- Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel
-
Queen Charlotte Amalie.
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (27 April 1650 – 27 March 1714) was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway, being the wife of King Christian V.
Contents
Background
She was born in Kassel, Hesse, Germany. Her parents were Landgrave William clm VI of Hesse-Kassel and his consort Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg. She was well educated in French, Italian, geography, and philosophy. Her mother was a strict reformer and politically oriented toward Brandenburg, which also affected her daughter's views. The marriage was arranged by her future mother-in-law, who wanted a daughter-in-law she could control, and in 1665, her future spouse was sent to Hesse to get to know her. The negotiations were drawn out, mainly because of religious matters.
Charlotte Amalie was married on 25 June 1667 to Prince Christian and became Queen of Denmark on his accession in 1670. As well as other children, they had a son, later King Frederik IV, and a daughter Sophia Hedwig.
Queen
Queen Charlotte Amalie. Painted in oil on copper, probably by Jacob d'AgarCharlotte Amalie was raised in the Reformed faith. In the marriage contract, she was not required to convert although this was disliked and met some resistance before it was accepted. She kept her faith after wedding Christian, who as ruler of Denmark was the head of the state church, the Lutheran Church. She succeeded in exempting herself and her court from the requirement that they adhere to the Lutheran Church. Charlotte obtained the right to practice her "Reformed" faith, and build a "Reformed" Church, which she financed herself. However, her action caused the Lutheran clergy to oppose her coronation as Queen. She did not get along with her mother-in-law, with whom she had conflicts regarding etiquette matters. She also supported the release of Leonora Christina Ulfeldt.
Her spouse prevented her from exerting any major political influence, because he did not want her to be as influential as his mother had been, and because he disliked her pro-Brandenburg sympathies. A spy, Justine Cathrine Rosenkrantz, was in fact placed among her ladies-in-waitings. However, she was not completely without influence, and she did manage to achieve some rights for the followers of her faith in Denmark (1685). She is described as charmful and with great tact, though not beautiful. She learned to speak Danish, which was appreciated. The relationship with her spouse was never a love match – he was constantly unfaithful during their marriage: his relationship with Sophie Amalie Moth started in 1672 – but it was a warm and mutually respectful friendship. She was not set aside or ignored at court, but enjoyed full status as queen. She was also very close to her children, and described as a good mother.
Later life
Charlotte Amalie gained great popularity from defending Copenhagen when King Charles XII of Sweden invaded Zealand in 1700. During this incident, she strengthened the resolve of the people of the capital by speaking to them, convinced the commandant of the city to give the public access to the canons, and organized the defence of the capital. For this act, she was hailed like a heroine.
She is known as the protector of the famous Marie Grubbe and her former lover after Grubbe's divorce and remarriage to her lover, which had made her an outcast: Charlotte Amelie gave refuge to the couple on her own domains.
Charlotte Amalie owned several estates around the country and she administered them skilfully. After the death of her husband in 1699, she moved to a mansion which she had bought: Charlottenborg Palace on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen, where she lived until she died. The mansion, which is named after her, has housed the Royal Danish Academy of Art since 1754.
She died in Copenhagen and was buried in Roskilde Cathedral.
Legacy
The town of Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands is named after her.
Issue
Name Birth Death Frederick IV 2 October 1671 2 October 1730 Christian Vilhelm 1 December 1672 25 January 1673 Christian 25 March 1675 27 June 1695 Sophie Hedevig 28 August 1677 13 March 1735 Charles 26 October 1680 8 June 1729 Christiane Charlotte 17 July 1683 17 July 1683 Vilhelm 21 February 1687 23 November 1705 Ancestry
See also
External links
- (English) History of the Rosenborg Castle
References
- (Danish) Article in the Dansk biografisk Lexikon
- (Danish) http://www.kvinfo.dk/side/597/bio/599/origin/170/
Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-KasselHouse of Hesse-KasselCadet branch of the House of HesseBorn: 27 April 1650 Died: 27 March 1714Danish royalty Preceded by
Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-LüneburgQueen consort of Denmark and Norway
