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1Christina of Denmark (November 1521 – 10 December 1590) was the daughter of Isabella of Habsburg and Christian II of Denmark and Norway.
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3Less than two years after her birth, her family went in exile to the Netherlands. This because her father was driven out by a revolt. Her mother died in 1526 and her father landed in prison when he tried to retake his throne.
4Christina was raised by her great-aunt UsefulNotes/MargaretOfAustria and after Margaret's death, by her aunt UsefulNotes/MaryOfHungary. She got an extensive education, further raising her profile as a useful asset in the royal marriage market of the time.
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6Christina became Duchess of Milan through her marriage to Francesco II Sforza. The marriage was reportedly a good one, but Franceso died young, leaving her a widow. The city of Tortona was part of her dower. Though popular in Milan, she left to rejoin her aunt Mary in the Netherlands.
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8In the English-speaking world, Christina is probably best well-known because UsefulNotes/HenryVIII was interested in marrying her after the death of his [[UsefulNotes/JaneSeymourRoyalty third wife]]. She sat for a painting by Holbein, but was also said to have quipped: "If I had two heads, one should be at the King of England's disposal." Henry was 30 years older, and both her aunt and her uncle Charles V were sympathetic to her reluctance to marry him. Ironically, she would marry Francis, Duke of Bar, who had been betrothed to the woman who would become Henry's fourth wife.
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10After the death of his father in 1544, Francis inherited the Duchy of Lorraine as well. Like her first marriage, it was a happy but short one. She tried to mediate between the Empire and France, where her aunt Eleonor was queen, though to no success. Francis died in 1545 and Christina became regent for her young son. After the French invaded, she had to depart and give up the regency.
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12She remained politically active and visited the England of UsefulNotes/MaryTudor with her cousin Margaret of Parma.
13In 1559, she presided over successful negotiations for a peace treaty. A year later, Christina was appointed regent of Lorraine again, as her son and daughter-in-law travelled. When her father died, she laid claim to the throne of Denmark. For this, she did not get the support from her most powerful relatives and after a while, she let the matter lie.
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15Christina returned to Tortona, where her rule gained a good reputation, as she solved many long-standing issues.
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18!!Portrayals of Christina of Denmark in fiction:
19* Sonya Cassidy in ''Series/TheTudors'' (2007)
20* Appears in Helle Stangerup's ''In the Courts of Power'' (1988)
21* Appears in Marianne Malone's ''The Sixty-Eight Rooms'' (2010)
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24!!Tropes associated with Christina of Denmark in fiction:
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