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Chief Court Mistress

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Chief Court Mistress

Court Mistress (Danish: hofmesterinde; Dutch: hofmesterees ('Court mistress'); German: hofmeisterin; Norwegian: hoffmesterinne; Swedish: hovmästarinna) or Chief Court Mistress (Danish: Overhofmesterinde; Dutch: Grootmeesteres ('Grand Mistress') German: Obersthofmeisterin; Norwegian: overhoffmesterinne; Swedish: överhovmästarinna; Russia: Ober-Hofmeisterin) is/was the title of the senior lady-in-waiting in the courts of Austria, Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and the German princely and royal courts as well as Imperial Russia.

Contents

Austria

In 1619, a set organisation was finally established for the Austrian Imperial court which came to be the characteristic organisation of the Austrian-Habsburg court roughly kept from this point onward. The first rank of the female courtiers was the Obersthofmeisterin, who was second in rank after the empress herself, and responsible for all the female courtiers. Whenever absent, she was replaced by the Fräuleinhofmeisterin, normally in charge of the unmarried female courtiers, their conduct and service.

Chief Court Mistress to Anna of Tyrol, 1608-1618

  • 1611-1618: Freiin Katharina v. Kollowrath-L.

    • Chief Court Mistress to Eleonora Gonzaga, 1622-1658

  • 1621-1624: Gräfin Maria Anna v. Portia
  • 1624-1637: Gräfin Ursula v. Attems
  • 1637-1644: Freiin Margarita v. Herberstein
  • 1647-1647: Gräfin Octavia Strozzi
  • 1652-1655: Freiin Anna Eleonora v. Metternich

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Anna of Spain, 1631-1646

  • 1630-1638: Victoria de Toledo y Colona
  • 1643-1646: Marquesa Flores d’Avila

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Leopoldine of Austria, 1648-1649

  • 1648-1649: Gräfin Anna Eleonora v. Wolkenstein 1648-1649

    • Chief Court Mistress to Eleonora Gonzaga, 1651-1686

  • 1651-1658: Gräfin Maria Elisabeth v. Wagensperg

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Theresa of Austria, 1740-1780

  • 1740-1754: Marie Karoline von Fuchs-Mollard

    • Chief Court Mistress to Empress Elisabeth of Austria, 1854-1898

  • 1854-1862: Sophie Esterházy
  • 1862- : Pauline von Königsegg
  • Maria Welser, Gräfin von Welsersheimb Freiin zu Gumpenstein

    • Denmark

    The early modern Danish court was organized according to the German court model, in turn inspired by the Imperial Austrian court model, from the 16th century onward.

    The highest rank female courtier to a female royal was the hofmesterinde (Court Mistress) from 1694/98 onward named Overhofmesterinde (Chief Court Mistres), equivalent to the Mistress of the Robes, normally an elder widow, who supervised the rest of the ladies-in-waiting.

    Chief Court Mistress to Christina of Saxony, 1481–1513

  • 1490-1496: Sidsel Lunge
  • 1503–1516: Anne Meinstrup

    • Chief Court Mistress to Isabella of Austria, 1515–1523

  • 1516–1517: Anne Meinstrup

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophie of Pomerania, 1523–1533

  • 1526–1533: Anne Meinstrup

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 1572–1631

  • 1572–1584: Inger Oxe
  • 1584–1592: Beate Clausdatter Bille

    • Chief Court Mistress to Anne Catherine of Brandenburg 1597–1612

  • 1597–1612: Beate Huitfeldt

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg 1648–1685

  • Lucie von Løschebrand
  • 1657–1685: Maria Elisabeth von Haxthausen

    • Chief Court Mistress to Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel 1670–1714

  • 1677-1692: Juliane Elisabeth von Uffeln
  • 1695–1705: Dorothea Justina Haxthausen
  • 1705: Sophie Dorothea von Schack von Marschalck
  • Louise Charlotte von Schlaberndorf

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow 1699–1721

  • 1699–1716: Abel Cathrine Buchwald

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of Great Britain 1746–1751

  • 1746-1751: Louise Henriette von Schleinitz

    • Chief Court Mistress to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1752–1796

  • 1757–1767: Karen Huitfeldt
  • 1772–1784: Margrethe von der Lühe
  • 1784–1793: Sophie Louise Holck-Winterfeldt

    • Chief Court Mistress to Caroline Matilda of Great Britain 1766–1775

  • 1766–1768: Louise von Plessen
  • 1768-1768: Anne Sofie von Berckentin
  • 1768–1770: Margrethe von der Lühe
  • 1770–1772: Charlotte Elisabeth Henriette Holstein
  • 1772-1775: Cathrine Charlotte von der Horst

