Hedvig Ulrika De la Gardie
Encyclopedia
Hedvig Ulrika De la Gardie (Stockholm
, Sweden 1761 - Stockholm
1832) was a Swedish lady in waiting
. She was married to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
. She was the head governess of the Swedish royal children in 1799-1803.
She was the daughter of count
Carl Julius De la Gardie
and countess Magdalena Christina Stenbock and was a maid of honor to the queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
. She married in 7 August 1785 on Drottningholm Palace
to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt. Armfelt was said to have married her because of the status of her surname; he treated her with respect but never loved her and had a parallel relationship with Magdalena Rudenschöld
. Hedvig Ulrika, on the other hand, was intensely in love with him and remained loyal to him; she was described as silent, serious and reliable.
In 1792, she followed Armfelt to Naples
. She was entrusted some of his papers, and buried them in the garden, but the servant who buried them sold the documents and replaced them with a blanc paper, which contributed to the exposure of the Armfelt conspiracy. An order of arrest was warranted on her husband, and because of it, she was herself detained several times, in Rome and Venice, during her travel from Italy to relatives in Riga
in Livonia
in 1794. She was allowed to keep her pension as lady in waiting and was given a travel sum by Duke Charles
. Her husband was sentenced to death in absentia for treason and she was banned from Sweden and from using his name. Axel von Fersen the Younger was her agent in economic affairs in Sweden. She remained convinced of her husband's innoncence, at least officially.
The couple resided under the protection of Catherine the Great in Kaluga
. Hedvig Ulrika acted as the agent of her husband on several occasions. She visited Paul I of Russia
to ask for better conditions in 1796, but failed. When Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
was declard of legal majority in 1797, she visited the Swedish monarch and achieved permission for her to return to Sweden, to use her husband’s name to allow Armfelt to live anywhere except Sweden and Russia and to stop all active persecution toward him. She then managed to get permission from the czar to allow Armfelt to leave Russia, and in 1798, she travelled with him to Berlin
.
In 1799, Hedvig returned to Sweden where she was appointed head of the court of the royal children. She accepted the appointment on condition that Armfelt was allowed to returned to Sweden. She was granted her wish, which was realised in 1800, after she had threatened to resign if the agreement was not honoured; Armfelt was informed that his exile hade been lifted of consideration of his wife and mother. Hedvig was greatly admired for her loyalty toward Armfelt, while he was not considered worthy of it. She left her position at court in 1803 with the customary title of Excellensy.
She was also at one point the lady in waiting to the empress of Russia. She was given the (Lesser) Order of Saint Catherine, (1814).
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...
, Sweden 1761 - 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...
1832) was a Swedish 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...
. She was married to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt was a Finnish and Swedish courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one of the great Finnish statesmen. Born in Tarvasjoki, Finland, he was the great grandson of Charles XII of Sweden's general, Carl Gustaf Armfeldt...
. She was the head governess of the Swedish royal children in 1799-1803.
She was the daughter of count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Carl Julius De la Gardie
De la Gardie
De la Gardie, occasionally de la Gardie , is a Swedish noble family of French origin. The family's social status in France before the migration to Sweden is uncertain, they were possibly of lower gentry or bourgeoisie...
and countess Magdalena Christina Stenbock and was a maid of honor to the 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 married in 7 August 1785 on Drottningholm Palace
Drottningholm Palace
The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...
to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt. Armfelt was said to have married her because of the status of her surname; he treated her with respect but never loved her and had a parallel relationship with Magdalena Rudenschöld
Magdalena Rudenschöld
Magdalena Charlotta Rudenschöld, commonly known as Malla Rudenschöld and privately as Malin Rudenschöld , was a member of the Swedish nobility and a lady-in-waiting. She was one of the main participants in the so-called Armfelt conspiracy against the guardian government of 1792...
. Hedvig Ulrika, on the other hand, was intensely in love with him and remained loyal to him; she was described as silent, serious and reliable.
In 1792, she followed Armfelt to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. She was entrusted some of his papers, and buried them in the garden, but the servant who buried them sold the documents and replaced them with a blanc paper, which contributed to the exposure of the Armfelt conspiracy. An order of arrest was warranted on her husband, and because of it, she was herself detained several times, in Rome and Venice, during her travel from Italy to relatives in Riga
Riga
Riga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
in Livonia
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
in 1794. She was allowed to keep her pension as lady in waiting and was given a travel sum by Duke Charles
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
. Her husband was sentenced to death in absentia for treason and she was banned from Sweden and from using his name. Axel von Fersen the Younger was her agent in economic affairs in Sweden. She remained convinced of her husband's innoncence, at least officially.
The couple resided under the protection of Catherine the Great in Kaluga
Kaluga
Kaluga is a city and the administrative center of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River southwest of Moscow. Population: It is served by Grabtsevo Airport.-History:...
. Hedvig Ulrika acted as the agent of her husband on several occasions. She visited Paul I of Russia
Paul I of Russia
Paul I was the Emperor of Russia between 1796 and 1801. He also was the 72nd Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta .-Childhood:...
to ask for better conditions in 1796, but failed. When Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
was declard of legal majority in 1797, she visited the Swedish monarch and achieved permission for her to return to Sweden, to use her husband’s name to allow Armfelt to live anywhere except Sweden and Russia and to stop all active persecution toward him. She then managed to get permission from the czar to allow Armfelt to leave Russia, and in 1798, she travelled with him to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
In 1799, Hedvig returned to Sweden where she was appointed head of the court of the royal children. She accepted the appointment on condition that Armfelt was allowed to returned to Sweden. She was granted her wish, which was realised in 1800, after she had threatened to resign if the agreement was not honoured; Armfelt was informed that his exile hade been lifted of consideration of his wife and mother. Hedvig was greatly admired for her loyalty toward Armfelt, while he was not considered worthy of it. She left her position at court in 1803 with the customary title of Excellensy.
She was also at one point the lady in waiting to the empress of Russia. She was given the (Lesser) Order of Saint Catherine, (1814).