Sophia Dorothea of Celle
Encyclopedia
Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick and Lunenburg (Celle line) (15 September 1666 – 13 November 1726) was the wife and cousin of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, later George I of Great Britain
, and mother of George II
through an arranged marriage of state
, instigated by the machinations of Duchess Sophia of Hanover
. She is best remembered for her affair with Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
that led to her being imprisoned in Castle of Ahlden
for the last thirty years of her life.
by his long term mistress, Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse
(1639–1722), Countess of Williamsburg, a Huguenot
lady, the daughter of Alexander II d'Esmiers, Marquess of Olbreuse. George eventually married his daughter's mother officially in 1676 (they had been married morganatically previously).
There was some talk of marriage between Sophia and the (then) future king of Denmark, but the reigning queen was talked out of it by Duchess Sophia
(her future mother-in-law). Another engagement to the duke of Wolfenbüttel was broken off after Duchess Sophia convinced her brother-in-law of the advantage of having Sophia Dorothea marry her cousin. This occurred on the day the engagement between Sophia Dorothea and the duke was to be announced.
When told of the change in plans and her new future husband, Sophia Dorothea shouted that "I will not marry the pig snout!" (a name he was known by in Hanover
), and threw a miniature of George Louis
brought for her by Duchess Sophia against the wall. Forced by her parents, she fainted into her mother's arms on her first meeting with her future mother-in-law. She fainted again when presented to George Louis.
On 22 November 1682, Sophia Dorothea married her cousin, George Louis
, who inherited the Principality of Lüneburg
after the death of his father-in-law and uncle, George William
in 1705, and also later inherited the Kingdoms of Great Britain
and Ireland
and became George I
through his mother, Duchess Sophia
, a granddaughter of King James I
.
The marriage of George Louis and Sophia Dorothea was an unhappy one. The immediate family of George Louis
, especially Duchess Sophia, hated and despised Sophia Dorothea.
The desire for the marriage was almost purely financial, as she wrote to her niece Elizabeth Charlotte, "One hundred thousand thalers a year is a goodly sum to pocket, without speaking of a pretty wife, who will find a match in my son George Louis, the most pigheaded, stubborn boy who ever lived, who has round his brains such a thick crust that I defy any man or woman ever to discover what is in them. He does not care much for the match itself, but one hundred thousand thalers a year have tempted him as they would have tempted anybody else.".
These feelings of contempt were shared by George himself, who was oddly formal to her. She was frequently scolded for her lack of etiquette, and the two had loud and bitter arguments. Things seemed better after their first two children, a son named George Augustus born in 1683 and a daughter named after her in 1686. But George Louis acquired a mistress Melusina von Schulenburg
and started pointedly neglecting his wife. George Louis' parents asked him to be more circumspect with his mistress, fearful that a disruption in the marriage would disrupt the hundred thousand thalers, but he responded by going out of his way to treat his wife brutally.
It was under these circumstances that Sophia Dorothea re-made the acquaintance of Swedish count Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
, with whom her name is inseparably associated. The two first met in Celle
when he was sixteen. They flirted innocently, and traced their names on the palace windows with the words "Forget me not". On 1 March 1688 he reminded her of their previous acquaintance, and the two renewed it. George Louis' younger brothers loved the count and brought him to Sophia Dorothea's salon in the evening to cheer her up. For the two years he stayed in Hanover, there was no reason to believe their relationship was anything but platonic. He left for a military expedition to the Peloponnese in 1690 — it was a disaster. On his return, the relationship between him and Sophia Dorothea intensified. They began sending each other love letters which, if they are to be believed, suggest that their relationship was consummated.
In 1692, the early letters were shown to the newly appointed Elector Ernest Augustus (Sophia Dorothea's father-in-law). He decided that he did not want any scandal and sent Königsmarck to fight with the Hanoverian army against Louis XIV. Other soldiers were given leave to visit Hanover, but he was not. One night Königsmarck deserted his post and rode for six days to visit Hanover. The day after arriving, he called on Field Marshal Heinrich and, confessing his breach of duty, begged for leave to stay in Hanover. It was agreed, though Heinrich suggested that the affair be ended or that Königsmarck leave the country. Ernest August exiled Königsmarck.
George Louis criticised his wife over her affair, and she criticised him for his. The argument escalated to the point that the prince threw himself on Sophia Dorothea and started tearing out her hair and strangling her, leaving purple bruise marks. He was pulled off her by her attendants.
