Queen Christina of Sweden (1626–1689, r. 1632–54)

A highly educated and cultured monarch, Queen Christina of Sweden was an extraordinary patron of the arts. She commissioned a series of medals that would compose an Histoire métallique to rival that of Louis XIV of France. The first medals were cast by Massimiliano Soldani-Benzi in 1680, and the work was later continued by Guglielmada, Giovanni Hamerani, and other medalists. This medal belongs to the so-called Gloria Deo series, as identified by the initials on the reverse.

Source: Scher, Stephen K., et al. The Scher Collection of Commemorative Medals. New York and London, 2019.