Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
Encyclopedia
Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie (1732–1800) was a Swedish noble
woman of the French-descent De la Gardie
family. She was the daughter of the General
and statesman Magnus Julius De la Gardie
and the political salonist
Hedvig Catharina Lilje
, and sister of scientist Eva Ekeblad
.
She married Axel von Fersen the Elder in 1752 and had four children with him:
Hedvig Catharina was the heir of Löfstad Castle
and her marriage thereby strengthened both the social and economic position of her spouse. In the 1760s, the Crown prince, (the future Gustav III of Sweden
), was rumoured to be in love with her. In 1764, Prince Gustav had the habit of walking on the roof terrass on the Royal Palace because he wanted to make contanct with her and see her when she showed herself on the roof of the Fersen Palace every day at four; he sent her flowers and asked for meetings in the park of Karlberg Palace
. It is not likely that the relation went further than this; Hedvig's attitude to the attention was described as "somewhat amused, somewhat quite dismissive". After 1772, when her spouse was made riksråd (councillor of state), she was known at court as riksrådinna, the feminine equivalent, and thereby given a high status. She was described as a close friend of Gustav III during his first years as a monarch: she belonged to the intimate circle of debate-partners with whom he stayed up late at night discussing, and he found her intelligent and cultivated. During his cultural reforms in replacing the French language with Swedish in culture life, such as at the opera and theatre, she was one he asked for advice; at the première of the Swedish language opera
Zaire (1774), she was the only one of the women at court to contradict him regarding his reform by saying that the Swedish word for "darling" was inferior to its French equivalent.
Hedvig had the church of Ljung
rebuilt and donated a collection of historical coins to it, which are still preserved there, in 1796. She was buried in the same church. She became a widow in 1794, and died in 1800.
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
woman of the French-descent 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...
family. She was the daughter of the General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and statesman Magnus Julius De la Gardie
Magnus Julius De la Gardie
Magnus Julius De la Gardie , son of Axel Julius De la Gardie, was a Swedish general and statesman, member of the Swedish Hats Party....
and the political salonist
Salon (gathering)
A salon is a gathering of people under the roof of an inspiring host, held partly to amuse one another and partly to refine taste and increase their knowledge of the participants through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to...
Hedvig Catharina Lilje
Hedvig Catharina Lilje
Hedvig Catharina Lillie, also called Lilje, as married Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie, , was a Swedish noble and salonist. She was politically active during the age of liberty in favour of the Hats and a pro-French policy through her connections and a known political figure of her time...
, and sister of scientist Eva Ekeblad
Eva Ekeblad
Eva Ekeblad , née Eva De la Gardie, was a Swedish agronomist, scientist, Salonist and noble . Her most known discovery was to make flour and alcohol out of potatoes...
.
She married Axel von Fersen the Elder in 1752 and had four children with him:
- Hedvig Eleonora von FersenHedvig Eleonora von FersenHedvig Eleonora von Fersen was a Swedish noble, lady in waiting to the Swedish queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie and the sister of Count Axel von Fersen the Younger and Sophie Piper...
, married name Klinckowström (1753–1792) - Hans Axel von Fersen (1755–1810)
- Sophie von FersenSophie PiperEva Sophie Piper , née Sophie von Fersen, was a Swedish noble and lady in waiting. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie and the sister of Axel von Fersen the Younger and Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen...
(1757–1816) - Fabian Reinhold von Fersen (1762–1818)
Hedvig Catharina was the heir of Löfstad Castle
Löfstad Castle
Löfstad Castle is a château situated near Norrköping, the province of Östergötland, in Sweden. Löfstad has its origins from the 15th century, but the present building was erected by Axel Lillie in the 17th century...
and her marriage thereby strengthened both the social and economic position of her spouse. In the 1760s, the Crown prince, (the future Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
), was rumoured to be in love with her. In 1764, Prince Gustav had the habit of walking on the roof terrass on the Royal Palace because he wanted to make contanct with her and see her when she showed herself on the roof of the Fersen Palace every day at four; he sent her flowers and asked for meetings in the park of Karlberg Palace
Karlberg Palace
Karlberg Palace is a palace by the Karlberg Canal on the border of Stockholm in Solna. The palace, built in 1630 and the oldest in Solna municipality, today houses the Military Academy Karlberg....
. It is not likely that the relation went further than this; Hedvig's attitude to the attention was described as "somewhat amused, somewhat quite dismissive". After 1772, when her spouse was made riksråd (councillor of state), she was known at court as riksrådinna, the feminine equivalent, and thereby given a high status. She was described as a close friend of Gustav III during his first years as a monarch: she belonged to the intimate circle of debate-partners with whom he stayed up late at night discussing, and he found her intelligent and cultivated. During his cultural reforms in replacing the French language with Swedish in culture life, such as at the opera and theatre, she was one he asked for advice; at the première of the Swedish language 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...
Zaire (1774), she was the only one of the women at court to contradict him regarding his reform by saying that the Swedish word for "darling" was inferior to its French equivalent.
Hedvig had the church of Ljung
Ljung
Ljung is a locality situated in Herrljunga Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 727 inhabitants in 2005....
rebuilt and donated a collection of historical coins to it, which are still preserved there, in 1796. She was buried in the same church. She became a widow in 1794, and died in 1800.