Memoirs of Leonora Christina, Daughter of Christian IV. of Denmark: Written During Her Imprisonment in the Blue Tower at Copenhagen 1663-1685Ulfeldt, Leonora Christina, grevinde
History
Memoirs of Leonora Christina, Daughter of Christian IV. of Denmark: Written During Her Imprisonment in the Blue Tower at Copenhagen 1663-1685
Ulfeldt, Leonora Christina, grevinde
Denmark -- History -- Christian V, 1670-1699 -- Sources; Denmark -- History -- Frederick III, 1648-1670 -- Sources; Princesses -- Denmark -- Biography; Ulfeldt, Leonora Christina, grevinde, 1621-1698 -- Imprisonment; Women political prisoners -- Denmark -- Biography
At the approach of the Diet, which sat eight days after Pentecost,
the children came to Copenhagen, with the prince and princess, and
had as governess a lady of Mecklenburg of the Blixen family, the
mother of Philip Barstorp who is still alive. After the Diet, the
king made a journey to Glueckstad in two days and a half, and our lady
accompanied him; it pleased the King that she was not weary, and that
she could bear up against inconveniences and fatigues. She afterwards
made several little journeys with the King, and she had the good
fortune occasionally to obtain the pardon of some poor criminals, and
to be in favour with the king.
Our lady having attained the age of fifteen years and about four
months, her betrothed obtained permission for their marriage, which
was celebrated (with more pomp than the subsequent weddings of her
sisters), on October 9, 1636. The winter after her marriage she was
with her husband at Moen, and as she knew that her husband's father
had not left him any wealth, she asked him concerning his debts, and
conjured him to conceal nothing from her. He said to her, 'If I tell
you the truth it will perhaps frighten you.' She declared it would
not, and that she would supply what was needful from her ornaments,
provided he would assure her that he had told her everything. He did
so, and found that she was not afraid to deprive herself of her gold,
silver, and jewels, in order to pay a sum of thirty-six thousand
rix-dollars. On April 21, 1637, she went with her husband to
Copenhagen in obedience to the order of the king, who gave him the
post of V.R.[15] He was again obliged to incur debt in purchasing a
house and in setting up a larger establishment.
[15] V.R. probably stands for Viceroy, by which term Leonora no
doubt indicates the post of Governor of Copenhagen.
There would be no end were I to tell you all the mischances that
befell her during the happy period of her marriage, and of all the
small contrarieties which she endured; but since I am assured that
this history will not be seen by anyone, and that you will not keep
it after having read it, I will tell you a few points which are
worthy of attention. Those who were envious of the good fortune of
our lady could not bear that she should lead a tranquil life, nor
that she should be held in esteem by her father and King; I may call
him thus, for the King conferred on her more honours than were due to
her from him. Her husband loved and honoured her, enacting the lover
more than the husband.
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