Stockholm Choice Woman

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Kristina Gyllenstierna is one tough lady! She was a Swedish noblewoman and led the Swedish resistance against Denmark after her husband died. During the siege, Kristina would go up and down the lines supporting the troops and rallying them. That would take a lot of bravery to be out while battles are happening. People said that her force of will was what held together the Swedish resistance and allowed them to keep going even when times were hard. She became a prisoner of war in Denmark because the king felt threatened by her. There was a lot more support for her than for the king. I think she is a very cool woman and I’m glad I got to learn about her! 


Her contribution is important because not a lot of noblewomen would do something like that, to lead an entire resistance and go with the troops to rally them. It shows how women can be tough and brave just like men and they don’t need to be left behind and sheltered. I also like how she had more support than the king did. It is interesting that a woman during that time was more respected than the king and that people were able to look past her gender and more on her character and actions. She is a great example to me of just doing the right thing even if it would be scary or hard. 

I think that she has been commemorated well. Her statue is right by the royal palace and is one of the only ones I saw in that area. It is cool that there is a canon next to her for her statue because it can be a reminder of what she accomplished and why she is important. I also imagine that she is probably taught about in the school curriculum here in Sweden because she was a big part of their war history. I think that as long as people can be reminded of her and her accomplishments then she has been commemorated well.

 


Comments

  1. Caroline CaineJune 8, 2024 at 8:15 AM

    I really loved your blog post Betsy!! I think that learning about Kristina Gyllenstierna helped deepen my understanding of Stockholm. She contributed so much, and although it was hard for her to be recognized during that time, I think that she has been honored respectfully. It shows that Stockholm appreciates her work and what contribution she made to the city.

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  2. Caroline CaineJune 8, 2024 at 8:15 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  3. Theresa BellJune 8, 2024 at 10:53 AM

    Oh Betsy I adore this post! Kristina was truly a tough lady, to be sure. She certainly faced resistance to her taking control, women were very much kept out of powerful positions at the time. In many ways, we don't face the same kinds of resistance to female leadership to the extent that Kristina did. Unfortunately, we do not yet live in a world where female leadership is always as respected as male leadership.

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  4. Marie PetersonJune 14, 2024 at 4:35 PM

    Love your blog post girl! I think learning about Christina Gyllenstierna deepens our understanding of Stockholm because she played a significant role in the city’s history. Her resilience and influence exemplify Stockholm’s historical narrative and the contributions of influential women in shaping the city’s legacy. I think the historical depth that figures like Christina bring to Stockholm is truly enriching to the city’s cultural identity.

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  5. Tate HofmannJune 18, 2024 at 9:48 PM

    Hey Betsy! I loved how personal your tone was throughout your post. Your comments on her enabling people to look past gender were great. Your comments on the location of her monument were educational.

    ReplyDelete

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