Porträtt av Maria Eleonora med en droppe blod på kiden — Photo: The Royal Armoury

September 27, 2013 – March 23, 2014

Maria Eleonora – Queen of the Heart

Who was she, Queen Maria Eleonora, the Brandenburg princess, wife of one of the most famous kings in Swedish history, Gustav II Adolf of Sweden and mother of our most famous Queen, Kristina? In Maria Eleonora – The Queen of the Heart, a new image was shown, an image that also has a counterpart in a new research interest about her.

Maria Eleonora (1599-1655) lived in a dramatic time where alliances formed and wars were fought around her. Adventure, beauty and luxury, but also blood, death and perishability characterized her unhappy life.

Love ring

In a small, colourful exhibition, fascinating objects connected to Maria Eleonora were displayed. This peculiar ring in gold and enamel shows the portraits of Gustav II Adolf and Maria Eleonora. They were consecrated on November 25, 1620 at Tre Kronor Castle.

Heart cloth

This is the cloth in which Maria Eleonora wrapped the kings heart and kept it close to her. It hung over her bed, safely enclosed within a golden box. Throughout the years, as other monarchs battled her for the throne, Queen Maria Eleonora would pull out the heart, explain her grief, and be granted a few more years without a king.

You may also be interested in:

The Exhibition on Sweden's Royal History

Visit the exhibition.

The Children’s Armoury

Discover and have fun in our exhibition for kids.