Louise of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
Louise of the Netherlands (Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna Louisa) (5 August 1828 – 30 March 1871) was the Queen of Sweden and Norway as spouse of King Charles XV of Sweden and IV of Norway
.
. Her father was Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
, the second child of King William I of the Netherlands
and Wilhelmina of Prussia. Her mother Louise was the eighth child of King Frederick William III of Prussia
and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
.
on 19 June 1850 Crown Prince Charles of Sweden and Norway
, the son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway
and Josephine of Leuchtenberg
.
The marriage was arranged to provide the new Bernadotte dynasty with heirs and for the enormous dowry expected; although in reality, the dowry was very small. It was an unhappy union, since the Crown Prince found Louise unattractive and was unfaithful, although she quickly fell in love with him. The first decade of their marriage (1852–60) her husband had a relationship with her lady-in-waiting
Josephine Sparre
: Sparre made a scandal
by following Charles around openly at court "like a patch". Among her husband's many mistresses were the actresses Hanna Styrell
(1860–69) and Elise Hwasser
(1858), the latter being the most celebrated Swedish actress of the era. From 1869, he had a relationship with the independent telegraphist Wilhelmine Schröder
, who was interested in spiritism and with whom he discussed existential issues.
During her husband's reign as a prince regent (1857–59), she was described: A more loveable and talented woman would have entirely recreated the atmophere in this circle and also exerted a good influence upon the Prince, who, of a good nature, easily let himself be led by those he likes, especially women. Although good, dutiful and not one to plot, the crown princess lacks higher qualities. She is a good housewife but thinks only of her husband, herself and those closest to her and she has not the good influence on him which her good character gives her the right to have. Because of her inborn shyness, she lacks the courage to meddle in his affairs, and her only wish is to gain his love. With one word; she seems not mature enough for her great task.
She was crowned both in Sweden and Norway; Norway had refused to crown the two previous queens because they were Roman Catholics, and Louise became the first queen to be crowned in Norway since the Middle Ages. She was very popular during her visit to Norway.
Louise was not a successful crown-princess and was not to be a successful queen, having a shy and quiet personality, the complete opposite of the king's. It was said that she lacked the ability to converse. However, the fact that she never had anything whatsoever to do with politics was considered to be a good contrast compared to the previous queens consort, such as her predecessor Josephine. She was expected to do charity and founded several institutions, such as Kronprinsessan Lovisas vårdanstalt för sjuka barn (Crown Princess Louise's asylum for sick children), Drottning Lovisas understödsförening (Queen Louise's support organisation) and Dronning Lovisas asylum (Queen Louise's asylum) in Norway, she translated religious works and gave the income to charity.
She spent her life attending to domestic duties and the family's finances, trying to please her husband by becoming the ideal woman of the time and wearing the "Ornament of Silence". Her personality did represent this ideal, but it did not improve her relationship with the king, who treated her with condescending kindness and largely neglected her. Eventually, her health deteriorated. In 1854, her son died; the birth had made her infertile, and she offered her husband a divorce, but he declined.
On at least one occasion, during a picnic, she suffered some kind of a fit (possibly an epileptic seizure from contemporary descriptions), which was thought to have been a hysterical reaction to her husband's neglect. The court struggled to conceal her from the public until the fit was over. In this issue, it was noted that: Lovisa could at any time faint and in connection to this, she could have what is called nerv- or cramp-attacks. At one occasion, she had an attack during a boat trip on Mälaren
; the king was present, and quickly took her below deck.
Louise did not care for ceremonial duties and preferred a quiet family life, although she was interested in fashion and often dressed very elegantly. She often avoided ceremonial duties by claiming to be sick, but was occasionally forced by her husband. He did not like to show himself without her at formal occasions, and once said that she would have to attend: The old women might think there is something wrong with you! In 1866, the king forced her to open the Stockholm exhibition in his place. Her husband was very fond of their daughter, so they did share some of the family life Louisa longed for. However, she was worried by his treatment of their daughter "as a son", which allowed her a very "unrestrained" childhood.
