Hedvig Taube

Hedvig Ulrika Taube (31 October 1714 – 11 February 1744), also Countess von Hessenstein was a Swedish courtier and countess, a Holy Roman countess of the Empire, and royal mistress to king Frederick I of Sweden from 1731 to 1744. She is regarded as the only official royal mistress in Swedish history.

Hedvig Taube was one of 9 children of count Edvard Didrik Taube and Christina Maria Falkenberg. Her sister, Catherine Charlotte, was to marry the brother of famous scientist Countess Eva Ekeblad, who was also the aunt of the renowned Axel von Fersen the Younger. In 1716, the future king Frederick became one of the god parents to her sister Christina Beata. During the 1720s, her father was nearly ruined and placed in heavy debt because of gambling and bad business: in 1730, the family had been forced to change their city residence to a cheaper one.

Hedvig Taube was described as a beauty, and in 1730, the king noticed her, likely on a visit to baron Otto Reinhold Strömfelt, who was married to her paternal aunt. He started to court her with baskets of fruit and flowers sent to the home of her indebted father: reportedly, jewels and other valuable items were hidden beneath the fruit. He also inquired whether Arvid Horn would be willing to house her, so as to make it possible for the king to court her in person. Horn refused, and during the Riksdag of 1731, he warned the king that he was the topic of dislike in the Clergy estate for courting a young unmarried lady.

The king's favorite and confidant, Erland Broman, convinced her father to agree to a sexual relationship between his daughter and the king. Hedvig Taube herself, however, was engaged to a young count Erik Sparre and refused, supported by her mother. Her mother suggested to take Hedvig Taube with her to their country estate Kungshatt to avoid the king's attention, but her spouse: "sold his daughter to the king for quite a sizable sum. His debts were paid and promotions made for his sons and his relations", and he sent his wife alone to the country and kept his daughter with him in the capital. Her betrothed, Erik Sparre, were also removed, as he was included to be a part of the entourage accompanied the king to his visit to Hesse, and several people were sent to Hedvig Taube to convince her to agree to the king's advances upon his return, notably her fathers maiden aunt Beata Taube and Carl Tersmeden, calling her future fate more beautiful than she could imagine. She was convinced by being pressed by her duty to her family, and the custom of Maîtresse-en-titre in France, which was not seen as improper there and would be introduced in Sweden with her. Meanwhile, her mother were convinced to agree to the matter by Eleonora Lindhielm and Hedvig Catharina Lillie, married to Daniel Niklas von Höpken and Magnus Julius De la Gardie, who wished to benefit their political careers by supporting the king.

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