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Christina of Denmark, Duchess of Milan, was the younger daughter of Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Burgundy, sister of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Christina was born in Denmark in 1522. In 1533 she married by proxy Francesco II Sforza, Duke of Milan, who died in 1535.
In 1538, English painter Hans Holbein arrived in Brussels to meet Christina. Holbein had been commissioned by Henry VIII of England to paint portraits of noble woman who were considered suitable brides. Christina had been mentioned after the death of Jane Seymour in 1536. Upon Holbein's arrival, Christina sat for a portrait, wearing mourning clothes. The English ambassador was arranging for Henry VIII to see the Duchess's likeness in connection with plans to marry her. Christina, then only sixteen years old, made no secret of her opposition to marrying the English king, who by this time had a reputation around Europe for his mistreatment of his wives. She supposedly told the English ambassador she would only marry Henry if she "had two heads".
Christina was also the great-niece of Henry's first wife Catherine of Aragon through her mother.
After turning down Henry's proposal, in 1541 she married François, Duc de Bar, who succeeded his father as Duc de Lorraine in 1544 and died in 1545, leaving Christina Regent of Lorraine. She died in 1590.
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