Together with her daughter, she was a student of Nancy Edberg
, the pioneer of swimming for women (1862); the art of swimming was initially not regarded as being entirely proper for women, but when the Queen and her daughter Princess Louise supported it by attending the lessons, swimming was quickly made fashionable and became accepted for women.
Louise employed Sweden's first female dentist, Rosalie Fougelberg
, as her personal dentist
in 1867.
In 1870, she visited her mother in Holland, who died the same year. On her return, her husband was sick, and she nursed him. She liked to take "walks by carriage", and on one of these, she caught pneumonia. Queen Louise died on 30 March 1871 in Stockholm
. Her husband and his mother were unable to attend the funeral in the church because of their illnesses. Her father, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, survived her by ten years.
Charles XV of Sweden
Charles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death....
.
Birth
Princess Louise was born on 5 August 1828 in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. Her father was Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau , was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia....
, the second child of King William I of the Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
and Wilhelmina of Prussia. Her mother Louise was the eighth child of King Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
and Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was Queen consort of Prussia as the wife of King Frederick William III...
.
Crown Princess
Princess Louise married in StockholmStockholm
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...
on 19 June 1850 Crown Prince Charles of Sweden and Norway
Charles XV of Sweden
Charles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death....
, the son of King Oscar I of Sweden and Norway
Oscar I of Sweden
Oscar I was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm . Oscar's father was the first ruler of the current House of Bernadotte...
and Josephine of Leuchtenberg
Josephine of Leuchtenberg
Joséphine of Leuchtenberg was Queen consort of Sweden and Norway as the wife of King Oscar I...
.
The marriage was arranged to provide the new Bernadotte dynasty with heirs and for the enormous dowry expected; although in reality, the dowry was very small. It was an unhappy union, since the Crown Prince found Louise unattractive and was unfaithful, although she quickly fell in love with him. The first decade of their marriage (1852–60) her husband had a relationship with her lady-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...
Josephine Sparre
Josephine Sparre
Josephine Sophie Anette Charlotte Sparre af Söfdeborg, , called Jossan or Schossan, was a Swedish noble, lady-in-waiting and a royal mistress to King Charles XV of Sweden.- Biography :...
: Sparre made a scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
by following Charles around openly at court "like a patch". Among her husband's many mistresses were the actresses Hanna Styrell
Hanna Styrell
Hanna Styrell, , was a Swedish actress, and the royal mistress of King Charles XV of Sweden.Styrell was born daughter of a baker in Stockholm and became an actress at the age of seventeen, when she performed in the inauguration of the Odéon Theatre in 1859 under the name Hanna Stjernblad.She...
(1860–69) and Elise Hwasser
Elise Hwasser
Ebba Charlotta Elise Hwasser, née Jakobsson, , was a Swedish actress, the leading lady on the Swedish stage for thirty years, and often described as the greatest female dramatic star in Sweden during the Victorian era....
(1858), the latter being the most celebrated Swedish actress of the era. From 1869, he had a relationship with the independent telegraphist Wilhelmine Schröder
Wilhelmine Schröder
Wilhelmine Schröder was a Swedish telegraphist, writer, and journalist, and was also the confidant and royal mistress of King Charles XV of Sweden....
, who was interested in spiritism and with whom he discussed existential issues.
During her husband's reign as a prince regent (1857–59), she was described: A more loveable and talented woman would have entirely recreated the atmophere in this circle and also exerted a good influence upon the Prince, who, of a good nature, easily let himself be led by those he likes, especially women. Although good, dutiful and not one to plot, the crown princess lacks higher qualities. She is a good housewife but thinks only of her husband, herself and those closest to her and she has not the good influence on him which her good character gives her the right to have. Because of her inborn shyness, she lacks the courage to meddle in his affairs, and her only wish is to gain his love. With one word; she seems not mature enough for her great task.
Queen
She became Queen of Sweden at her father-in-law's death on 8 July 1859.She was crowned both in Sweden and Norway; Norway had refused to crown the two previous queens because they were Roman Catholics, and Louise became the first queen to be crowned in Norway since the Middle Ages. She was very popular during her visit to Norway.
