Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of EnglandWraxall, Lascelles, Sir
History
Life and Times of Her Majesty Caroline Matilda, Vol. 3 (of 3): Queen of Denmark and Norway, and Sister of H. M. George III. of England
Wraxall, Lascelles, Sir
Caroline Mathilde, Queen, consort of Christian VII, King of Denmark, 1751-1775; Denmark -- History -- Christian VII, 1766-1808
Höegh-Guldberg was called on to pacify the old queen, and the regent
considered the deposed secretary of state's merit in effecting this so
great, that he contented himself with sending this concoctor of the
conspiracy against his mother, into the usual banishment in Jütland,
as bailiff of Aarhuus. The sudden removal from dignities held so long,
and from the sovereign authority, demanded resignation. The God-fearing
Höegh-Guldberg displayed it, at least externally, and retained his post
up to the year 1802, when he was dismissed, and retired to the fine
estate of Hald, near Viborg, which he had purchased, and where he died in
1806. He did not venture to present an order on the Treasury for 100,000
dollars given him as a reward by the queen dowager, possibly because,
as a judge of Struensee, he felt his conscience prick him too strongly;
and when, after his death, his sons had the courage to bring forward
this claim on the government, the crown prince laughingly referred their
impudent demands to the Greek Calends.
The enlightened statesman, Bernstorff, who afterwards acquired
world-renown by his decree of neutrality, was, from this time forth up
to his death in 1797, the adviser of the young, inexperienced, and,
unfortunately, poorly-educated crown prince. As such, he opposed
all odious measures in a reactionary sense, and it was to this mild
conduct that the queen dowager and Prince Frederick owed their security
as members of the royal house, though they were entirely excluded
from all participation in affairs of state. When the fire of 1794
completely destroyed the splendid Christiansborg Palace, these two
royal conspirators against Struensee and Caroline Matilda were left
without a roof in the capital, and were obliged to seek shelter with
private persons until their future abode was prepared for them in the
Amalienborg Palace. Here, mother and son lived quietly till their death:
the former, engaged with penances, for which her crimes against her own
daughter-in-law and an innocent minister were sufficient reason; the
latter, more honourably, in promoting the arts and sciences, for which
the appanage of 12,000 dollars, granted him on the exchange of territory
for resigning the coadjutorship of the principality of Lübeck, afforded
him the means. By his consort, a princess of Mecklenburg, he had two
sons and two daughters; of the latter, the youngest, the grandmother
of ALEXANDRA, PRINCESS OF WALES, is, in spite of her great age, still
remarkable for her beauty and grace.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 60: "Mémoires de mon Temps."]
[Footnote 61: "Mémoires de mon Temps."]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account