April 19- Death of Christina of Sweden

Also, occurring today in Women's History:

1689 - Christina, abdicated Queen of Sweden, died today. Born to King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and his wife, Maria Eleanora of Brandenburg, she was her father's only heir. Her father ordered that she be educated as a boy would be, she became known for her learning and for her patronage of learning and the arts as the "Minerva of the North" and Stockholm became known as "Athens of the North." She was known for ruling Sweden in her own right, patronage of art and philosophy, abdication, conversion to Roman Catholicism, part in Thirty Years' War; and rumors of lesbianism and intersexuality.


1832 - Lucretia Rudolph Garfield born. Wife of American President, James A. Garfield. In the fond eyes of her husband, President Garfield, Lucretia "grows up to every new emergency with fine tact and faultless taste." She proved this in the eyes of the nation, though she was always a reserved, self-contained woman. She flatly refused to pose for a campaign photograph, and much preferred a literary circle or informal party to a state reception.


Lucretia Garfield


1858 - May Robson was born as Mary Robison. In her late teens she moved to the U.S. with no intention of becoming an actress; a few years later she became a widow, and in 1884 she took up acting to support her three children. She played both leads and supporting roles on the road and on Broadway, and over several decades she became highly respected as a character actress

1956: Grace Kelly, an American movie star, and Prince Rainier III of Monaco were married. The celebration of the Nuptial Mass was held in the Cathedral of Monaco.


Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III