Louise was not a successful crown-princess and was not to be a successful queen, having a shy and quiet personality, the complete opposite of the king's. It was said that she lacked the ability to converse. However, the fact that she never had anything whatsoever to do with politics was considered to be a good contrast compared to the previous queens consort, such as her predecessor Josephine. She was expected to do charity and founded several institutions, such as Kronprinsessan Lovisas vårdanstalt för sjuka barn (Crown Princess Louise's asylum for sick children), Drottning Lovisas understödsförening (Queen Louise's support organisation) and Dronning Lovisas asylum (Queen Louise's asylum) in Norway, she translated religious works and gave the income to charity.
She spent her life attending to domestic duties and the family's finances, trying to please her husband by becoming the ideal woman of the time and wearing the "Ornament of Silence". Her personality did represent this ideal, but it did not improve her relationship with the king, who treated her with condescending kindness and largely neglected her. Eventually, her health deteriorated. In 1854, her son died; the birth had made her infertile, and she offered her husband a divorce, but he declined.
On at least one occasion, during a picnic, she suffered some kind of a fit (possibly an epileptic seizure from contemporary descriptions), which was thought to have been a hysterical reaction to her husband's neglect. The court struggled to conceal her from the public until the fit was over. In this issue, it was noted that: Lovisa could at any time faint and in connection to this, she could have what is called nerv- or cramp-attacks. At one occasion, she had an attack during a boat trip on Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
; the king was present, and quickly took her below deck.
Louise did not care for ceremonial duties and preferred a quiet family life, although she was interested in fashion and often dressed very elegantly. She often avoided ceremonial duties by claiming to be sick, but was occasionally forced by her husband. He did not like to show himself without her at formal occasions, and once said that she would have to attend: The old women might think there is something wrong with you! In 1866, the king forced her to open the Stockholm exhibition in his place. Her husband was very fond of their daughter, so they did share some of the family life Louisa longed for. However, she was worried by his treatment of their daughter "as a son", which allowed her a very "unrestrained" childhood.
Together with her daughter, she was a student of Nancy Edberg
Nancy Edberg
Nancy Fredrika Augusta Edberg , was a Swedish swimmer, swimming instructor and bath house director. She was the first Swedish woman in these fields. Edberg was a pioneer in making the art of swimming and ice skating accepted for women in Sweden- Biography :Nancy Edberg was taught to swim by her...
, the pioneer of swimming for women (1862); the art of swimming was initially not regarded as being entirely proper for women, but when the Queen and her daughter Princess Louise supported it by attending the lessons, swimming was quickly made fashionable and became accepted for women.
Louise employed Sweden's first female dentist, Rosalie Fougelberg
Rosalie Fougelberg
Rosalie Ingeborg Karolina Fougelberg is known as Sweden's first female dentist after the profession was opened to both genders....
, as her personal dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
in 1867.
In 1870, she visited her mother in Holland, who died the same year. On her return, her husband was sick, and she nursed him. She liked to take "walks by carriage", and on one of these, she caught pneumonia. Queen Louise died on 30 March 1871 in 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...
. Her husband and his mother were unable to attend the funeral in the church because of their illnesses. Her father, Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, survived her by ten years.
Children
Louisa and Charles had two children together:- Princess Louise of Sweden (31 October 1851 – 20 March 1926), later Queen of Denmark
- Prince Carl Oscar, Duke of SödermanlandPrince Carl Oscar, Duke of SödermanlandPrince Carl Oscar Vilhelm Frederik of Sweden, was a prince of Sweden and Norway.-Biography:...
(14 December 1852 – 13 March 1854), who died in infancy
Styles
- Her Royal Highness Princess Louise of the NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Princess of Orange-Nassau (1828–1850) - Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Sweden and Norway (1850–1859)
- Her Majesty The Queen of Sweden and Norway (1859–1871)
Ancestry
External links
- Royal House of the Netherlands and Grand-Ducal House of Luxembourg
- Royal House of Sweden and Royal House of Norway