Hedvig Catharina Lilje
Encyclopedia
Hedvig Catharina Lillie, also called Lilje, as married Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie, (1695–1745), was a Swedish noble
and salon
ist. She was politically active during the age of liberty in favour of the Hats (party)
and a pro-French policy through her connections and a known political figure of her time. She was the grandmother of Count Axel von Fersen the Younger.
. The family of her future spouse was had economic trbules since the reduction made by Charles XI of Sweden
in the 1680s, and the marriage was arranged by her mother to save the finances of the De la Gardie family with her personal fortune. Her spouse was an important member of the Hats (party)
, which was even said to have been founded in his home; he introduced the political salon in Sweden, for which Hedvig became the host. Hedvig Catharina was described as an intelligent beauty, and soon became one of the leading (though informal) party-members of the Hats.
Her salon was also the center of the noble amateur theatre
which flourished in Stockholm in the decades before the Swedish national stage was founded in 1737; Hedvig's daughter Brita Sophia
(1713–1797) was an amateur-actress and the female star of the amateur-troupe "Count De la Gardies Comedians". When the national stage was founded in 1737, two of Sweden's first professional native actresses of the new theatre was recruited from the maids of the De la Gardie family.
She was the most openly political woman of her time, and wore ribbons which singalled her political wievs. Her salon was frequented by Hat-members and the pro-French. Especially during the 1730s, she participated in politics and in the conflicts and struggle for power between the cap's and the other ruling parties during the rule of the estates. Her political activism exposed her to the same criticism as other politicians, and libelous pamphlets circulated about how she let her love affairs inflict her political sympathies. Fryxell spread the rumour about her alleged affair with a young noble of the Sture family.
In 1734, she was given the assignement by Carl Gyllenborg
to negotiate with France through the French ambassador in Stockholm, Charles Louis de Biaudos de Casteja, in financing the Hat-party with French funds. Casteja was pointed out as her lover to explain her pro-French sympathies, and she was caricatured as "a beautiful and well bred horse", which "had long been running along with a stallion from Gaulle" - pointing out her and Casteja, and anonymous comments were made that "The French have so thoroughly penetrated the senses of some of our woman- ministers, that they have willingly given them their trust".
The politically active salon-holders were criticized in the press, and Lillie was especially exposed to critics. In 1733, Olof von Dahlin carictured the political salon-woman in his paper Den Swänska Argus; she was named "Fru Kättia Sällskapslik" (In English: "Mrs Lusty Society") and criticised for "laughing at virtue" by spending so much time with males and exhanging flirtatious jokes with them
After the death of Daniel Niklas von Höpken in 1741, she became the informal leader of the Carl Gyllenborg
party fraction. The same year, however, Magnus Julius died, which ended her political life.
. Hedvig Catharina Lilje had six children; she was the mother of the famous scientist Eva Ekeblad
, mother-in-law to Cathérine Charlotte De la Gardie
and, through her youngest daughter Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
the grandmother of Axel von Fersen the Younger. He eldest daughter, former amateur-actor Brita Sophia, followed her to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism, became a nun and died in 1797.
, and Henrika Juliana von Liewen
, active as an opinion-leader within the cap-party as a salonist and the participant of the party-paper of 1755-1756: it was even said that women was the true leaders of the political parties.
Especially France was active in acquiring agents and establishing contacts with politically influential women and offering them secret allowances from the French state to benefit French interests in Sweden : ambassador Casteja upheld contacts with among others the wife of Arvid Horn
, Margareta Gyllenstierna, as well as Charlotta von Liewen. During the last years of the age of liberty, in the late 1760s, three women, among them Eva Helena Löwen
were among the list of nine identified people paid by the French state to benefit French interests in Sweden.
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...
and salon
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...
ist. She was politically active during the age of liberty in favour of the Hats (party)
Hats (party)
The Hats were a Swedish political faction active during the Age of Liberty . Their name derives from the tricorne hat worn by officers and gentlemen. They vied for power with the Caps. The Hats, who ruled Sweden from 1738 to 1765, advocated an alliance with France and an assertive foreign policy,...
and a pro-French policy through her connections and a known political figure of her time. She was the grandmother of Count Axel von Fersen the Younger.
Cultural and political salonist
Hedvig Catharina Lilje was born child of count Axel Johan Lillje and Agneta Wrede and married in 1709 to count Magnus Julius De la GardieMagnus 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....
. The family of her future spouse was had economic trbules since the reduction made by Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
in the 1680s, and the marriage was arranged by her mother to save the finances of the De la Gardie family with her personal fortune. Her spouse was an important member of the Hats (party)
Hats (party)
The Hats were a Swedish political faction active during the Age of Liberty . Their name derives from the tricorne hat worn by officers and gentlemen. They vied for power with the Caps. The Hats, who ruled Sweden from 1738 to 1765, advocated an alliance with France and an assertive foreign policy,...
, which was even said to have been founded in his home; he introduced the political salon in Sweden, for which Hedvig became the host. Hedvig Catharina was described as an intelligent beauty, and soon became one of the leading (though informal) party-members of the Hats.
