Frederika Amalia of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark (11 April 1649 – 30 October 1704) was the second daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark
and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp from 1667 to 1695 as the consort
of Duke Christian Albert.
and his queen, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her father had been crowned
king on 23 November 1649, about five months before she was born.
She was married at Glücksburg Castle on 24 October 1667 to Duke Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp as part of a peace treaty
between Denmark and Holstein-Gottorp, but the hostile parties continued to fight. The marriage was unhappy, with Frederica Amalia often tormented by the frequent disagreements between her brother, Christian V of Denmark
, and her spouse. She was reportedly well known to be badly treated by Christian Albrecht, while the Danish royal family gave her all sorts of personal privileges and proofs of affection.
The couple visited her sister, the Swedish queen Ulrika Eleonora. Her visits to Sweden inspired great parties and festivities at the otherwise strict Swedish court, and were much appreciated. She became a widow in 1694. As her sons where also anti-Danish, the conflict between Denmark and Holstein-Gottorp continued to put her in a difficult position also as a widow; when she died in her residence in Kiel
in 1704, a conflict between Holstein-Gottorp and Denmark abut the proper way to ring the bells at her funeral almost provoked war between the two states.
She was a great-grandmother of Catherine the Great, Empress regnant of Russia, through her son Christian August, and was also a great-grandmother of Catherine's husband Peter III of Russia
through her son Frederick. Additionally, she was the paternal grandmother of Adolf Frederick of Sweden
.
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 Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp from 1667 to 1695 as the consort
Queen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Duke Christian Albert.
Life
Frederica Amalie Oldenburg, Princess of Denmark, was a daughter of King Frederick III of DenmarkFrederick 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 queen, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her father had been 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...
king on 23 November 1649, about five months before she was born.
She was married at Glücksburg Castle on 24 October 1667 to Duke Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp as part of a peace treaty
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
between Denmark and Holstein-Gottorp, but the hostile parties continued to fight. The marriage was unhappy, with Frederica Amalia often tormented by the frequent disagreements between her brother, 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...
, and her spouse. She was reportedly well known to be badly treated by Christian Albrecht, while the Danish royal family gave her all sorts of personal privileges and proofs of affection.
The couple visited her sister, the Swedish queen Ulrika Eleonora. Her visits to Sweden inspired great parties and festivities at the otherwise strict Swedish court, and were much appreciated. She became a widow in 1694. As her sons where also anti-Danish, the conflict between Denmark and Holstein-Gottorp continued to put her in a difficult position also as a widow; when she died in her residence in Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
in 1704, a conflict between Holstein-Gottorp and Denmark abut the proper way to ring the bells at her funeral almost provoked war between the two states.
Issue
With Duke Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp, she had four children:- Sophie Amalie (19 January 1670 – 27 February 1710), married on 7 July 1695 to Duke Augustus William of Brunswick-LüneburgAugustus William, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgAugustus William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg ruled over the Wolfenbüttel subdivision of the duchy from 1714 until his death....
. No issue. - Frederick (18 October 1671 – 19 July 1702), succeeded his father as Duke Frederick IV of Holstein-Gottorp.
- Christian August (11 January 1673 – 24 April 1726), succeeded his brother as Duke Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp.
- Marie Elisabeth (21 March 1678 – 17 July 1755), Abbess of QuedlinburgQuedlinburg AbbeyQuedlinburg Abbey was a house of secular canonesses in Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It was founded in 936 on the initiative of Saint Mathilda, the widow of Henry the Fowler, as his memorial...
.
She was a great-grandmother of Catherine the Great, Empress regnant of Russia, through her son Christian August, and was also a great-grandmother of Catherine's husband Peter III of Russia
Peter III of Russia
Peter III was Emperor of Russia for six months in 1762. He was very pro-Prussian, which made him an unpopular leader. He was supposedly assassinated as a result of a conspiracy led by his wife, who succeeded him to the throne as Catherine II.-Early life and character:Peter was born in Kiel, in...
through her son Frederick. Additionally, she was the paternal grandmother of Adolf Frederick of Sweden
Adolf Frederick of Sweden
Adolf Frederick or Adolph Frederick was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. He was the son of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach....
.