Countess Sophie Friederike Juliane von Dönhoff (17 October 1768 – 28 January 1838)
/ref> was a German lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...
and a morganatic
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...
spouse by bigamy
In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. I ...
to King Frederick William II of Prussia.
Early life
She was the daughter of Count Friedrich Wilhelm von Dönhoff and Anna Sophie von Langermann und Erlencamp.
Life
In 1789, she became the lady-in-waiting of the Prussian queen, Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt (german: Friederike Luise; 16 October 1751 – 25 February 1805) was Queen of Prussia as the second spouse of King Frederick William II.
Life
Frederica Louisa was the daughter of Louis IX, Landgrave of He ...
.
Marriage
She was described as a talented pianist and singer, admired for her attractive figure and said to be of an imperious disposition; she attracted the king's attention soon after the death of Julie von Voß
Julie Amalie Elisabeth von Voss (24 July 1766, Buch (Berlin) – 25 March 1789) was a German lady-in-waiting and a bigamy, bigamous morganatic spouse of King Frederick William II of Prussia.
Life
She was the daughter of Friedrich Christian von Vos ...
, and insisted upon the same conditions as her predecessor, that is the consent of the queen to a "left-handed marriage" and a dowry.[Atkinson, Emma Willsher: ]
Memoirs of the queens of Prussia
', London : W. Kent Sophie married Frederick at Charlottenburg Palace
Schloss Charlottenburg (Charlottenburg Palace) is a Baroque palace in Berlin, located in Charlottenburg, a district of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf borough.
The palace was built at the end of the 17th century and was greatly expanded during th ...
11 April 1790.
In contrast to Julie von Voß
Julie Amalie Elisabeth von Voss (24 July 1766, Buch (Berlin) – 25 March 1789) was a German lady-in-waiting and a bigamy, bigamous morganatic spouse of King Frederick William II of Prussia.
Life
She was the daughter of Friedrich Christian von Vos ...
, who had behaved with discreet gentleness, Sophie von Dönhoff was described as an haughty insolent upstart who attempted to be treated like a queen rather than as a morganatic consort by demanding everyone at court save the queen give precedence to her.
Children
* Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandenburg
Friedrich Wilhelm, Count of Brandenburg (24 January 1792 – 6 November 1850) was a morganatic son of King Frederick William II and politician, who served as Minister President of Prussia from 1848 until his death.
Life
Born in the Kingdom of P ...
(24 January 1792 – 6 November 1850), prime minister of Prussia
* Sophie (Julie) von Brandenburg (4 January 1793 – 29 January 1848), married to Frederick Ferdinand, Duke of Anhalt-Köthen
Frederick Ferdinand of Anhalt-Köthen (25 June 1769, Pless – 23 August 1830, Köthen) was a German prince, Ascanian ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Pless and, from 1818, of the duchy of Anhalt-Köthen. He was the second son of Frederick ...
See also
* Wilhelmine von Lichtenau
* Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg
Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg (4 May 1679 – 27 June 1704), Countess of Antvorskov, was a Danish noble and lady-in-waiting of German origin. She was the royal mistress of King Frederick IV of Denmark and, later, his first morganatic wife by bigamy ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Donhoff, Sophie Von
1768 births
1838 deaths
18th-century German people
Morganatic spouses of German royalty
German ladies-in-waiting