Königsmarck presumably was killed while assisting her in a futile attempt to escape from Hanover
. In 1694 the Count disappeared (several guards and the Countess Platen
confessed on their deathbeds to being involved in his death); the princess was divorced by her husband and nevertheless imprisoned at the Castle of Ahlden
. She remained in captivity until her death more than 30 years later on 13 November 1726. Sophia Dorothea is sometimes referred to as the "princess of Ahlden." Her two children were the British king, George II
, and Sophia Dorothea
, wife of Frederick William I of Prussia
, and mother of Frederick the Great
.
Sophia's infidelity to her husband is not absolutely proven, as it is possible that the letters which purport to have passed between Königsmarck and herself are forgeries. George II was very disturbed by the imprisonment of his mother, and it was one of a number of reasons that contributed to the relationship of mutual hatred between him and his father.
was liver failure
and gall bladder occlusion
due to 60 stones. Sophia Dorothea was 60 years old and had spent 33 of these years imprisoned.
George would not allow mourning
in Hanover or London. He was furious when he heard that his daughter's court in Berlin wore black. Sophie Dorothea's body was put into a casket
and was deposited in the castle's cellar. It was quietly moved to Celle in May 1727 to be buried beside her parents in the Stadtkirche. George I died 4 weeks later, presumably shortly after receiving his deceased wife's final letter.
. She is played by Joan Greenwood
.
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, and mother of George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
through an arranged marriage of state
Marriage of state
A marriage of state in ancient use is a diplomatic marriage or union between two members of different nation-states or internally, between two power blocks, usually in authoritarian societies and is a practice which dates back into pre-history, as far back as early Grecian cultures in western...
, instigated by the machinations of Duchess Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701...
. She is best remembered for her affair with Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck or Philipp Christoph Königsmarck, was a Swedish count of Brandenburgian extraction and a soldier...
that led to her being imprisoned in Castle of Ahlden
Castle of Ahlden
Ahlden House is a stately home at Ahlden on the Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was built in 1549 as a water castle on the river Aller, which has since changed its course...
for the last thirty years of her life.
Parentage and marriage
Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick-Lüneburg, was born on 15 September 1666, the only child of George William, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgGeorge William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George William was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled first over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, then over the Lüneburg subdivision. In 1689 he occupied the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg....
by his long term mistress, Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse
Eleonore d'Esmier d'Olbreuse
Éléonore d'Olbreuse was the wife of George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and grandmother of George II of Great Britain. She was Countess of Wilhelmsburg from 1674 and Duchess of Braunschweig-Lüneburg from 1676...
(1639–1722), Countess of Williamsburg, a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
lady, the daughter of Alexander II d'Esmiers, Marquess of Olbreuse. George eventually married his daughter's mother officially in 1676 (they had been married morganatically previously).
There was some talk of marriage between Sophia and the (then) future king of Denmark, but the reigning queen was talked out of it by Duchess Sophia
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701...
(her future mother-in-law). Another engagement to the duke of Wolfenbüttel was broken off after Duchess Sophia convinced her brother-in-law of the advantage of having Sophia Dorothea marry her cousin. This occurred on the day the engagement between Sophia Dorothea and the duke was to be announced.
When told of the change in plans and her new future husband, Sophia Dorothea shouted that "I will not marry the pig snout!" (a name he was known by in Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
), and threw a miniature of George Louis
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
brought for her by Duchess Sophia against the wall. Forced by her parents, she fainted into her mother's arms on her first meeting with her future mother-in-law. She fainted again when presented to George Louis.
On 22 November 1682, Sophia Dorothea married her cousin, George Louis
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, who inherited the Principality of Lüneburg
Principality of Lüneburg
The Principality of Lüneburg was a territorial division of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg within the Holy Roman Empire, immediately subordinate to the emperor. It existed from 1269 until 1705 and its territory lay within the modern-day state of Lower Saxony in Germany...
after the death of his father-in-law and uncle, George William
George William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
George William was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and ruled first over the Principality of Calenberg, a subdivision of the duchy, then over the Lüneburg subdivision. In 1689 he occupied the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg....
in 1705, and also later inherited the Kingdoms of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and Ireland
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland refers to the country of Ireland in the period between the proclamation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 and the Act of Union in 1800. It replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171...
and became George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
through his mother, Duchess Sophia
Sophia of Hanover
Sophia of the Palatinate was an heiress to the crowns of England and Ireland and later the crown of Great Britain. She was declared heiress presumptive by the Act of Settlement 1701...
, a granddaughter of King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
The marriage of George Louis and Sophia Dorothea was an unhappy one. The immediate family of George Louis
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, especially Duchess Sophia, hated and despised Sophia Dorothea.
