Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen
Encyclopedia
Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen (1753–1792, Pisa
) was a Swedish noble
, lady in waiting
to the Swedish queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
and the sister of Count Axel von Fersen the Younger and Sophie Piper
. She married marshal Count Thure Leonard Klinckowström in his second marriage (1773), and with him had four children.
She was considered to be a cultivated intellectual. It was said about Hedvig Eleonora that she had : "the most passionate wit, surpassing perhaps all other women in Sweden, along with the strongest soul". She was a friend of Princess Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte, who described her as a truly good friend, witty and cleverly critical i the presence of friends, but distanced to the world, indifferent to her appearance and often poorly dressed. She had accepted her position as lady in waiting unvillingly on the wish of her spouse, who wished for her to accept the position for economic reasons
In December 1775 she received a letter from Gustav III of Sweden
asking her husband to recommend Bellman
, "also called the Anacreon
of Sweden" as king's secretary. He wrote:
Gustav III and Hedvig Eleonora was initially friends, and she is noted to have discussed political issues with him. In 1779, she made an unsuccessful attempt to convince him to make peace with his mother, the queen dowager Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
, after a break caused by the queen dowagers support to the rumour that king Gustav had hired Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
to imregnant the queen and that Munck was the father of the heir , and in 1782, she warned him not to be lenient with a religious sect, Collinisterna, which had caused disturbencies
Eventually, she came to belong to the opponents of Gustav III; at his death bed in 1792, the monarch asked for her to meet him, as he wished to reconcile with her before he died, and asked her to make peace with him.
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
) was a Swedish noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, lady in waiting
Lady in Waiting
Lady in Waiting is the 2nd album by American southern rock band Outlaws, released in 1976. -Track listing:#"Breaker-Breaker" – 2:59#"South Carolina" – 3:05#"Ain't So Bad" – 3:48...
to the Swedish queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
Sofia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway was a Queen consort of Sweden as the spouse of Gustav III of Sweden....
. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie was a Swedish noblewoman of the French-descent De la Gardie family. She was the daughter of the General and statesman Magnus Julius De la Gardie and the political salonist Hedvig Catharina Lilje, and sister of scientist Eva Ekeblad.She married Axel von Fersen the...
and the sister of Count Axel von Fersen the Younger and Sophie Piper
Sophie Piper
Eva Sophie Piper , née Sophie von Fersen, was a Swedish noble and lady in waiting. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie and the sister of Axel von Fersen the Younger and Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen...
. She married marshal Count Thure Leonard Klinckowström in his second marriage (1773), and with him had four children.
She was considered to be a cultivated intellectual. It was said about Hedvig Eleonora that she had : "the most passionate wit, surpassing perhaps all other women in Sweden, along with the strongest soul". She was a friend of Princess Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte, who described her as a truly good friend, witty and cleverly critical i the presence of friends, but distanced to the world, indifferent to her appearance and often poorly dressed. She had accepted her position as lady in waiting unvillingly on the wish of her spouse, who wished for her to accept the position for economic reasons
In December 1775 she received a letter from Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
asking her husband to recommend Bellman
Carl Michael Bellman
was a Swedish poet and composer. Bellman is a central figure in the Swedish song tradition and remains a very important influence in Swedish music, as well as in Scandinavian literature in general, to this day....
, "also called the Anacreon
Anacreon
Anacreon was a Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and hymns. Later Greeks included him in the canonical list of nine lyric poets.- Life :...
of Sweden" as king's secretary. He wrote:
Bellman became secretary, for 3,000 thalers per annum, of hich he gave half to the person who held the service.
"You know that I loved poets and in particular Swedish ones. You know these gentlemen are always poor and always ask for support. You also know that their verse-craft is neither happy nor fruitful unless their purse is filled."
Gustav III and Hedvig Eleonora was initially friends, and she is noted to have discussed political issues with him. In 1779, she made an unsuccessful attempt to convince him to make peace with his mother, the queen dowager Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia was Queen of Sweden between 1751 and 1771 as the spouse of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden, and queen mother during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden.-Background:...
, after a break caused by the queen dowagers support to the rumour that king Gustav had hired Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
Adolf Fredrik, Count Munck af Fulkila was a Swedish and Finnish noble alleged to have been the biological father of King Gustaf IV Adolf.- Biography :...
to imregnant the queen and that Munck was the father of the heir , and in 1782, she warned him not to be lenient with a religious sect, Collinisterna, which had caused disturbencies
Eventually, she came to belong to the opponents of Gustav III; at his death bed in 1792, the monarch asked for her to meet him, as he wished to reconcile with her before he died, and asked her to make peace with him.