Kristinasborg was founded when settlers and traders from the New Sweden Company under Peter Minuit arrived in March 1638 on the Fogel Grip] and Kalmar Nyckel, they purchased Maax-waas Unk from Chief Mattahorn and built Fort Christina at the mouth of the Maax-waas Hanna (which the Swedes renamed the Christina River after the Princess of Sweden).
Although the area changed hands between the Dutch, British and Swedes during the first century of occupation, but was firmly Swedish by the time it was chosen as capital of the United Swedish States of America.
The site of the original fort was chosen for the Royal Residence, which later came to serve as well for the Prime Minister. The Riksdag was built across the Christina River, and the Högsta Domstolen, across the Fiskiekylen.