The desire for the marriage was almost purely financial, as she wrote to her niece Elizabeth Charlotte, "One hundred thousand thalers a year is a goodly sum to pocket, without speaking of a pretty wife, who will find a match in my son George Louis, the most pigheaded, stubborn boy who ever lived, who has round his brains such a thick crust that I defy any man or woman ever to discover what is in them. He does not care much for the match itself, but one hundred thousand thalers a year have tempted him as they would have tempted anybody else.".
These feelings of contempt were shared by George himself, who was oddly formal to her. She was frequently scolded for her lack of etiquette, and the two had loud and bitter arguments. Things seemed better after their first two children, a son named George Augustus born in 1683 and a daughter named after her in 1686. But George Louis acquired a mistress Melusina von Schulenburg
Ehrengard Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Munster
Ehrengard Melusine Baroness von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal and Duchess of Munster was born at Emden near Magdeburg. Her middle name was probably given in reference to the Melusine legends. Her brother was Marshal Johann Matthias von der Schulenburg...
and started pointedly neglecting his wife. George Louis' parents asked him to be more circumspect with his mistress, fearful that a disruption in the marriage would disrupt the hundred thousand thalers, but he responded by going out of his way to treat his wife brutally.
Affair
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck
Philip Christoph von Königsmarck or Philipp Christoph Königsmarck, was a Swedish count of Brandenburgian extraction and a soldier...
, with whom her name is inseparably associated. The two first met in Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
when he was sixteen. They flirted innocently, and traced their names on the palace windows with the words "Forget me not". On 1 March 1688 he reminded her of their previous acquaintance, and the two renewed it. George Louis' younger brothers loved the count and brought him to Sophia Dorothea's salon in the evening to cheer her up. For the two years he stayed in Hanover, there was no reason to believe their relationship was anything but platonic. He left for a military expedition to the Peloponnese in 1690 — it was a disaster. On his return, the relationship between him and Sophia Dorothea intensified. They began sending each other love letters which, if they are to be believed, suggest that their relationship was consummated.
In 1692, the early letters were shown to the newly appointed Elector Ernest Augustus (Sophia Dorothea's father-in-law). He decided that he did not want any scandal and sent Königsmarck to fight with the Hanoverian army against Louis XIV. Other soldiers were given leave to visit Hanover, but he was not. One night Königsmarck deserted his post and rode for six days to visit Hanover. The day after arriving, he called on Field Marshal Heinrich and, confessing his breach of duty, begged for leave to stay in Hanover. It was agreed, though Heinrich suggested that the affair be ended or that Königsmarck leave the country. Ernest August exiled Königsmarck.
George Louis criticised his wife over her affair, and she criticised him for his. The argument escalated to the point that the prince threw himself on Sophia Dorothea and started tearing out her hair and strangling her, leaving purple bruise marks. He was pulled off her by her attendants.
Königsmarck presumably was killed while assisting her in a futile attempt to escape from Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. In 1694 the Count disappeared (several guards and the Countess Platen
Clara Elisabeth von Platen
Clara Elisabeth, Countess of Platen-Hallermund was a German noblewoman, most notable as the mistress of Ernest Augustus and for her involvement in the Königsmarck Affair.-Life:The eldest daughter of Georg Philipp von Meisenbug and his wife Anna...
confessed on their deathbeds to being involved in his death); the princess was divorced by her husband and nevertheless imprisoned at the Castle of Ahlden
Castle of Ahlden
Ahlden House is a stately home at Ahlden on the Lüneburg Heath in Lower Saxony, Germany. It was built in 1549 as a water castle on the river Aller, which has since changed its course...
. She remained in captivity until her death more than 30 years later on 13 November 1726. Sophia Dorothea is sometimes referred to as the "princess of Ahlden." Her two children were the British king, George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, and Sophia Dorothea
Sophia Dorothea of Hanover
Sophia Dorothea of Hanover was a Queen consort in Prussia as wife of Frederick William I. She was the sister of George II of Great Britain and the mother of Frederick the Great.- Biography :...
, wife of Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of Prussia
Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death...
, and mother of Frederick the Great
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
.
Sophia's infidelity to her husband is not absolutely proven, as it is possible that the letters which purport to have passed between Königsmarck and herself are forgeries. George II was very disturbed by the imprisonment of his mother, and it was one of a number of reasons that contributed to the relationship of mutual hatred between him and his father.
