Ulrica Arfvidsson
Encyclopedia
Anna Ulrica Arfvidsson was a professional Swedish fortune-teller during the reign of Gustav III of Sweden
. She was commonly known as Mamsell
Arfvidsson.
Not much is known of her earlier life. It seems she had run away from home at one point, since she was sought via a newspaper advertisement. In 1780, she is confirmed as a fortune-teller, and her clientele quickly came from all walks of society. She is mentioned in many contemporary memoirs and diary notes. Her primary method was the reading of coffee
leafs, though she occasionally also used other methods, such as card readings. She was most likely active as a professional medium before 1780. The Gustavian age was a great age for fortune tellers and mediums.
Arfvidsson had her business at Lästmakargatan not far from Johannis Church in Stockholm, hidden away in an alley where mainly poor people, such as "blind and crippled women" lived, in order for her customers to come to her discreetly. Speculation about her background pointed her out both as an eloped noblewoman and as a Finnish woman. She had two maids as assistants: one of them, Adrecka Dordi, was of African origin, which was seen as exotic. Dordi stayed with Arfvidsson until at least 1800, and is sometimes described as a "Baptized Turcess from Morocco
".
Arfvidsson enjoyed great popularity within the aristocracy. It was said that she was never wrong, and that her predictions became more and more accurate every year. Reportedly, Ulrica Arfvidsson had a wide net of informers from all over society, reaching from the royal household to private homes. She was said to have been an informer of the police, and members of the royal house asked her for political advice, such as the future King Charles XIII of Sweden
.
In 1783, she received a visit from Carl August Ehrensvärd
and the General-Admiral Trolle in disguise. She looked into the coffee, revealed their identities, and stated that Ehresnvärd would replace Trolle in his position. This was not likely at the time, as Ehrensvärd was not designed as the replacement of Trolle. In 1784, however, Trolle died during the King's visit to Italy
, and it was found that the King had left an instruction that Ehrensvärd should his replacement in the event of Trolle's death.
In 1786, Ulrica Arfvidsson was consulted by King Gustav III of Sweden
in disguise, who came to her in the company of Count Jacob De la Gardie posing as someone else. Arfvidsson presented several predictions about his past and his future, as well as that of his escort. At this occasion, she warned him about a man in a mask with a sword. This was remembered when in 1792, the King was assassinated at a masqued ball by Jacob Johan Anckarström
who shot the King from behind. She also warned the King: Beware of the man with a sword you will meet this evening, for he aspires to take your life.
When the King and the Count left her, they saw no one suspicious on their way back to the palace. The Count told the King to ignore her warning, but he answered: But she has told me some many other things, that have already come true! When they entered the palace and was proceeding up the stairs, they met a man with a sword leaving the apartment of the King's sister-in-law the duchess of Södermanland, consort of prince Charles
, who was suspected of conspiring against him. The man was Adolph Ludvig Ribbing, one of the future participants in the conspiracy which planned the regicide of the King in 1792. During the Russo-Swedish war of 1788-1790, the King consulted Arfvidsson again. After the murder of Gustav III, the chief of the police, Henrik Liljensparre, interviewed her about the attitude toward the King in the upper class opposition, and she is said to have been of some assistance in the investigation.
In 1792, Ulrica Arfvidsson was also consulted in connection to the conspiracy of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
, who conspired to depose the guardian government of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
by an alliance with Russia. The co-conspirator of Armfelt, Magdalena Rudenschöld
, was instructed by him to consult Arfvidsson, which she did three days after his departure from Sweden. Rudenschöld described the prediction in her correspondance to Armfelt. Arfvidsson consulted her coffee leafs and stated that the man of whom Rudenschöld was thinking (Armfelt) had recently left the country in anger over a child (the King) and a small man (the regent, Duke Charles), whom he would soon scare by an agreement with a woman with a non-royal crown on her head (Catherine the Great). She predicted that Armfelt risked to be revealed by the loss of a letter, which would be his ruin. As for Rudenschöld herself, Arfvidsson told her that she was observed and mentioned to Catherine the Great in letters by a fat man (the Russian ambassador Stackelberg), that she should be careful, and that great sorrows awaited her.
During her last years, her business seem to have became less lucrative. Some say people were scared away because of her prediction of the regicide. She died in poverty.
Ulrica Arfvidsson is perhaps the most famous fortune-teller in Swedish history. Another famed occultist was Elin Håkansson, who had the ear of both Charles XI of Sweden
and Charles XII of Sweden
.
's opera
Gustave III
and Giuseppe Verdi
's Un ballo in maschera
. She is also mentioned in the famed novel The Queen's Tiara by Carl Jonas Love Almquist.
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....
. She was commonly known as Mamsell
Mamsell
Mamsell was a historical Swedish honorific used for unmarried women from about the mid 18th-century until 1866. The title was primarily used for middle class women and women in the cities.- History :...
Arfvidsson.
Biography
Ulrica Arfvidsson was the daughter of a caretaker of the royal palace, Erik Lindberg, and Anna Katarina Burgin. After the death of her father, her mother remarried in 1740 to a chef of the royal household, Arfvid Arfvidsson, and Ulrica Arfvidsson grew up comfortably in an environment where she heard many rumours and gossip of the higher circles in society. She became well-informed about things which many people outside of the court would like to know. Ulrica is described as an intelligent woman with a sharp talent, well-developed intuition, and always very up-to-date about everything in society.Not much is known of her earlier life. It seems she had run away from home at one point, since she was sought via a newspaper advertisement. In 1780, she is confirmed as a fortune-teller, and her clientele quickly came from all walks of society. She is mentioned in many contemporary memoirs and diary notes. Her primary method was the reading of coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
leafs, though she occasionally also used other methods, such as card readings. She was most likely active as a professional medium before 1780. The Gustavian age was a great age for fortune tellers and mediums.
