Anne Sophie Reventlow
Encyclopedia
Anne Sophie Reventlow was a Danish noble, royal mistress, spouse by bigamy and, later, queen consort of Denmark
and Norway
1721–30, the second spouse of king Frederick IV of Denmark
and Norway.
of Denmark 1699–1708. In 1711, the King fell in love with her at a Masquerade Ball and wanted her as his mistress. Her mother refused to allow this. In 1712, the King took her to Skanderborg Slot, where she was married to him morganatically in a wedding ceremony by Thomas Clausen.
The King's official spouse was still alive. However, he had committed bigamy
once before, with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg
. The church authorities had not forbidden the king to engage in polygamy
, as there were doctrines based on biblical polygamy of Hebrew patriarchs. She was made Princess and Duchess of Schleswig. In 1713, she was given Vallø as a fief.
The King had Anne Sophie recognized as Queen, and had her crowned in May 1721. She has been referred to as the first non-royal to be Queen of Denmark: she was in reality the first since Ulvhild Håkansdotter. Three children were born of this marriage, but each of them died at or before one year of age. This was seen as punishment for the bigamy.
Crown Prince Christian
, who had been very close to his mother, detested her strongly. Her brother-in-law, Prince Charles, and sister-in-law, Princess Sophia Hedwig, left the court in protest, although her stepdaughter Charlotte Amalia
showed her kindness. In 1725, the King made a will where he ensured the right of Anne Sophie after his death and made his son sign it.
Anne Sophie's relatives, popularly known as the "Reventlow Gang", people from the Reventlow and Holstein families, were placed in high positions. Her sister, the Salonist Countess Christine Sophie Holstein
, who was called Madame Chancellor, exerted influence over the affairs of state. Anne was blamed for the nepotism, but it is not known whether she actually affected him politically, or if it was he who wanted to assure her position this way. Her recommendation was important for anyone who wished something from the King. Due to her donations to widows and the poor, she was called The protector of the poor classes, but there is no information about whether she was popular or unpopular with the public.
allowed for public mourning, and arranged to have her buried in Roskilde Cathedral
, although to keep her from being buried with her husband in the retroquire
, he purchased the Trolle
family chapel in the west end of the cathedral, and arranged for her and her children to be buried there.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
1721–30, the second spouse of king Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
and Norway.
Spouse by bigamy
She was daughter of Conrad, Count Reventlow who served Frederick as ChancellorChancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of Denmark 1699–1708. In 1711, the King fell in love with her at a Masquerade Ball and wanted her as his mistress. Her mother refused to allow this. In 1712, the King took her to Skanderborg Slot, where she was married to him morganatically in a wedding ceremony by Thomas Clausen.
The King's official spouse was still alive. However, he had committed bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
once before, with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg
Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg
Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg was a Danish noble and lady in waiting. She was the royal mistress and later the first morganatic spouse of King Frederick IV of Denmark in a bigamous marriage....
. The church authorities had not forbidden the king to engage in polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
, as there were doctrines based on biblical polygamy of Hebrew patriarchs. She was made Princess and Duchess of Schleswig. In 1713, she was given Vallø as a fief.
Queen
On 4 April 1721, soon after the death of Queen Louise, the King married Anne Sophie a second time. This time, the wedding was formal and conducted under grand ceremonies. He declined to make this marriage morganatic, although it was regarded as highly scandalous by the noble subjects and foreign rulers alike, as it flouted the era's standards that royals marry regular noblewomen, their own subjects (the requirements of so-called Ebenbuertigkeit).The King had Anne Sophie recognized as Queen, and had her crowned in May 1721. She has been referred to as the first non-royal to be Queen of Denmark: she was in reality the first since Ulvhild Håkansdotter. Three children were born of this marriage, but each of them died at or before one year of age. This was seen as punishment for the bigamy.
Crown Prince Christian
Christian VI of Denmark
Christian VI was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746.He was the son of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. He married Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and fathered Frederick V.-The reign and personality of Christian VI:To posterity Christian...
, who had been very close to his mother, detested her strongly. Her brother-in-law, Prince Charles, and sister-in-law, Princess Sophia Hedwig, left the court in protest, although her stepdaughter Charlotte Amalia
Charlotte Amalie of Denmark
Charlotte Amalie of Danmark was a Danish princess, issue of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow....
showed her kindness. In 1725, the King made a will where he ensured the right of Anne Sophie after his death and made his son sign it.
Anne Sophie's relatives, popularly known as the "Reventlow Gang", people from the Reventlow and Holstein families, were placed in high positions. Her sister, the Salonist Countess Christine Sophie Holstein
Christine Sophie Holstein
Christine Sophie Holstein was a politically influential Danish salon hostess.Daughter to Count Conrad von Reventlow , Danish Grand Chancellor , and Anna Margrethe Gabel , she married Count Niels Friis in 1688 and statesman count Count Ulrik Adolph von Holstein in 1700, and belonged to the highest...
, who was called Madame Chancellor, exerted influence over the affairs of state. Anne was blamed for the nepotism, but it is not known whether she actually affected him politically, or if it was he who wanted to assure her position this way. Her recommendation was important for anyone who wished something from the King. Due to her donations to widows and the poor, she was called The protector of the poor classes, but there is no information about whether she was popular or unpopular with the public.
Widowhood
After Frederick IV's death in 1730, she was expelled from Copenhagen to her birth place, the manor house Klausholm near Randers, Jutland. She was styled "Queen Anne Sophie", not Queen Anne Sophie of Denmark and Norway or Queen Dowager. She was placed virtually under house arrest on her estate the rest of her life, not allowed to leave it without permission from the king. She spent the rest of her life in strict religion. Upon her death, King Christian VIChristian VI of Denmark
Christian VI was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746.He was the son of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. He married Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and fathered Frederick V.-The reign and personality of Christian VI:To posterity Christian...
allowed for public mourning, and arranged to have her buried in Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral , in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe...
, although to keep her from being buried with her husband in the retroquire
Retroquire
A Retroquire or Back-Choir is a term in ecclesiastical architecture that defines the space behind the high altar in a large church or cathedral, which often separates it from the end chapel.-Example:...
, he purchased the Trolle
Trolle
Trolle is the name of a noble family, originally from Sweden. The family has produced prominent people in the histories of Denmark and in Sweden since the Middle Ages and is associated qwith several estates in Sweden....
family chapel in the west end of the cathedral, and arranged for her and her children to be buried there.
Issue
Anne Sophie and King Frederick IV had three children:- Christine Amalie (23 October 1723 - 7 January 1724).
- Frederick Christian (1 June 1726 - 15 May 1727).
- Charles (16 February 1728 - 8 July 1729).