing to watch it become a victim of the two major forces for her own selfishness.

What surprised her was that the person who hadn't forgotten her was the Lady Milady, who had been waiting outside the convent long ago, while the group was busy rescuing their lord and chasing after Lady Christina. They were captured by Louis XIV's men in one fell swoop - although this statement will make the Church of Rome very angry, but now in Rome is not the time for Mr. Craki to be the ambassador (the hero of the lively chapter of Rome), There are French influences everywhere, from merchants, to priests, to knights and officials.

Christina was still somewhat familiar with Madame Milady. The secret lover of the French king often came to the convent to visit or monitor her. She could tell Madame Milady anything she needed, which made her abbey life less difficult. Tough and boring.

Lady Milady took the king's orders--the king said that if Christina obeyed the instigation of the rebels, she would be punished as they were; but if she resisted or fled, even if she failed, Milady Madam Di can listen to her request and see what she wants from the king.

   Christina was silent for a while, and then said that she wanted to meet the King of France.

  ———

   When Christina first met Louis XIV, she was a mature and resolute lady, and Louis XIV was still a teenager.

When they met again, Louis XIV had completely lost his childishness, and now he was like a majestic lion, which was impossible to look directly at, and Christina, ten years of confinement had made her age rapidly, although Because of her thin body, she did not show much old age, and only had thin lines on the corners of her eyes and lips, but the short silver-white hair seemed to be constantly narrating her unwillingness and suffering.

Her behavior has shown that she will no longer be a threat to Karl XI, and Louis will not be aggressive to a former ruler. After they looked at each other for a while, Louis said: "I just learned something, but I think I can tell you… madam, my grandson, your great-nephew, has been born."

Christina looked in a trance. For a moment, she didn't even understand what Louis was talking about, but the next moment she remembered that Louis XIV's daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was now the Queen of Sweden, Louis XIV's grandson, her grandson. Isn't the grandnephew the crown prince of Sweden?

   "Maybe I should say congratulations..." she said.

"We can feel the same joy," said Louis XIV. "Now that we have become unquestioned relatives, Madame Christine, I will now give you the grace to tell me how you wish to do so. For the next thirty years or more."

   "You mean I don't need to go back to the monastery?" Christina asked.

"Sister Teresa will remain in the convent until she dies, but not Madame Christina." Louis XIV said: "You can choose to live in any place you like, except Sweden, and you will have an annual payment with the Duchess. A commensurate pension, several houses, some servants, you can arrange your future life according to your own ideas, except that you cannot leave your residence as you wish."

"I did complain to Madame Milady about life in the monastery," Christina said calmly. "Your arrangement is exactly what I need, Your Majesty, please arrange for me a quiet and warm place, a place where I can Riding a horse and looking at the sea—like your Provence would be nice.”

   "Well, there it is." Louis said mildly: "The wine and honey there are very good."

  Christina raised her skirt and bowed her knees: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty."

   "You deserve it." Louis said: "Live well, ma'am, maybe in the future, it's not impossible for you to return to Sweden."

Christina was startled, then smiled: "No, Your Majesty, I won't go back to Sweden. Time is really cruel. It not only deprives people of their feelings for others, but also of those heavy responsibilities and obligations... I It's fine now, the name Christina is not so common - I say in France, but it's not so uncommon, and I'll have a new life, Your Majesty, that has nothing to do with the past."

   "Then," Louis bowed slightly: "Everything is as you wish."

   (end of this chapter)