Duchess_Sophia_Frederica_of_Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Hereditary Princess of Denmark and Norway
Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (24 August 1758 – 29 November 1794) was born a Princess and Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and by marriage Hereditary Princess of Denmark and Norway.
| Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin | |
|---|---|
| Hereditary Princess of Denmark and Norway | |
Portrait by Georg David Matthieu, c. 1774. | |
| Born | (1758-08-24)24 August 1758 Schwerin |
| Died | 29 November 1794(1794-11-29) (aged 36) Sorgenfri Palace, near Copenhagen |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | |
| House | Mecklenburg |
| Father | Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| Mother | Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld |
Born in Schwerin, she was the only daughter of Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, second son of Christian Louis II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Princess Charlotte Sophie of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld. Her only sibling was Frederick, who was about two years older.
Life in Denmark
On 21 October 1774 in Copenhagen, she married Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway, the son of King Frederick V of Denmark and his second wife Juliane Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who was the regent in Denmark between 1772 and 1784. She was sixteen years old when she was married.
Sophia Frederica, known as Sofie Frederikke af Mecklenburg-Schwerin in Denmark, was described as jolly, charming and intelligent.[1] She had a hard time in the beginning adapting to her new, stiffer environment, but became quite popular.[2] During the first ten years of her marriage (1774-1784), she gave birth to three daughters, the eldest two were stillborn and the third lived only five months;[3][4] it was only in 1786 when she had the first of her living children, the future King Christian VIII.
It is said she was disappointed when she met her husband for the first time,[5] but they came to be fond of each other, although they both supposedly took lovers; her husband had a mistress, her companion Caja Hviid, while the father of Sophia Frederica's children was rumored to be her husband's adjutant, Frederik von Blücher.[6] It was said that the harmony of their marriage was based on mutual understanding. The harmonious friendship between the spouses created a fear that Sophia Frederica's influence over her husband would lead to her interfering in politics.[7]
She died in Sorgenfri Palace.
Sophia Frederica and Prince Frederick had the following children:
- Stillborn daughter (19 September 1781).
- Stillborn daughter (17 February 1783).
- Princess Juliana Marie (2 May 1784 - 28 October 1784), died in infancy.
- Prince Christian Frederick (18 September 1786 - 20 January 1848), future King Christian Frederick of Norway and Christian VIII of Denmark.
- Princess Juliane Sophie (18 February 1788 - 9 May 1850), married in 1812 to Prince William of Hesse-Philippsthal-Barchfeld; they had no issue.
- Princess Louise Charlotte (30 October 1789 - 28 March 1864), married in 1810 to Prince William of Hesse-Cassel; they had issue.
- Hereditary Prince Ferdinand (22 November 1792 - 29 June 1863), married in 1829 to Princess Caroline of Denmark; they had no issue.
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Citations
- Sophie Friederike Herzogin von Mecklenburg-Schwerin: in Cyberancestors.com [retrieved 10 June 2014].
- Sophia Friderica Herzogin v.Mecklenburg-Schwerin in: genealogy Database by Herbert Stoyan Archived October 15, 2014, at the Wayback Machine [retrieved 10 October 2014].
- Rie Krarup: Female List and royal cargo. Gentle doves and conflict ladies in the history of Denmark.
- Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 83.
Bibliography
- Bramsen, Bo (1985). Ferdinand og Caroline : en beretning om prinsen, der nødig ville være konge af Danmark [Ferdinand and Caroline: an account of the prince who was reluctant to be king of Denmark] (in Danish) (4th ed.). Copenhagen: Nordiske Landes Bogforlag. ISBN 8787439220.
- Laursen, Laurs (1902). "Sophie Frederikke, Arveprinsesse". In Bricka, Carl Frederik (ed.). Dansk biografisk Lexikon, tillige omfattende Norge for tidsrummet 1537-1814 (in Danish). Vol. XVI (1st ed.). Copenhagen: Gyldendals forlag. p. 174.
- (in Danish) Article in the Dansk biografisk Lexikon