Anna Charlotta von Stapelmohr

Anna Charlotta Schröderheim
Anna Charlotta Schröderheim, wearing the Nationella dräkten with its high collar, used by ladies-in waiting or women presented at court.
Born	Anna Charlotta von Stapelmohr 24 September 1754 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	1 January 1791 Stockholm, Sweden
Nationality	Swedish
Other names	Ann-Charlotte Schröderheim, Anne-Charlotte Schröderheim
Known for	Salonist and wit, love affairs

Anna Charlotta Schröderheim, née Anna Charlotta von Stapelmohr, also called Ann-Charlotte or Anne-Charlotte, (24 September 1754 – 1 January 1791), was a Swedish noble, wit and salonist, spouse of the politician Elis Schröderheim. She was one of the most known socialites of her time and became one of the more known symbols of the Gustavian age. She was the inspiration for several poets; poems by Crusenstolpe, Bellman and Carl Gustaf af Leopold was dedicated to her.

Anna Charlotta was born daughter of the wealthy Christoffer Lorentz von Stapelmohr and Maria Lucretia Dittmer: her father was director of the sea customs and was ennobled in 1756. Her parents home was a center for the capital's high society and Charlotta was a celebrated beauty. After her marriage to the noble (since 1759) Elis Schröderheim in 1776, she became the greatest socialite and society hostess of . Her husband was then minister and the second most powerful man in the country, and her salon became a center of the aristocracy, where her husbands ”amiable jokes" mingled with the conversation and sharp tongue of his spouse. She is described as passionate, intelligent and wit as a person, beautiful with ”burning brown eyes” to her appearance. She was a member of the order Stora Amaranther-orden (1779), and of the academy Utile Dulci. She was one of only three females known to have been a member of the Utile Dulci, the other being Anna Maria Lenngren and Anna Brita Wendelius.

The marriage was not a marriage of love, but rather a union of friendship. Several of the friends of the couple were pointed out as her lovers, and she was known for her love affairs, but her husband was tolerant, and the couple lived in harmony. In 1789, the young royal secretary Carl Wilhelm Seele was her lover: Seele was called l'Adonis de la Roture and known for changing clothes three or four times a day to ”coming, going and riding to demonstrate his beauty”.

Among her lovers were Crusenstolpe and his father. Several of her lovers belonged to the opposition of Gustav III, and her salon became a center of political opposition, where the political acts as well as the personal life of the monarch were exposed to criticism through witty remarks. This disturbed the political career of her spouse, a loyal supporter of the monarch, who demanded of him to close his home to his enemies and tell his wife not to interfere in politics. A conflict arose between Anna Charlotta and the monarch.