200 Years of LGBTQIA+ History

From Shadows to Pride — UK & Global Timeline

Source Record

Christina, queen of Sweden

Why this source is used

Reference biography for Queen Christina of Sweden, supporting the gender-defying monarch milestone.

Start with the answer

Start with the answer What do ancient and early modern queer lives show? They show that same-sex love, queer social spaces and gender nonconformity existed long before modern LGBTQ+ identity language. Read the topic guide Ancient and Early Modern Queer and Gender-Diverse Lives Long before modern LGBTQ+ labels, historical records preserve same-sex love, queer social spaces and gender-diverse lives across empire, courts, taverns and seafaring worlds.

Source Status

Publisher
Encyclopaedia Britannica
Type
secondary
Reliability
medium
Cited by
3 pages

Source Links

Open original source https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christina-queen-of-Sweden Accessed 4 June 2026 Open archived copy https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christina-queen-of-Sweden

Used by Topics

Ancient and Early Modern Queer and Gender-Diverse Lives

Used by Questions

What do ancient and early modern queer lives show?

Used by Timeline Events

6 June 1654 CulturalPeople

Queen Christina of Sweden — Gender-Defying Monarch

Queen Christina abdicated the Swedish throne, having long defied the gender expectations of her time. Raised 'as a prince' by her father's instruction, Christina rejected marriage, wore men's clothing, walked and spoke in a manner contemporaries described as masculine, and surrounded herself with female companions. She expressed a deep aversion to everything considered feminine and declared she could never marry. After abdicating, she moved to Rome and continued to live on her own terms.