Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg was Queen of Sweden and under relentless pressure to produce a male heir. When she gave birth to a daughter instead — the future Christina of Sweden — the court’s patience with her began to wear thin. When King Gustavus Adolphus was killed in war in 1632, Maria Eleonora’s grief became public and uncontrollable. She refused to allow his burial. His embalmed body remained with her for over a year, and his heart was kept in a golden casket in her chambers. She draped r