Her salon was also the center of the noble amateur theatre
Amateur theatre
Amateur theatre is theatre performed by amateur actors. These actors are not typically members of Actors' Equity groups or Actors' Unions as these organizations exist to protect the professional industry and therefore discourage their members from appearing with companies which are not a signatory...
which flourished in Stockholm in the decades before the Swedish national stage was founded in 1737; Hedvig's daughter Brita Sophia
Brita Sophia De la Gardie
Brita Sophia De la Gardie was a Swedish noble and amateur actress. She was a central member of the cultural life in Stockholm in her time. She played a part in the history of Swedish theatre...
(1713–1797) was an amateur-actress and the female star of the amateur-troupe "Count De la Gardies Comedians". When the national stage was founded in 1737, two of Sweden's first professional native actresses of the new theatre was recruited from the maids of the De la Gardie family.
She was the most openly political woman of her time, and wore ribbons which singalled her political wievs. Her salon was frequented by Hat-members and the pro-French. Especially during the 1730s, she participated in politics and in the conflicts and struggle for power between the cap's and the other ruling parties during the rule of the estates. Her political activism exposed her to the same criticism as other politicians, and libelous pamphlets circulated about how she let her love affairs inflict her political sympathies. Fryxell spread the rumour about her alleged affair with a young noble of the Sture family.
In 1734, she was given the assignement by Carl Gyllenborg
Carl Gyllenborg
Count Carl Gyllenborg was a Swedish statesman and author.-Biography:After serving in the Polish War, he was sent to London as secretary of legation. In 1715, he was made minister plenipotentiary, and two years later was imprisoned for five months because of his participation in the plot to...
to negotiate with France through the French ambassador in Stockholm, Charles Louis de Biaudos de Casteja, in financing the Hat-party with French funds. Casteja was pointed out as her lover to explain her pro-French sympathies, and she was caricatured as "a beautiful and well bred horse", which "had long been running along with a stallion from Gaulle" - pointing out her and Casteja, and anonymous comments were made that "The French have so thoroughly penetrated the senses of some of our woman- ministers, that they have willingly given them their trust".
The politically active salon-holders were criticized in the press, and Lillie was especially exposed to critics. In 1733, Olof von Dahlin carictured the political salon-woman in his paper Den Swänska Argus; she was named "Fru Kättia Sällskapslik" (In English: "Mrs Lusty Society") and criticised for "laughing at virtue" by spending so much time with males and exhanging flirtatious jokes with them
After the death of Daniel Niklas von Höpken in 1741, she became the informal leader of the Carl Gyllenborg
Carl Gyllenborg
Count Carl Gyllenborg was a Swedish statesman and author.-Biography:After serving in the Polish War, he was sent to London as secretary of legation. In 1715, he was made minister plenipotentiary, and two years later was imprisoned for five months because of his participation in the plot to...
party fraction. The same year, however, Magnus Julius died, which ended her political life.
Later life
As a widow, she moved to Paris in France, where she converted to Catholicism and became heavily indebted. She reportedly spent a sum of one million in Paris, where she participated in the aristocratic high society and became "an every day guest at court" in VersaillesVersailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. Hedvig Catharina Lilje had six children; she was the mother of the famous 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...
, mother-in-law to Cathérine Charlotte De la Gardie
Cathérine Charlotte De la Gardie
Countess Catherine Charlotte De la Gardie or de La Gardie, also called Catharina Charlotta and Katarina Charlotta, née Taube, , was a Swedish noble...
and, through her youngest daughter Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie
Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie was a Swedish noblewoman 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...
the grandmother of Axel von Fersen the Younger. He eldest daughter, former amateur-actor Brita Sophia, followed her to Paris, where she converted to Catholicism, became a nun and died in 1797.
Context
During the age of liberty, many women took part in politics as debate leaders, salon-holders, writers and play-writes, such as Magdalena Elisabeth Rahm, Baroness Buddenbrock, who was an opinion leader in favor of the Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743)Russo-Swedish War (1741-1743)
The Russo–Swedish War of 1741–1743, known as the Hats' Russian War in Sweden and the Hats' War in Finland, which resulted in the Lesser Wrath , or the occupation of Finland, was instigated by the Hats, a Swedish political party that aspired to regain the territories lost to Russia during the Great...
, and Henrika Juliana von Liewen
Henrika Juliana von Liewen
Henrika Juliana von Liewen was a Swedish noble, socialite and lady-in-waiting, believed to have been politically active on behalf of the Hats during the Age of liberty....
, active as an opinion-leader within the cap-party as a salonist and the participant of the party-paper of 1755-1756: it was even said that women was the true leaders of the political parties.
Especially France was active in acquiring agents and establishing contacts with politically influential women and offering them secret allowances from the French state to benefit French interests in Sweden : ambassador Casteja upheld contacts with among others the wife of Arvid Horn
Arvid Horn
Count Arvid Bernhard Horn of Ekebyholm was a Swedish soldier, diplomat and politician. He served twice as President of the Privy Council Chancellery and was one of the leading figures of the Swedish Age of Liberty.- Soldier and diplomat :He was born Arvid Bernhard Horn in Vuorentaka ,...
, Margareta Gyllenstierna, as well as Charlotta von Liewen. During the last years of the age of liberty, in the late 1760s, three women, among them Eva Helena Löwen
Eva Helena Löwen
Eva Helena Löwen , was a politically active Swedish noble socialite and royal favourite. She was active as a French agent in Sweden....
were among the list of nine identified people paid by the French state to benefit French interests in Sweden.