Sophia Brahe
| Sophia Brahe | |
|---|---|
Hans Peter Hansen engraved this portrait for the Illustreret Dansk Litteraturhistorie
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| Born |
August 24, 1559 (or September 22, 1556) Knudsturp |
| Died | 1643 (aged 83–84) |
| Known for | Assisting her brother Tycho Brahe with his astronomical observations, creating exceptional gardens at Trolleholm Castle, genealogist of Danish noble families |
| Influences | Tycho Brahe |
| Spouse |
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| Children | Tage Thott |
Sophia or Sophie Brahe or after marriage Sophie Thott Lange (22 September 1556 or 24 August 1559 – 1643), was a Danish horticulturalist with knowledge of astronomy, chemistry, and medicine. She assisted her brother Tycho Brahe with his astronomical observations.
She was born in Knudstrup, as the youngest of ten children, to Otte Brahe rigsråd, or advisor to the King of Denmark; and Beate Bille Brahe, leader of the royal household for Queen Sophie. Famous astronomer Tycho Brahe, 10 years her senior, was Sophie's oldest brother. When she was 17, she started assisting her brother with his astronomical observations in 1573, and helped him with the work that became the basis for modern planetary orbit predictions. She frequently visited his observatory Uranienborg, on the then-Danish island of Hveen. Tycho wrote that he had trained her in horticulture and chemistry, but he told her not to study astronomy. He expressed with pride that she learned astronomy on her own, studying books in German, and having Latin books translated with her own money so that she could also study them (Tjørnum). Brother and sister were united by their work in science, and by their family's opposition to science as an appropriate activity for members of the aristocracy. Tycho referred with admiration to her 'animus invictus', her "determined mind" (Det Kongelige Bibliotek).
She married Otto Thott in 1576, an older man than her: he was 33. She had one child with him before he died on 23 March 1588. Their son was Tage Thott, born in 1580. Upon her husband's death, Sophie Thott managed his property in Eriksholm (today Trolleholm Castle), running the estate to keep it profitable until her son came of age. During this time, she also became a horticulturalist, in addition to her studies in chemistry and medicine. The gardens she created in Ericksholm were said to be exceptional. Sophie was particularly interested in studying chemistry and medicine according to Paracelsus, in which small doses of poison might serve as strong medicines. She also helped her brother with producing horoscopes, continuing with that until 1597 (Det Kongelige Biblioteck).
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