Anna Sofie von Bülow (1745–1787), was a Danish noble and courtier, known for her love life and unconventional life style, known in history as one of the Three Graces of the Danish royal court.

Life

She was the daughter of Christian Conrad of Danneskiold-Laurvig and his wife, Dorte Sofie von

Holstein Holstein (; ; ; ; ) is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider (river), Eider. It is the southern half of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost States of Germany, state of Germany. Holstein once existed as the German County of Holstein (; 8 ...

and married the courtier,

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...

Frederik Ludvig Ernst von

Bülow Bülow or Bulow is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bülow family, a noble family from Germany with the surname "#Von Bülow, von Bülow" * Bülow (singer) (Megan Bülow, born 1999), German-Canadian singer * Alexander Bülow ...

in 1763. Together with the Baroness Amalie Sofie von Holstein and Countess

Christine Sophie von Gähler Christine may refer to: People * Christine (name), a female given name Film * ''Christine'' (1958 film), based on Schnitzler's play ''Liebelei'' * ''Christine'' (1983 film), based on Stephen King's novel of the same name * ''Christine'' ( ...

, she became known as one of the Three Graces of the Danish royal court.August Fjelstrup:
Damerne ved Karoline Mathildes Hof
', 1909. She attracted attention with her beauty and love life: at this point, women at the Danish court could have official lovers, called ''amants déclarés'', and hers were in succession minister Konrad Aleksander Fabritius, the royal equerry Frederik Karl von Warnstedt, who left her for Johanne Marie Malleville, and finally courtier Hans Heinrich Friccius von Schilden-Huitfeldt. Luise Gramm claimed that she scandalously met von Warnstedt in 1770, a room close by another in which the body of the queen dowager was

lying in state Lying in state is the tradition in which the body of a deceased official, such as a head of state, is placed in a state building, either outside or inside a coffin, to allow the public to pay their respects. It traditionally takes place in a ...

. She accompanied the royal couple on their tour of the Duchies in 1770. During this trip, the king's former favorite

Enevold Brandt Count Enevold Brandt (7 September 1738 - 28 April 1772) was a Danish courtier. Biography Brandt was born in Copenhagen, and studied law at the University of Copenhagen. He became assistant judge of the Supreme Court of Copenhagen in 1764, roya ...

was recalled to court, and the king's then favorite

Conrad Holck Frederik Vilhelm Conrad Holck (1745–1800) was a Danish nobleman and courtier. Biography Holck was the son of Major General Christian Christopher Holck til Orebygård (1698–1774) and Ermegaard Sophie Winterfeldt (1702–56). He was raised ...

was sent back to Copenhagen. Holck asked his brother, who asked her father, who asked her to speak to the queen on Holck's behalf, but if she did, this did not stop his fall, as he lost his position as royal favorite and was exiled. In the summer of 1771, Anna Sofie Bülow discovered an open letter addressed to a lady on the stairs of

Frederiksberg Palace Frederiksberg Palace () is a Baroque architecture, Baroque residence, located in Frederiksberg, Denmark, adjacent to the Copenhagen Zoo. It commands a view over Frederiksberg Gardens, originally designed as a palace garden in the Baroque style. ...

. The letter described a plot to arrest Queen Caroline Matilda and

Struensee Lensgreve Johann Friedrich Struensee (5 August 1737 – 28 April 1772) was a German-Danish physician, philosopher and statesman. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish governmen ...

, planned to occur at the public party which was to be arranged there 28 September, where the conspirators were to step forward and publicly declare that they acted on loyalty to the king. She sent the letter to the royal court at

Hirschholm Palace Hirschholm Palace, also known as Hørsholm Palace, was a royal palace located in present-day Hørsholm, Hørsholm municipality just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was rebuilt in the Baroque architecture, Baroque style in the 1740s and, one of the ...

. The result was that the public party was cancelled with reference to the king's health, and that the court remained at Hirschholm with a stronger guard than before. The Bülow couple was exiled to their estate in Holstein after the fall of Struensee in January 1772. In 1774–1775, they met

Nathaniel William Wraxall Sir Nathaniel William Wraxall, 1st Baronet (8 April 1751 – 7 November 1831) was an England, English author and politician. Life He was born in Queen Square, Bristol, the son of a Bristol merchant, Nathaniel Wraxall, and his wife Anne, great-n ...

, who planned to install Queen Caroline Matilda as regent of Denmark.August Fjelstrup: Damerne ved Karoline Mathildes Hof, 1909.

References

* August Fjelstrup:
Damerne ved Karoline Mathildes Hof
', 1909. {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulow, Anna Sofie 1745 births 1787 deaths 18th-century Danish nobility 18th-century Danish women