    • Chief Court Mistress to Marie of Hesse-Kassel 1808–1852

  • 1823–1839: Lucie Charlotte Sehestedt Juul

    • Chief Court Mistress to Caroline Amalie of Augustenburg 1839–1881

  • 1845–1859: Ingeborg Christiane Rosenørn

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of Hesse-Kassel 1863–1898

  • 1864–1876: Ida Marie Bille
  • 1876–1888: Julia Adelaide Harriet Raben-Levetzau
  • 1888-1898: Louise Bille-Brahe (first term)

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of Sweden 1906–1926

  • 1906-1910: Louise Bille-Brahe (second term)

    • Chief Court Mistress to Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1912–1952

  • 1912–1935: Louise Grevenkop-Castenskiold
  • 1935–1952: Inger Wedell

    • Germany

    The Austrian court model was the role model for the princely courts in Germany, and the post of Obersthofmeisterin, or only hofmeisterin, existed in the princely (and later royal) German courts as well.

    The German court model in turn became the role model of the early modern Scandinavian courts of Denmark and Sweden.

    Chief court mistress to the queens of Prussia and empresses of Germany

    Chief Court Mistress to Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz 1793-1810

  • Sophie Marie von Voß

    • Chief Court Mistress to Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria 1840–1873

  • Wilhelmine van Reede-Ginkel

    • Chief Court Mistress to Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein 1888–1918

  • Therese von Brockdorff

    • The Netherlands

    In the 16th-century, the principal lady-in-waiting in the courts of the Habsburg governors of the Netherlands, Margaret of Austria and Mary of Hungary (governor of the Netherlands), was named hofmesterees ('Court mistress') or dame d'honneur.

    The principal female office holder in the royal court of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 19th-century was named Grootmeesteres ('Grand Mistress').

    Norway

    During the union of Sweden-Norway in 1814–1905, Sweden and Norway shared the same royal family. At that time, there were two Chief Court Mistress for the same queen: one as Queen of Sweden at the Swedish royal court when she lived in Sweden, and a separate Chief Court Mistress as Queen of Norway at the Norwegian royal court, who served in her post during the visits of the Swedish-Norwegian royal family to Norway.

    Presently, the overhoffmesterinne in Norway acts as a vice hostess at the Norwegian royal court when the queen and the other female members of the royal family are absent.

    Chief Court Mistress to Désirée Clary, 1823–1861

  • 1825–1844: Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg

    • Chief Court Mistress to Josephine of Leuchtenberg, 1844–1876

  • 1844–1845: Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg
  • Fanny Lövenskjöld

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of the Netherlands, 1859–1871

  • 1859–1871: Juliane Cathrine Wilhelmine Wedel Jarlsberg

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophia of Nassau, 1872–1905

  • 1873–1887: Alette Due
  • 1887–1905: Elise Lovenskiold

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maud of Wales, 1905–1938

  • Emma Heiberg Stang

    • Russia

    In 1722, the Russian Imperial court was reorganized in accordance with the reforms of Peter the Great to Westernize Russia, and the old court offices of the Tsarina was replaced with court offices inspired by the German model. Accordingly, the new principal lady in waiting of the Russian empress was named Ober-Hofmeisterin.

    Chief Court Mistress to Catherine I of Russia 1713–1725

  • Matryona Balk
  • Agrippina Petrovna Volkonskaia
  • Varvara Michajlovna Arsen'eva

    • Chief Court Mistress to Elizabeth of Russia 1741–1762

  • Hedvig Elizabeth von Biron
  • Anna Vorontsova

    • Chief Court Mistress to Catherine I of Russia 1762–1796

  • Maria Rumyantseva

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse and by Rhine) 1855–1880

  • 1855-1863: Yekaterina Saltykov (in position since 1840)

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) 1881–1917

  • 1881-1881: Princess Kurakin (in position since 1866)
  • 1881-1888: Princess Hélene Kotchoubey
  • 1888-: Countess Anna Stroganoff

    • Chief Court Mistress to Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) 1894–1917

  • 1894–1910: Maria Golitzyna
  • 1910–1917: Elizaveta Narishkina

    • Sweden

    In Sweden, the Chief Court Mistress is the second highest-ranking official of the royal household, preceded only by the Marshal of the Realm. She ranks immediately below the members of the royal family, the speaker of the Parliament and the prime minister, and has precedence over former speakers of the Parliament and former prime ministers. The incumbent is Countess Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister, who has served since 1994.

    The title and position have changed over time. Before the reign of Queen Christina (1632–1654), the title was generally referred to as hovmästarinna (Court Mistress), but during and after the reign of Christina, it became the custom to have two such Court mistresses subordinate to one överhovmästarinna (Chief Court Mistress). Only the Queen and the Queen Dowager had a Chief Court Mistress called överhovmästarinna (the Chief Court Mistress) while the equivalent at the courts of other female members of the royal house was called hovmästarinna (Court Mistress).

