Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth
Encyclopedia
Amalie Sophie Marianne von Wallmoden, 1st Countess of Yarmouth (1 April 1704–19 or 20 October 1765) was the mistress of George II of Great Britain
from the mid-1730s until his death in 1760. Born into one prominent family in Hanover
and wed into another, she became a naturalised citizen
of Britain
in 1740 and was granted the life peer
age title of "Countess of Yarmouth". She was the last royal mistress to be so honored. She remained in Britain until the 1760 death of George II, who is believed to have fathered her second son, Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn
. She returned to Hanover to live for the nearly five years she survived the king.
ian General Johann Franz Dietrich von Wendt and Friderike Charlotte von Wendt (née Von dem Busche). Her aunt was Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal. She entered into the House of Wallmoden
in 1727 with her marriage to Gottlieb Adam von Wallmoden, with whom she shared a son, Franz Ernst von Wallmoden. She was described in 1738 in a letter to Charles, Viscount Townshend
as being a brunette with "fine black eyes", "very well shaped, not tall, nor low; has no fine features, but very agreeable in the main."
George II was first attracted to Von Wallmoden during a 1735 visit to Hanover, where she lived with her husband. In 1736, she bore a son, Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn, said to be the unacknowledged illegitimate child of the king. By 1738, George II's visits to Hanover to see his mistress were numerous enough to invite satire by Samuel Johnson
in the poem "London". The king ended the necessity of those visits after the death of his wife Caroline of Ansbach
in November 1737, sending for Von Wallmoden to join him in England, but it did not put an end to Johnson's disapproval. In 1739, Johnson wrote scathingly of the king's relationship with von Wallmoden, "his tortured sons shall die before his face / While he lies melting in a lewd embrace".
In 1739, von Wallmoden divorced her husband. In 1740, she was naturalized and given the non-inheritable title of Countess of Yarmouth, the last royal mistress to be so honored. She was officially designated Amalie Sophie de Wallmoden to obscure the question of her marital status. Horace Walpole
indicated that her primary focus was on pleasing the king, though she was also said to be interested in the bestowing of peerage
s, reputedly playing a part in the creation of a Barony for Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester
in 1741 and in the newly minted title Viscount Folkestone for Jacob des Bouverie
in 1747.
After the death of the king on 25 October 1760, she returned to Hanover. She died on the 19th or 20 October 1765.
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
from the mid-1730s until his death in 1760. Born into one prominent family in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
and wed into another, she became a naturalised citizen
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
of Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
in 1740 and was granted the life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
age title of "Countess of Yarmouth". She was the last royal mistress to be so honored. She remained in Britain until the 1760 death of George II, who is believed to have fathered her second son, Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn
Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn
Johann Ludwig Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn was a German lieutenant-general and art collector.-Life:He was an illegitimate son of George II of Great Britain by his mistress Amalie von Wallmoden...
. She returned to Hanover to live for the nearly five years she survived the king.
Biography
She was born Amalie Sophie Marianne von Wendt on 1 April 1704, the daughter of HanoverHanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
ian General Johann Franz Dietrich von Wendt and Friderike Charlotte von Wendt (née Von dem Busche). Her aunt was Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal. She entered into the House of Wallmoden
House of Wallmoden
The House of Wallmoden is a German noble family from the Diocese of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony. Their ancestral seat of Wallmoden is today a town in Goslar. Branches of the family still survive...
in 1727 with her marriage to Gottlieb Adam von Wallmoden, with whom she shared a son, Franz Ernst von Wallmoden. She was described in 1738 in a letter to Charles, Viscount Townshend
Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend
Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend , known as Lord Lynn from 1723 to 1738, was a British politician....
as being a brunette with "fine black eyes", "very well shaped, not tall, nor low; has no fine features, but very agreeable in the main."
George II was first attracted to Von Wallmoden during a 1735 visit to Hanover, where she lived with her husband. In 1736, she bore a son, Johann Ludwig, Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn, said to be the unacknowledged illegitimate child of the king. By 1738, George II's visits to Hanover to see his mistress were numerous enough to invite satire by Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
in the poem "London". The king ended the necessity of those visits after the death of his wife Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
in November 1737, sending for Von Wallmoden to join him in England, but it did not put an end to Johnson's disapproval. In 1739, Johnson wrote scathingly of the king's relationship with von Wallmoden, "his tortured sons shall die before his face / While he lies melting in a lewd embrace".
In 1739, von Wallmoden divorced her husband. In 1740, she was naturalized and given the non-inheritable title of Countess of Yarmouth, the last royal mistress to be so honored. She was officially designated Amalie Sophie de Wallmoden to obscure the question of her marital status. Horace Walpole
Horace Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford was an English art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He is now largely remembered for Strawberry Hill, the home he built in Twickenham, south-west London where he revived the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors,...
indicated that her primary focus was on pleasing the king, though she was also said to be interested in the bestowing of peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
s, reputedly playing a part in the creation of a Barony for Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester
Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester
Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester PC was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Ilchester was the son of Sir Stephen Fox and his second wife Christiana Hope. Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, was his younger brother and Charles James Fox his nephew...
in 1741 and in the newly minted title Viscount Folkestone for Jacob des Bouverie
Sir Jacob des Bouverie, 1st Viscount Folkestone
Jacob Bouverie, 1st Viscount Folkestone was an English politician, known as Sir Jacob Bouverie, 3rd Baronet from 1737 to 1747.-Life:...
in 1747.
After the death of the king on 25 October 1760, she returned to Hanover. She died on the 19th or 20 October 1765.