Arfvidsson had her business at Lästmakargatan not far from Johannis Church in Stockholm, hidden away in an alley where mainly poor people, such as "blind and crippled women" lived, in order for her customers to come to her discreetly. Speculation about her background pointed her out both as an eloped noblewoman and as a Finnish woman. She had two maids as assistants: one of them, Adrecka Dordi, was of African origin, which was seen as exotic. Dordi stayed with Arfvidsson until at least 1800, and is sometimes described as a "Baptized Turcess from Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
".
Arfvidsson enjoyed great popularity within the aristocracy. It was said that she was never wrong, and that her predictions became more and more accurate every year. Reportedly, Ulrica Arfvidsson had a wide net of informers from all over society, reaching from the royal household to private homes. She was said to have been an informer of the police, and members of the royal house asked her for political advice, such as the future King Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
.
In 1783, she received a visit from Carl August Ehrensvärd
Carl August Ehrensvärd
Count Carl August Ehrensvärd was a Swedish naval officer, painter, author, and neo-classical architect.Ehrensvärd was born in Stockholm, and died in Örebro. Though active as a naval officer during his entire life, he is mostly remembered for the burlesque caricatures of often famous people from...
and the General-Admiral Trolle in disguise. She looked into the coffee, revealed their identities, and stated that Ehresnvärd would replace Trolle in his position. This was not likely at the time, as Ehrensvärd was not designed as the replacement of Trolle. In 1784, however, Trolle died during the King's visit to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and it was found that the King had left an instruction that Ehrensvärd should his replacement in the event of Trolle's death.
In 1786, Ulrica Arfvidsson was consulted by King 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....
in disguise, who came to her in the company of Count Jacob De la Gardie posing as someone else. Arfvidsson presented several predictions about his past and his future, as well as that of his escort. At this occasion, she warned him about a man in a mask with a sword. This was remembered when in 1792, the King was assassinated at a masqued ball by Jacob Johan Anckarström
Jacob Johan Anckarström
Jacob Johan Anckarström was a Swedish military officer who was convicted and executed for regicide. He was the son of Jacob Johan Anckarström the Elder. He served as a captain in King Gustav III's regiment between 1778 and 1783...
who shot the King from behind. She also warned the King: Beware of the man with a sword you will meet this evening, for he aspires to take your life.
When the King and the Count left her, they saw no one suspicious on their way back to the palace. The Count told the King to ignore her warning, but he answered: But she has told me some many other things, that have already come true! When they entered the palace and was proceeding up the stairs, they met a man with a sword leaving the apartment of the King's sister-in-law the duchess of Södermanland, consort of prince Charles
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
, who was suspected of conspiring against him. The man was Adolph Ludvig Ribbing, one of the future participants in the conspiracy which planned the regicide of the King in 1792. During the Russo-Swedish war of 1788-1790, the King consulted Arfvidsson again. After the murder of Gustav III, the chief of the police, Henrik Liljensparre, interviewed her about the attitude toward the King in the upper class opposition, and she is said to have been of some assistance in the investigation.
In 1792, Ulrica Arfvidsson was also consulted in connection to the conspiracy of Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt was a Finnish and Swedish courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one of the great Finnish statesmen. Born in Tarvasjoki, Finland, he was the great grandson of Charles XII of Sweden's general, Carl Gustaf Armfeldt...
, who conspired to depose the guardian government of King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
by an alliance with Russia. The co-conspirator of Armfelt, Magdalena Rudenschöld
Magdalena Rudenschöld
Magdalena Charlotta Rudenschöld, commonly known as Malla Rudenschöld and privately as Malin Rudenschöld , was a member of the Swedish nobility and a lady-in-waiting. She was one of the main participants in the so-called Armfelt conspiracy against the guardian government of 1792...
, was instructed by him to consult Arfvidsson, which she did three days after his departure from Sweden. Rudenschöld described the prediction in her correspondance to Armfelt. Arfvidsson consulted her coffee leafs and stated that the man of whom Rudenschöld was thinking (Armfelt) had recently left the country in anger over a child (the King) and a small man (the regent, Duke Charles), whom he would soon scare by an agreement with a woman with a non-royal crown on her head (Catherine the Great). She predicted that Armfelt risked to be revealed by the loss of a letter, which would be his ruin. As for Rudenschöld herself, Arfvidsson told her that she was observed and mentioned to Catherine the Great in letters by a fat man (the Russian ambassador Stackelberg), that she should be careful, and that great sorrows awaited her.
During her last years, her business seem to have became less lucrative. Some say people were scared away because of her prediction of the regicide. She died in poverty.
Ulrica Arfvidsson is perhaps the most famous fortune-teller in Swedish history. Another famed occultist was Elin Håkansson, who had the ear of both 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 ....
and Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
.
Ulrica Arfvidsson in culture
Ulrica Arfvidsson is a character in Daniel AuberDaniel Auber
Daniel François Esprit Auber was a French composer.-Biography:The son of a Paris print-seller, Auber was born in Caen in Normandy. Though his father expected him to continue in the print-selling business, he also allowed his son to learn how to play several musical instruments...
's 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...
Gustave III
Gustave III (opera)
Gustave III, ou Le bal masqué is an opéra historique or grand opera in five acts by Daniel Auber, with a libretto by Eugène Scribe.-Performance history:...
and Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera
Un ballo in maschera , is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. The libretto is loosely based on an 1833 play, Gustave III, by French playwright Eugène Scribe who wrote about the historical assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden...
. She is also mentioned in the famed novel The Queen's Tiara by Carl Jonas Love Almquist.