Death and burial
Sophia Dorothea became ill in August 1726 and had to stay in bed, which she never left again. Before dying, Sophia wrote a letter to her husband, cursing him from beyond the grave. Her cause of deathCause of Death
Cause of Death is a 1990 album by American death metal band Obituary. Cause of Death is considered a classic album in the history of death metal. The artwork was done by artist Michael Whelan...
was liver failure
Liver failure
Acute liver failure is the appearance of severe complications rapidly after the first signs of liver disease , and indicates that the liver has sustained severe damage . The complications are hepatic encephalopathy and impaired protein synthesis...
and gall bladder occlusion
Occlusion
Occlusion may refer to:* Occlusion , the manner in which the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed* Occlusion effect, an audio phenomenon that occurs when one closes the opening into the ear canal and the loudness of low pitched sounds increases* Occlusion miliaria, a skin...
due to 60 stones. Sophia Dorothea was 60 years old and had spent 33 of these years imprisoned.
George would not allow mourning
Mourning
Mourning is, in the simplest sense, synonymous with grief over the death of someone. The word is also used to describe a cultural complex of behaviours in which the bereaved participate or are expected to participate...
in Hanover or London. He was furious when he heard that his daughter's court in Berlin wore black. Sophie Dorothea's body was put into a casket
Casket
A casket, or jewelry box is a term for a container that is usually larger than a box, and smaller than a chest, and in the past was typically decorated...
and was deposited in the castle's cellar. It was quietly moved to Celle in May 1727 to be buried beside her parents in the Stadtkirche. George I died 4 weeks later, presumably shortly after receiving his deceased wife's final letter.
Popular culture
Sophia Dorothea's affair and its tragic outcome is the basis of the 1948 British film Saraband for Dead LoversSaraband for Dead Lovers
Saraband for Dead Lovers is a 1948 British historical drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Stewart Granger and Joan Greenwood. It is based on the novel by Helen Simpson...
. She is played by Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood
Joan Greenwood was an English actress. Born in Chelsea, she studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Her husky voice, coupled with her slow, precise elocution, was her trademark...
.
Titles
- 15 September 1666-1682: Her Highness Duchess Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick-Celle
- 1682-October 1692: Her Highness The Hereditary Princess of Brunswick-Lüneburg
- October 1692-1694: Her Serene Highness The Electoral Princess of Hanover
- 1694-13 November 1726: Sophia Dorothea of Celle
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Spouse | Children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George II of Great Britain George II of Great Britain George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany... |
10 November 1683 | 25 October 1760 | Caroline of Ansbach Caroline of Ansbach Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state... |
Anne, Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange was the second child and eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and his consort, Caroline of Ansbach. She was the spouse of William IV, Prince of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands... Princess Amelia Princess Caroline Prince Augustus George Prince George William Prince William Princess Mary Princess Mary of Great Britain The Princess Mary was a member of the British Royal Family, a daughter of George II and Caroline of Ansbach.-Early life:... Princess Louise Louise of Great Britain Louise of Great Britain was the youngest surviving daughter of George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, and became queen consort of Denmark and Norway.-Early life:... |
| Sophia, Queen of Prussia Sophia Dorothea of Hanover Sophia Dorothea of Hanover was a Queen consort in Prussia as wife of Frederick William I. She was the sister of George II of Great Britain and the mother of Frederick the Great.- Biography :... |
26 March 1687 | 28 June 1757 | Frederick William I of Prussia Frederick William I of Prussia Frederick William I of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg from 1713 until his death... |
Princess Wilhelmine |
Authorities
- Briefwechsel des Grafen Konigsmark and der Prinzessin Sophie Dorothea von Celle, edited by WF Palmblad (Leipzig, 1847)*AFH Schaumann, Sophie Dorothea Prinzessin von Ahlden, and Kurfurstin Sophie von Hannover (Hanover, 1878)
- CL von PöllnitzKarl Ludwig, Freiherr von PöllnitzKarl Ludwig Freiherr von Pöllnitz was a German adventurer and writer from Issum.His father, Wilhelm Ludwig von Pöllnitz , was in the military service of the elector of Brandenburg, and much of his son's youth was passed at the electoral court in Berlin...
, Histoire secrette de la duchesse d'Hanovre (London, 1732) - WH Wilkins, The Love of an Uncrowned Queen (London, 1900)
- A Kocher, "Die Prinzessin von Ahlden," in the Historische Zeitschrift (Munich, 1882)
- Vicomte H de Beaucaire, Une Misalliance dans la maison de Brunswick (Paris, 1884)
- Alice Drayton Greenwood, Lives of the Hanoverian Queens of England (1909), vol. i.
- A Weir, Britain's Royal Families - The Complete Genealogy (2002)