Christina Magdalena of the Palatinate Zweibrücken

Biography

Christina Magdalena was born in Nykoping, Sweden, as her parents did not move to Germany until 1618, three years after their wedding. In 1622, the family moved back to Sweden to avoid the Thirty Years War. Christina Magdalena was described as a "somewhat pretty and pleasing woman" and was reportedly a friend of the queen, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg. She accompanied Maria Eleonora to the King in Germany in 1631, and returned to Sweden with her in 1633. The last mentioned year, there was unsuccessful negotiations about a marriage to Bernard of Saxe-Weimar.

After the death of her mother in 1638, Christina Magdalena was asked by the Swedish parliament to contribute to the education of Maria Eleonora's daughter, the later Queen Christina. She did this until her marriage in 1642.

Negotiations for her marriage began in 1637, and included "a young and rich Marquess of Huntly" in 1641. The same year, Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach visited Sweden. After having befriended her brother, he was accepted as her suitor.

The wedding, held in Stockholm, was postponed until 30 November 1642 after a fire broke out at the ball before their designated wedding date on 26 November. Her spouse applied for a position in the Swedish army, but the Swedish military did not wish to employ foreign princes, and therefore, the couple moved to Germany.

In 1654, her brother succeeded as king of Sweden, and in 1656, he granted her to estate Kutzenhausen, which provided her with an income. Christina Magdalena became Margavine consort of Baden-Durlach when her spouse became Margrave in 1659. She was widowed in 1662.

In Germany, Christina Magdalena was given a good judgement by her contemporaries and described as an "excellent" character.

Issue

All Swedish kings from Adolf Frederick to Charles XIII descend from Christina Magdalena. The eight children of Frederick and Christina, including two ancestors of Swedish royal lines, were:

Friedrich Kasimir (1643–1644)

Christine (1645–1705)

∞ 1. 1665 Albert II, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1620–1667) ∞ 2. 1681 Frederick I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg (1646–1691)

Eleonore Katharine (*/† 1646)

Friedrich VII. Magnus (1647–1709), Margrave of Baden-Durlach

∞ 1670 Princess Auguste Marie of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp (1649–1728) (→ Ancestors of Swedish kings of the House of Holstein-Gottorp, via their daughter Albertina Frederika of Baden-Durlach, who was the mother of King Adolf Fredrick of Sweden; ancestors of the House of Bernadotte, via Gustaf VI Adolf's mother, Victoria of Baden, who was a granddaughter of Adolf Frederick's great-granddaughter Sophia of Sweden

Charles Gustav of Baden-Durlach (1648–1703)

∞ 1677 Princess Anna Sophie of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1659–1742)

Katharine Barbara (1650–1733)

Johanna Elisabeth (1651–1680)

∞ 1673 John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1654–1686) (→ Ancestors of the Swedish kings of the House of Bernadotte, by Charles XV of Sweden's and Oscar II's mother, Josephine of Leuchtenberg, as was their daughter's daughter was her granddaughter)

Friederike Eleonore (*/† 1658)