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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;moneycostingmemoney, post: 2791244, member: 86367&quot;]Among the first batch of crusties that I purchased this was the first that I felt was clean enough to put in a 2x2 and learn about. The iPhone created an odd hue around the cleaned in HDR mode, but here it is. The coin specs are for a full example unless otherwise stated. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]648330[/ATTACH] </p><p>Silver (debased) Schilling - Solidus of Christina Alexandra Queen of the Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Duchess of Finland and ruler of Ingria, Livonia and Karelia</p><p><br /></p><p>Minted in Riga 1633-1654 </p><p>Largest diameter - 16mm</p><p>Weight - .4g (usually .5-.6g)</p><p>Obverse - Monogram of Christina under crown, Vasa royal crown within monogram, CHRISTINA D G R S</p><p>Reverse - Arms in cartouche, SOLIDUS LIVONIAE</p><p><br /></p><p>Christina Alexandra a.k.a. &quot;The Girl King&quot; (Dec 18, 1626-Apr 19, 1689) was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolf and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. Her father gave orders that she be raised as a prince and she took her oath as King and not as Queen. She succeeded her father, at the young age of 6, as Queen of Sweden after his death at the Battle of Lützen. </p><p><br /></p><p>At the age of 22 she was instrumental in bringing the 30 year war (1618-1648), which involved most of the European realm at that time, to an end. It resulted in the rise of the Swedish empire, the decline of feudalism in continental Europe and furthered the decentralization of the Holy Roman Empire. Later, in 1654, she announced her abdication in favor of her cousin Charles X Gustav, but this did not mark the end of her influence across Europe. </p><p><br /></p><p>Christina Alexandra acted as mediator in the Franco-Spanish war, was accepted into the Roman Catholic Church and settled into Rome. While there she had taken on a stigma associated with a lavish lifestyle and had been accused of a lesbian, prostitute and hermaphrodite. Scandal after scandal had repeatedly driven her out of Rome until things died down, the most known being her affair with a well-connected Cardinal. </p><p><br /></p><p>After some time she had settled down and began to turn her political aspirations towards the French, with whom she plotted against the Spanish at Naples, and hoped to be installed as Queen. After this didn&#039;t come to fruition she returned to Rome and lived the rest of her days quietly without discreditable behavior. </p><p><br /></p><p>After her death, by order of Pope Innocent XI, she was buried in the walls of St Peter&#039;s Basilica.&nbsp; She was one of only three women to ever receive this honor, Maria Klementyna Sobieska of Poland and Countess Mathilda of Tuscany being the other two.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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