    The position was the highest a female courtier could have in the Swedish royal court, and the överhovmästarinna was ranked an Excellency, something unusual for a woman in the 17th century, which placed her immediately after the female members of the royal house in rank. Her role was to uphold etiquette at court, and receive and carry out the instructions of the Queen in the management of the court. She managed the employment of new members to the court of the Queen, and every meeting and letter to the Queen passed through her. She also managed the ceremony of the court presentation, in which nobles were presented to the royal family and thus allowed to show themselves officially at court. She could also represent the Queen on some occasions at court ceremonies and parties as hostess.

    Chief Court Mistress to Catherine Stenbock 1552–1621

  • 1552–1568: Anna Hogenskild

    • Chief Court Mistress to Karin Månsdotter 1567–1568

  • 1567–1569: Elin Andersdotter

    • Chief Court Mistress to Catherine Jagellon 1568–1583

  • 1568–1583: Karin Gyllenstierna

    • Chief Court Mistress to Gunilla Bielke 1585–1597

  • 1587–1592: Kerstin Oxenstierna

    • Chief Court Mistress to Christina of Holstein-Gottorp 1604–1625

  • 1604–1608 : Carin Ulfsdotter Snakeborg
  • 1608–1612 : Gunilla Jönsdotter Struss
  • 1612–1619 : Carin Kyle

    • Chief Court Mistress to Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg 1620–1655

  • 1620–1623 : Hebbla Eriksdotter Stålarm
  • Catharina von Schnideck
  • Regina Catharina von Windisch-Grätz
  • 1628–1633 : Brita Gylta
  • 1633–1634 : Ebba Mauritzdotter Leijonhufvud
  • 1634–1639 : Elisabet Gyllenstierna
  • 1639–1640 : Christina Posse
  • 1640–1649 : Vacant
  • 1649–1655 : Görvel Posse

    • Chief Court Mistress to Christina 1632–1654

  • 1633–1634 : Ebba Mauritzdotter Leijonhufvud
  • 1634–1639 : Elisabet Gyllenstierna
  • 1639–1647 : Beata Oxenstierna
  • 1651–1655 : Maria Sofia De la Gardie

    • Chief Court Mistress to Hedvig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, 1654–1715

  • 1655–1660 : Elisabet Carlsdotter Gyllenhielm
  • 1660–1664 : Görwel Bååt
  • 1664–1671 : Görvel Posse
  • 1671–1686 : Occa Maria Johanna von Riperda
  • 1686–1715 : Märta Berendes (equivalent position at the court of the princesses in 1687–1717)

    • Chief Court Mistress to Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, 1680–1693

  • 1680–1693 : Maria Elisabeth Stenbock

    • Chief Court Mistress to Ulrika Eleonora 1718–1741

  • 1717–1736 : Katarina Ebba Horn af Åminne
  • 1736–1741 : Hedvig Elisabet Strömfelt (equivalent position to the Crown princess in 1744–1751)

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, 1751–1782

  • 1751–1751 : Hedvig Elisabet Strömfelt
  • 1751–1754 : Ulla Tessin
  • 1754–1761 : Ulrica Catharina Stromberg
  • 1761–1765 : Ulrika Juliana Gyllenstierna
  • 1765–1771 : Brita Stina Sparre
  • 1771–1782 : Fredrika Eleonora von Düben

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, 1771–1813

  • 1771–1777 : Anna Maria Hjärne
  • 1777–1780 : Ulrika Strömfelt
  • 1780–1795 : Charlotta Sparre
  • 1795-1813 : Hedvig Eva De la Gardie

    • Chief Court Mistress to Frederica of Baden, 1797–1809

  • 1795–1805 : Hedvig Catharina Piper
  • 1805–1810 : Lovisa Sophia von Fersen

    • Chief Court Mistress to Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, 1809–1818

  • 1809–1810 : Lovisa Sophia von Fersen
  • 1811–1818 : Christina Charlotta Stjerneld
  • 1818–1818 : Caroline Lewenhaupt
  • 1818–1818 : Charlotta Aurora De Geer

    • Chief Court Mistresss to Désirée Clary, 1823–1861

  • 1823–1829: Marcelle Tascher de la Pagerie
  • 1829–1844: Vilhelmina Gyldenstolpe

    • Chief Court Mistress to Josephine of Leuchtenberg, 1844–1876

  • 1844–1866: Charlotta Skjöldebrand

    • Chief Court Mistress to Louise of the Netherlands, 1859–1872

  • 1859–1860: Stefanie Hamilton
  • 1860–1869: Wilhelmina Bonde
  • 1871–1872: Anne-Malène Wachtmeister

    • Chief Court Mistress to Sophia of Nassau, 1872–1907

  • 1872–1879: Elisabet Augusta Piper
  • 1880–1890: Malvina De la Gardie
  • 1890–1907: Ebba Åkerhielm

    • Chief Court Mistress to Victoria of Baden, 1907–1931

  • 1907–1908: Vacant
  • 1908–1931: Augusta Lewenhaupt

    • References

    Chief Court Mistress Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA