Anna Sophie of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Princess Anna Sophie of Denmark (1 September 1647 – 1 July 1717) was the eldest daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark
and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Electress of Saxony
from 1680 to 1691 as the wife of John George III
.
Anna Sophie was the sister of a King of Denmark (Christian V
), a Queen consort of Sweden (Ulrika Eleonora), and a King consort of Great Britain (Prince George), as well as the mother of a King of Poland (August II, "the Strong").
, the second child and first daughter of Prince Frederick of Denmark
and his wife, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
. She had an elder brother, Christian
. King Christian IV of Denmark
, her father's father, died when she was six months old, and after many months of deliberation, the Rigsraadet
royal council and Estates elected her father king. He was crowned
Frederick III on 23 November 1648. Her parents had six more children, two of whom died in infancy. Her surviving siblings were Frederica Amalia, Wilhelmina Ernestine
, George, and Ulrika Eleonora.
Anna Sophie received a fine education. Besides her native Danish
, she knew German
, Latin, French
, Spanish
and Italian
. She is described physically as having thick dark eyebrows and long curving nose.
In 1663, a celebration was held in Copenhagen
honouring the fifteen-year-old princess's engagement to John George
, the electoral prince of Saxony. Anna Sophie and John George were married three years later, on 9 October 1666. The Polish king John III Sobieski
later said of her husband, "[He] is an honest man with a straight heart."
They had two children:
Her husband also had an illegitimate son by his official mistress, a Venetian
opera
singer named Margarita Salicola, and may have had a daughter, Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
, with Ursula Margarethe of Haugwitz.
Both her sons were initially brought up by Danish ladies-in-waiting
sent to Dresden by her mother, Queen Sophie Amalie of Denmark.
Anna Sophie's father died on 9 February 1670 and was succeeded by her elder brother Christian (as Christian V of Denmark
), with whom she held a very active correspondence and discussed political matters. She visited Denmark that year and expressed her sympathy for the imprisoned Leonora Christina Ulfeldt, her first cousin.
Her sister Frederica Amalia had become the Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp in 1667. In 1702, her sister-in-law the Lady Anne
acceded to the throne of England, Ireland and Scotland as Queen Anne, and Anne Sophie's brother George became her consort. She herself became the Electress of Saxony in 1680, and her sister Ulrika Eleonora became queen consort of Sweden the same year.
Her widowed sister Wilhelmina Ernestine, the Dowager Electress Palatine, came to live with her in Saxony
in 1685.
of an epidemic illness, probably cholera
or the plague
, and was buried in the Cathedral of Freiberg. The next year, Anna Sophie attempted to end the love affair between her elder son, then Elector Johann Georg IV
, and his mistress
, Magdalene Sibylle "Billa" of Neidschutz
, with whom he had been living openly since his father's death. Her late husband had tried to break up the couple, perhaps motivated by fears that a close blood relationship existed between the lovers—for Billa may have been his own daughter by Ursula Margarethe of Haugwitz, and therefore John George IV's half-sister. John George IV was either ignorant of the possibility that he and Billa were committing incest
, or he disregarded the claim as a malicious rumor.
Anna Sophie forced her son into marrying Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
, a German noblewoman, but the marriage proved a disastrous failure. John George IV not only abandoned his bride, leaving her at the Hofe (the official residence of the Elector) to be with his mistress at another palace, but eventually tried to murder her so he could marry Billa.
Anna Sophie's daughter-in-law failed to produce an heir, suffering two miscarriage
s, in August 1692 and February 1693. In June 1693, her son's mistress gave birth to a daughter, Wilhelmina Maria Frederica. Less than a year later Billa contracted smallpox
and died on 4 April 1694, in the arms of the Elector. Johann Georg himself died 23 days later of the same disease, and was buried in the Freiberg Cathedral
. Having died without legitimate issue, he was succeeded by his brother, who took over the guardianship of the orphan
ed Frederica. She was raised at the royal court
and acknowledged as Frederick August's niece.
Anna Sophie brought up her grandson Friedrich August
, born on 17 October 1696, the only child of her second son and his estranged, self-exiled wife, Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
. The boy would one day succeed his father as Augustus III of Poland. Anna Sophie and her daughter-in-law got on well, both women agreeing especially on matters of religion, and Eberhardine visited her son often.
In her later years, Anna Sophie lived with her sister Wilhelmina Ernestine at Castle Lichtenburg
. She died in Prettin
.
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Electress of Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
from 1680 to 1691 as the wife of John George III
John George III, Elector of Saxony
Johann Georg III was Elector of Saxony from 1680 to 1691.-Early life:Johann Georg was the only son of the Elector Johann Georg II and Magdalene Sybille of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
.
Anna Sophie was the sister of a King of Denmark (Christian V
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
), a Queen consort of Sweden (Ulrika Eleonora), and a King consort of Great Britain (Prince George), as well as the mother of a King of Poland (August II, "the Strong").
Early life and marriage
Anna Sophie was born in FlensburgFlensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
, the second child and first daughter of Prince Frederick of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
and his wife, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
. She had an elder brother, Christian
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. King Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
, her father's father, died when she was six months old, and after many months of deliberation, the Rigsraadet
Rigsraadet
Rigsraadet, or Riksrådet, , is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Ages to the 17th century...
royal council and Estates elected her father king. He was crowned
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
Frederick III on 23 November 1648. Her parents had six more children, two of whom died in infancy. Her surviving siblings were Frederica Amalia, Wilhelmina Ernestine
Princess Wilhelmina Ernestine of Denmark
Wilhelmine Ernestine of Denmark and Norway of Denmark was an Electress Palatine. She was the third of five daughters of King Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg.-Biography:...
, George, and Ulrika Eleonora.
Anna Sophie received a fine education. Besides her native Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
, she knew German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Latin, 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...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
. She is described physically as having thick dark eyebrows and long curving nose.
In 1663, a celebration was held in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
honouring the fifteen-year-old princess's engagement to John George
John George III, Elector of Saxony
Johann Georg III was Elector of Saxony from 1680 to 1691.-Early life:Johann Georg was the only son of the Elector Johann Georg II and Magdalene Sybille of Brandenburg-Bayreuth....
, the electoral prince of Saxony. Anna Sophie and John George were married three years later, on 9 October 1666. The Polish king John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski
John III Sobieski was one of the most notable monarchs of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, from 1674 until his death King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. Sobieski's 22-year-reign was marked by a period of the Commonwealth's stabilization, much needed after the turmoil of the Deluge and...
later said of her husband, "[He] is an honest man with a straight heart."
They had two children:
- Johann Georg IVJohn George IV, Elector of SaxonyJohn George IV was Elector of Saxony from 1691 to 1694.He was the eldest son of the Elector John George III and Anna Sophie of Denmark.-First years as elector:...
(Dresden, 18 October 1668 – Dresden, 28 May 1694), succeeded his father as Elector; - Frederick Augustus I (Dresden, 22 May 1670 – Warsaw, 1 February 1733), succeeded his brother as Elector and later as "August the Strong", King of Poland.
Her husband also had an illegitimate son by his official mistress, a Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer named Margarita Salicola, and may have had a daughter, Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz , later Countess of Rochlitz, was a German noblewoman and the mistress of John George IV, Elector of Saxony...
, with Ursula Margarethe of Haugwitz.
Both her sons were initially brought up by Danish ladies-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...
sent to Dresden by her mother, Queen Sophie Amalie of Denmark.
Anna Sophie's father died on 9 February 1670 and was succeeded by her elder brother Christian (as Christian V of Denmark
Christian V of Denmark
Christian V , was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 to 1699, the son of Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
), with whom she held a very active correspondence and discussed political matters. She visited Denmark that year and expressed her sympathy for the imprisoned Leonora Christina Ulfeldt, her first cousin.
