Amalia von Königsmarck

Amalia Wilhelmina Lewenhaupt
Born	Amalia Wilhelmina von Königsmarck (1663-08-20)August 20, 1663 Stade
Died	January 30, 1740(1740-01-30) (aged 76) Övedskloster
Nationality	Swedish
Known for	painting, poetry, acting
Spouse	Carl Gustaf Lewenhaupt ​ ​ (m. 1689)​
Children	10, including Charles Emil Lewenhaupt
Parents	Kurt Christoph von Königsmarck (father) Maria Christina von Wrangel (mother)

Countess Amalia "Emilie" Wilhelmina Lewenhaupt (née von Königsmarck) (20 August 1663 – 30 January 1740) was a Swedish noblewoman of German descent who became known as a dilettante painter, actor, and poet.

Life

Amalia Wilhelmina von Königsmarck was born in Stade, a daughter of Count Kurt Christoph von Königsmarck (1634–1673) and Countess Maria Christina von Wrangel-Lindeberg (1638–1691). She was the sister of Philip Christoph von Königsmarck, Aurora von Königsmarck and Karl Johann von Königsmarck and a paternal niece of Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck.

Allegory with self-portrait and profile portrait of Ulrika Eleonora the Elder attributed to Amalia von Königsmarck

Amalia Königsmarck belonged to the royal court-dilettantes who were among the students of David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. Her known paintings include a self-portrait from 1688, a portrait of her sister Aurora, a portrait of the noblewoman Katarina Ebba Horn from 1698, and a portrait of Sophia Dorothea of Hanover. She was encouraged to participate in the amateur theatre of the royal court by the queen, Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. In the winter of 1683–84, a group of female courtiers performed the Swedish premier of Iphigénie by Jean Racine at court. In the play, Johanna Eleonora De la Gardie acted the part of Iphigénie, Amalia Königsmarck the part of Achilles, Aurora Königsmarck the part of Clitemnestre, Augusta Wrangel the part of Agamemnon, and Ebba Maria De la Gardie the part of Eriphile. This is regarded as a significant event, as it was the first play performed by an all-female cast in Sweden and symbolized the introduction of French classicism to the country. Amalia Königsmarck also wrote poetry. Her poetry was published by Hanselli in the 19th century.

She married count Carl Gustaf Lewenhaupt (1662–1703) in the presence of the royal family on 5 January 1689 and became the mother of ten children, only three of whom survived into adulthood:

• Emilia Aurora Lewenhaupt (1690 – before 1699), died in childhood
• Charles Emil Lewenhaupt (1691 – 1743), twin of Ulrika Augusta
• Ulrika Augusta Lewenhaupt (1691 – 1719), twin of Charles Emil. She married Staël von Holstein.
• Fredrik Königsmarck Lewenhaupt (1696 – 1770), an army officer
• August Kasimir Lewenhaupt (1697 – unknown), died in childhood
• Amalia Aurora Lewenhaupt (1700 – 1700), died in infancy
• Herminus Gustaf Lewenhaupt (1701 – 1702), died in infancy
• Three other children who were stillborn or died shortly after birth

In addition, Amalia Lewenhaupt suffered three miscarriages: in 1693, 1694 and 1702. After her marriage, she was constantly pregnant and on the move, which is why art was no longer a priority in her life.

In 1695, Amalia Lewenhaupt convinced her spouse to enlist in the service of Augustus II the Strong, who was at that time the lover of her sister Aurora. Because of this, her spouse was sentenced to confiscation of property and death in his absence by Charles XII of Sweden in 1703, during the Great Northern War. The same year, however, her spouse died in exile in Hamburg in Germany. She returned to Sweden in 1722. Upon her return to Sweden, she brought with her the fortuneteller Höffern.

In 1740, Amalia Lewenhaupt died in Övedskloster, aged 76. She was thus spared the sorrow of seeing her firstborn son, Charles Emil Lewenhaupt, condemned to death and executed for treason in 1743.

Sources

• Svenskt konstnärslexikon (Swedish Art dictionary) Allhems Förlag Malmö
• Lars Löfgren: Svensk teater (Swedish theatre) Natur & Kultur, Stockholm 2003, sid. 46. ISBN 91-27-09672-6.
• Königsmarck, släkter, urn:sbl:11939, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon, hämtad 2015-01-21.
• Minnespenningar öfver enskilda svenska män och qvinnor

Further reading

• Amalia von Königsmarck at Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon