Countess Palatine Maria Eufrosyne of Zweibrücken

Maria Euphrosyne of Zweibrücken (14 February 1625, Stegeborg Castle, Östergötland – 24 October 1687, Höjentorp Castle, Västergötland), was a countess palatine, a cousin and foster-sibling of Queen Christina of Sweden, and a and sister of King Charles X of Sweden. She was also, after the accession of her brother Charles X on the throne (1654), a titular Royal Princess of Sweden.

Maria Euphrosyne was born to Count Palatine John Casimir of Zweibrücken and Princess Catherine of Sweden. In 1622, her family fled from Germany during the Thirty Years War and settled in the birth country of her mother, Sweden, where Maria Euphrosyne herself was born three years later. She spent her first years at Stegeborg Castle, the fief of her mother. In 1632, her mother was given the responsibility of her cousin, Queen Christina, and Maria Euphrosyne was from that moment brought up with her cousin the Queen: she and her siblings stayed at their court also after the death of their mother in 1638, while their father remained at Stegeborg. Maria Euphrosyne was given a very good education, being brought up with Christina, but she was eventually tutored separately, because Christina as a monarch was considered to require an education otherwise unsuitable for her sex.

In 1643, she received a proposal from Count Henry of Nassau. According to a letter of Christina, Henry was a rich and beautiful Prince who was well liked by Maria Euphrosyne. She left the decision to her father, however: he was uncertain as to whether Henry could support her, and in 1645, after Christina stated that she was fully capable of arranging a marriage for the same status for her relative in Sweden, he denied Henry. On 15 March 1645, Maria Euphrosyne was engaged to the Queens favorite Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, and on 7 March 1647, she married him in the Royal Chapel of Tre Kronor (castle) in Stockholm. The marriage was arranged by Christina. Traditional myth has regarded this as a triangle drama: Christina and Maria Euphrosyne were both believed to have been in love with Magnus Gabriel, and in the end, Christina gave up the plans of marrying him herself, and gave him to her cousin with the words: I give to you what I can not have myself. A famous play has been written about this drama. It is not known how much of this legendary triangle drama is true, however. According to Maria Euphrosyne herself, the purpose was to show them both her favor. Magnus Gabriel had, according to her own memoirs, fallen in love with her at the age of eighteen, and due to the love letters exchanged by them during their marriage, at least Maria Euphrosyne certainly had strong feelings of affection for him. The marriage has however not been described as happy. At the wedding, Christina granted her several states, among them her grandmothers favorite residence Höjentorp, which was also to be her favorite, as well as a great personal allowance, which was later confirmed by her brother upon his succession. In 1653, Magnus Gabriel lost his favor with Christina and was expelled from court, and she tried to act as a mediator. Maria Euphrosyne had a close relationship with her brother Charles, and did what she could to support his planned marriage with Christina.

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