1670–1699Succeeded by
Louise of Mecklenburg-GüstrowDanish Royal Consorts Henri de Laborde de Monpezat (1972–present) · Ingrid of Sweden (1947–1972) · Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1912–1947) · Louise of Sweden (1906–1912) · Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1863–1898) · Caroline Amalie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1839–1848) · Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel† (1808–1839) · Caroline Matilda of Great Britain† (1766–1775) · Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel† (1752–1766) · Louise of Great Britain† (1746–1751) · Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach† (1730–1746) · Anne Sophie Reventlow† (1721–1730) · Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow† (1699–1721) · Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel† (1670–1699) · Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1648–1670) · Anne Catherine of Brandenburg† (1597–1612) · Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow† (1572–1588) · Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg† (1534–1559) · Sophie of Pomerania†‡ (1523–1533) · Isabella of Austria†‡ (1515–1523) · Christina of Saxony†‡ (1481–1513) · Dorothea of Brandenburg†‡ (1445–1448 & 1449–1481) · Philippa of England†‡ (1406–1430) · Helvig of Schleswig (1340–1374) · Euphemia of Pomerania (1326–1330) · Ingeborg Magnusdotter of Sweden (1296–1319) · Agnes of Brandenburg (1273–1286) · Margaret Sambiria (1252–1259) · Matilda of Holstein (1250–1252) · Jutta of Saxony (1239–1250) · Eleanor of Portugal (1229–1231) · Berengaria of Portugal (1214–1221) · Dagmar of Bohemia (1205–1213) · Gertrude of Bavaria (1182–1197) · Sophia of Minsk (1157–1182) · Helena of Sweden (1156–1157) · Adela of Meissen (1152–1157) · Lutgard of Salzwedel (1144–1146) · Malmfred of Kiev† (1134–1137) · Ulvhild Håkansdotter‡ (1130–1134) · Margaret Fredkulla† (1104–1130) · Boedil Thurgotsdatter (1095–1103) · Ingegerd of Norway‡ (1086–1095) · Adela of Flanders (1080–1086) · Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter (1076–1080) · Gunnhildr Sveinsdóttir‡ (1050–1052) · Gyda of Sweden (1048–1049) · Emma of Normandy† (1017–1035) · Sigrid the Haughty†‡ · Gunhild of Wenden† · Tove of the Obotrites† (970–986) · Gyrid of Sweden (952–970) · Thyra (900–935)† also Queen of Norway · ‡ also Queen of SwedenNorwegian Royal Consorts Sonja Haraldsen (1991–present)
Maud of Wales (1905–1938) · Sophia of Nassau^ (1872–1905) · Louise of the Netherlands^ (1859–1871) · Josephine of Leuchtenberg^ (1844–1859) · Désirée Clary^ (1818–1844) · Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp^ (1814–1818) · Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel* (1808–1839) · Caroline Matilda of Great Britain* (1766–1775) · Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel* (1752–1766) · Louise of Great Britain* (1746–1751) · Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach* (1730–1746) · Anne Sophie Reventlow* (1721–1730) · Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow* (1699–1721) · Landgravine Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel* (1670–1699) · Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1648–1670) · Anne Catherine of Brandenburg* (1597–1612) · Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow* (1572–1588) · Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg* (1534–1559) · Sophie of Pomerania*^ (1523–1533) · Isabella of Austria*^ (1515–1523) · Christina of Saxony*^ (1481–1513) · Dorothea of Brandenburg*^ (1450–1481) · Catherine of Bjurum^ (1449–1450) · Dorothea of Brandenburg*^ (1445–1448) · Philippa of England*^ (1406–1430) · Margaret I of Denmark^ (1363–1380) · Blanche of Namur^ (1335–1343) · Euphemia of Rügen (1299–1312) · Isabel Bruce (1293–1299) · Margaret of Scotland (1281–1283) · Ingeborg of Denmark (1263–1280) · Rikissa Birgersdotter (1251–1257) · Margrét Skúladóttir (1225–1263) · Christina of Norway (1209–1213) · Margaret of Sweden (1189–1202) · Estrid Bjørnsdotter (1170–1176) · Ragna Nikolasdatter (114?–1157) · Ingrid of Sweden (1134–1136) · Christine of Denmark (1132–1133) · Malmfred of Kiev* (1116–1130) · Blathmin Ní Briain (1103) · Ingebjørg Guttormsdatter (1103–1123) · Margaret Fredkulla* (1101–1103) · Ingerid of Denmark (1067–1093) · Elisiv of Kiev (1045–1066) · Emma of Normandy* (1028–1035) · Astrid of Sweden (1019–1035) · Sigrid the Haughty*^ (1000–1014) · Tyra of Denmark (998–1000) Gunhild of Wenden* · Tove of the Obotrites* (970–986) · Gunnhild, Mother of Kings (931–934) · Gyda of Hordaland (872–930)*also Queen of Denmark
^also Queen of SwedenCategories:- Danish royal consorts
- Norwegian royal consorts
- Crown Princesses of Denmark
- House of Hesse-Kassel
- German Calvinists
- 1650 births
- 1714 deaths
- Burials at Roskilde Cathedral
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
