Ulrika Strömfelt

Ulrika Eleonora Strömfelt (1724–5 April 1780), was a politically active Swedish noble and courtier. She is known for her part in the attempted Coup d'état of queen Louis Ulrika in 1756.

Ulrika Strömfelt was the daughter of riksråd count Johan Carl Strömfelt and the överhovmästarinna and royal governess Hedvig Elisabet Wrangel. In 1739, she became hovfröken (maid of honor) to Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden. In 1744, she was made maid of honor to the new crown princess, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. She and her sister Agneta Strömfelt belonged to the first circle of courtiers appointed to Louisa Ulrika after her arrival in Sweden together with Cathérine Charlotte De la Gardie, Henrika Juliana von Liewen and Charlotta Sparre. In 1748, she was promoted to the position of kammarfröken (Chief Maid of honor) after Henrika Juliana von Liewen departure from court. She was apparently well liked by Louisa Ulrika, and was often given the task to read to her from French works.

In 1756, Queen Louisa Ulrika planned a coup d'état to depose the parliamentary system of the Age of liberty with a restoration of an absolute monarchy. To finance the coup, Louisa Ulrika removed the diamonds from the queens' crown, replaced them with crystals, and pawned the diamonds in Berlin in Prussia to finance her coup. Ulrika Strömfelt, however, was a supporter of the Hats (party) and not in favor of a restored absolute monarchy. According to unconfirmed tradition, Ulrika Strömfelt informed the Riksdag that part of the crown jewels was missing and pawned in Germany. This information led the government to demand an inventory of the crown jewels, which initiated the exposure and failure of the Coup of 1756. A different source claims that it Ulrika Strömfelt informed the foreign office of the Riksdag of the secret correspondence between the Queen and her brother, Frederick the Great. Either way, this led to the exposure of the coup. As a recognition of the act, she was awarded a pension of 2.000 riksdaler in silver and the title "Ständernas dotter" (The Daughter of the Parliament) by the Riksdag.

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