Maria Aurora of Spiegel
Encyclopedia
Maria Aurora of Spiegel, born Fatima (fl
1733), was a mistress
of Augustus II the Strong
and the wife of a Polish
noble
. Originally a Turkish
slave
, she was brought to the royal court
s of Sweden and Poland from Buda
and trained as a lady-in-waiting
.
During the Imperial
"reconquest" of Buda
from the Ottoman Empire
in 1686, soldiers of the Imperial army took the slaves and property belonging to the Turks. The Swedish baron Alexander Erskin, then in Austrian service, took four women: Raziye (Roosia); Asiye (Eisia); Emine; and Fatma (Fatima). Fatima claimed to have been the wife of a mullah
(a Muslim clergyman). Baron Erskin returned to Sweden
with Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
, and gave Fatima to Philip's sister Maria Aurora of Königsmarck
. The four women were baptised in Stockholm
on 7 November 1686 in the presence of the royal court. Crown Prince Charles
and Aurora of Königsmarck stood as Fatima's godparent
s, and she was christened Maria Aurora after Maria Aurora of Königsmarck.
She was taught etiquette
and French
and became a well-liked companion to Aurora of Königsmarck. In 1691 she followed her mistress to Saxony and Poland, where Aurora of Königsmarck became the royal mistress
of King Augustus. She was often present at Augustus' visits to Königsmarck, and in 1701 she replaced Aurora as the royal mistress. Augustus married her to his ennobled servant Spiegel. Augustus acknowledged his children with her and seemed to have been in love with her. He often returned to her between his other relationships, and she herself is said to have been tolerant of this, supposedly because she was brought up in a harem
. She was the mother of Frederick Augustus Rutowsky
and Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska
. She later divorced Spiegel and married a Frenchman in Saxon service, Count Claude de Bellegarde
She continued as a central character within the royal court after her relationship with Augustus ended, and was good friends with the influential Przebendowska, a relation to the favourite count Fleming. At the king's death in 1733, she was given an allowance of 8.000 thaler in his will.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1733), was a mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
of Augustus II the Strong
Augustus II the Strong
Frederick Augustus I or Augustus II the Strong was Elector of Saxony and King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania ....
and the wife of a Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
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...
. Originally a Turkish
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
slave
Slavery (Ottoman Empire)
Slavery was an important part of Ottoman society until the Ottoman Empire extinguished slavery of Caucasians in the early 19th century. The practice carried over into Ottoman reign...
, she was brought to the royal court
Royal court
Royal court, as distinguished from a court of law, may refer to:* The Royal Court , Timbaland's production company*Court , the household and entourage of a monarch or other ruler, the princely court...
s of Sweden and Poland from Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
and trained as a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
.
During the Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
"reconquest" of Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in 1686, soldiers of the Imperial army took the slaves and property belonging to the Turks. The Swedish baron Alexander Erskin, then in Austrian service, took four women: Raziye (Roosia); Asiye (Eisia); Emine; and Fatma (Fatima). Fatima claimed to have been the wife of a mullah
Mullah
Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā , meaning "vicar", "master" and "guardian"...
(a Muslim clergyman). Baron Erskin returned to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck or Philipp Christoph Königsmarck, was a Swedish count of Brandenburgian extraction and a soldier...
, and gave Fatima to Philip's sister Maria Aurora of Königsmarck
Maria Aurora of Königsmarck
Countess Maria Aurora von Königsmarck was a Swedish noblewoman of Brandenburg extraction and mistress of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland.-Biography:...
. The four women were baptised in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
on 7 November 1686 in the presence of the royal court. Crown Prince Charles
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
and Aurora of Königsmarck stood as Fatima's godparent
Godparent
A godparent, in many denominations of Christianity, is someone who sponsors a child's baptism. A male godparent is a godfather, and a female godparent is a godmother...
s, and she was christened Maria Aurora after Maria Aurora of Königsmarck.
She was taught etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and became a well-liked companion to Aurora of Königsmarck. In 1691 she followed her mistress to Saxony and Poland, where Aurora of Königsmarck became the royal mistress
Royal mistress
A royal mistress is the historical position of a mistress to a monarch or senior Royal. Some mistresses have had considerable power. The prevalence of the institution can be attributed to the fact that royal marriages were until recent times conducted solely on the basis of political and dynastic...
of King Augustus. She was often present at Augustus' visits to Königsmarck, and in 1701 she replaced Aurora as the royal mistress. Augustus married her to his ennobled servant Spiegel. Augustus acknowledged his children with her and seemed to have been in love with her. He often returned to her between his other relationships, and she herself is said to have been tolerant of this, supposedly because she was brought up in a harem
Harem
Harem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
. She was the mother of Frederick Augustus Rutowsky
Frederick Augustus Rutowsky
Frederick Augustus, Count Rutowsky , was a Saxon Field Marshal who commanded Saxon forces in the Siege of Pirna during the Seven Years War.-Early years:...
and Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska
Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska
Maria Anna Katharina Rutowska was a Polish noblewoman.She was the illegitimate daughter of Polish king Augustus II the Strong and his mistress, the Turk Fatima or Fatime, later renamed Maria Anna of Spiegel.-Life:...
. She later divorced Spiegel and married a Frenchman in Saxon service, Count Claude de Bellegarde
She continued as a central character within the royal court after her relationship with Augustus ended, and was good friends with the influential Przebendowska, a relation to the favourite count Fleming. At the king's death in 1733, she was given an allowance of 8.000 thaler in his will.
Literature
- Vehse: Geschichte der Deutschen Höfe del 32, Georg Ludvig von Haxthausen.