Antonio Pimentel de Prado
Encyclopedia
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, 1604 — Antwerp, ca. 1671/72)
was a Spanish officer, a governor of Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort
Nieuwpoort is the name of:* Nieuwpoort, Belgium** Battle of Nieuwpoort * Nieuwpoort...
(1646-1651), ambassador in Stockholm (1652-1654), knight of Santiago (1658) , Plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
in Paris (1659), governor of Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
(1660-1670), councel of war and commander of the army in Antwerp (1670-1672).
Life
His father, Lorenzo Pimentel de Prado served in the court of the Duke of Bivona, in Palermo, and had three sons: Juan, Antonio and Gregorio. Bernardino de RebolledoBernardino de Rebolledo
Bernardino de Rebolledo y Villamizar, was a Spanish poet, soldier and diplomat , and one of the most original poets, of the 17th century in Spain...
appointed his nephew Antonio Pimentel del Prado as Spanish ambassador to Sweden. He was sent by Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
as envoy. This was the first Spanish mission to Sweden, since John III
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
's reign. Christina, Queen of Sweden had the year before initiated negotiations with Madrid and had send the Swedish diplomat Matthias Palbitzki. To increase the Spanish grace towards Cristina also received diplomats from countries that were enemies of Spain.
Philip IV was seeking good relations with Sweden and the Spanish diplomacy had been ordered to promote Swedish interests anywhere in Europe to show the Swedes Spain's goodwill. The purpose of the embassy in Stockholm was to investigate Sweden's military strength. The most important task was to determine if the queen had any marriage plans, because the balance of power in Europe would be affected if the queen married someone who represented a hostile power against Spain.
Don Antonio Pimentel arrived in Stockholm on 16 May 1652 or, along with wife, children, and an entourage of 50 people, to Dalarö
Dalarö
Dalarö is a locality situated in Haninge Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 1,190 inhabitants in 2005.It is situated south-east of Stockholm and is part of Metropolitan Stockholm and serves as a recreational summer spot for Stockholmers...
on 12 August and at Stockholm on 16 August. As early as August 19 he was received by the queen in the audience. He soon became the Queen's confidant. Pimentel had no instructions to find out Christina's plans on abdication, but through his presence at court the queen tried to acquire Philip's support for her proposed abdication. Over the next year Cristina and Pimentel began secret negotiations, often shutting themselves inside her study alone to the alarm of many. Many continuously believed the two were lovers but in fact Cristina was confiding in Pimentel her ideas for the future including her plans after abdication.
Before he left Pimentel had asked on behalf of his king, Philip IV, for a large painting of the Queen on horseback. This painting, executed by Sébastien Bourdon
Sébastien Bourdon
Sébastien Bourdon was a French painter and engraver. His chef d'œuvre is The Crucifixion of St. Peter made for the cathedral of Notre Dame....
, was finished in June 1653 and is now in the Prado.
The queen, however, was obviously aware that he left the country and appointed him prior to his departure in early August as knight. Christina created in his honour Amaranten Order, a noble cultural organization still existing. Antonio Pimentel was appointed as its first knight; all members had to promise not to marry (again).. When he left for Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
his ship, however, leaked and he was forced to return. By chance he then reached by the king's orders to remain in Sweden. Pimentel went with the Queen to Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
(?) and followed her to Stockholm. First, in June 1654, when nothing further seemed to prevent her conversion Cristina abdicated. She left her throne and her country to embrace the Catholic faith. Wanting the king of Spains support after her planned abdication, Cristina continued her friendship with Pimentel, partially because Cristina also wanted France's support; France and Spain were involved in the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659).
He met Christina again in Brussels in 1654 and was present when she converted on Christmas Eve of that year. Then he followed her to Innsbruck and Rome, but left her in 1656, when she began to move closer to France. Later Pimentel served in Paris and prepared, on Spain's behalf, the Treaty of Pyrenees (1659) with cardinal Jules Mazarin.
There is a legend of a passionate romance between the diplomat and the Sovereign, as designed by Hollywood in a film where Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo , born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson, was a Swedish film actress. Garbo was an international star and icon during Hollywood's silent and classic periods. Many of Garbo's films were sensational hits, and all but three were profitable...
plays the leading role. The particulars of this love affair are not known, but in the archives there are writings and letters from the Queen to the Ambassador, full of tender expressions and nuances. Cristina later denied accusations of the two being lovers.