Her sister Frederica Amalia had become the Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp in 1667. In 1702, her sister-in-law the Lady Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
acceded to the throne of England, Ireland and Scotland as Queen Anne, and Anne Sophie's brother George became her consort. She herself became the Electress of Saxony in 1680, and her sister Ulrika Eleonora became queen consort of Sweden the same year.
Her widowed sister Wilhelmina Ernestine, the Dowager Electress Palatine, came to live with her in Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
in 1685.
Dowager Electress
Her husband died in 1692 in TübingenTübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
of an epidemic illness, probably cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
or the plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
, and was buried in the Cathedral of Freiberg. The next year, Anna Sophie attempted to end the love affair between her elder son, then Elector Johann Georg IV
John George IV, Elector of Saxony
John George IV was Elector of Saxony from 1691 to 1694.He was the eldest son of the Elector John George III and Anna Sophie of Denmark.-First years as elector:...
, and his 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,...
, Magdalene Sibylle "Billa" of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz
Magdalena Sibylla of Neidschutz , later Countess of Rochlitz, was a German noblewoman and the mistress of John George IV, Elector of Saxony...
, with whom he had been living openly since his father's death. Her late husband had tried to break up the couple, perhaps motivated by fears that a close blood relationship existed between the lovers—for Billa may have been his own daughter by Ursula Margarethe of Haugwitz, and therefore John George IV's half-sister. John George IV was either ignorant of the possibility that he and Billa were committing incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
, or he disregarded the claim as a malicious rumor.
Anna Sophie forced her son into marrying Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise of Saxe-Eisenach was the mother of Caroline of Ansbach, queen consort of King George II of Great Britain...
, a German noblewoman, but the marriage proved a disastrous failure. John George IV not only abandoned his bride, leaving her at the Hofe (the official residence of the Elector) to be with his mistress at another palace, but eventually tried to murder her so he could marry Billa.
Anna Sophie's daughter-in-law failed to produce an heir, suffering two miscarriage
Miscarriage
Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation...
s, in August 1692 and February 1693. In June 1693, her son's mistress gave birth to a daughter, Wilhelmina Maria Frederica. Less than a year later Billa contracted smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
and died on 4 April 1694, in the arms of the Elector. Johann Georg himself died 23 days later of the same disease, and was buried in the Freiberg Cathedral
Freiberg Cathedral
The Freiberg Cathedral or Cathedral of St Mary is a Lutheran church in Freiberg, Saxony. It is called a cathedral in English even though it has never been the seat of a bishop.-History:...
. Having died without legitimate issue, he was succeeded by his brother, who took over the guardianship of the orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
ed Frederica. She was raised at 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...
and acknowledged as Frederick August's niece.
Anna Sophie brought up her grandson Friedrich August
Augustus III of Poland
Augustus III, known as the Saxon ; ; also Prince-elector Friedrich August II was the Elector of Saxony in 1733-1763, as Frederick Augustus II , King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1734-1763.-Biography:Augustus was the only legitimate son of Augustus II the Strong, Imperial Prince-Elector...
, born on 17 October 1696, the only child of her second son and his estranged, self-exiled wife, Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth
Christiane Eberhardine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth was Electress of Saxony from 1694 to 1727 and titular Queen of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1697 to 1727 as the wife of Augustus II the Strong. Not once throughout the whole of her thirty-year queenship did she set foot in Poland, instead...
. The boy would one day succeed his father as Augustus III of Poland. Anna Sophie and her daughter-in-law got on well, both women agreeing especially on matters of religion, and Eberhardine visited her son often.
In her later years, Anna Sophie lived with her sister Wilhelmina Ernestine at Castle Lichtenburg
Lichtenburg (concentration camp)
Lichtenburg was a Nazi concentration camp, housed in a Renaissance castle in Prettin, near Wittenberg in eastern Germany. Along with Sachsenburg, it was among the first to be built by the Nazis, and was operated by the SS from 1933 to 1939. It held as many as 2000 male prisoners from 1933 to 1937...
. She died in Prettin
Prettin
Prettin is a town and a former municipality in Wittenberg district in Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Annaburg. It was part of the former administrative community of Annaburg-Prettin....
.