Johanna Eleonora De la Gardie

Johanna Eleonora De la Gardie (Hamburg, 1661 – Stockholm, 1708), was a Swedish writer, poet, lady-in-waiting and noble.

Daughter of Pontus Fredrik De la Gardie and Beata Elisabet von Konigsmarck. She received a cultivated education with her sister Ebba Maria De la Gardie and her cousins Amalia Wilhelmina Konigsmarck and Maria Aurora of Konigsmarck; her sister became an appreciated poet and singer at court. Johanna became lady-in-waiting and, as her sister, a favourite of the queen, Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, and was also a friend of the queen dowager, Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. She was married to her cousin count Erik Gustaf Stenbock in 1691 and lived with him in England until 1697, where she became popular at the English court and queen Mary II of England.

She participated at the amateur theatre of the royal court encouraged by the queen, Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. In the winter of 1683-84, a group of female courtiers performed the Swedish premier of Iphigenie by Racine at court. In the play, Johanna Eleonora De la Gardie acted in the part of Iphigenie, Amalia Konigsmarck as Achilles, Aurora Konigsmarck as Clitemnestre, Augusta Wrangel as Agamemnon, and Ebba Maria De la Gardie as Eriphile. This is regarded as a significant event as the first play performed by an all female cast in Sweden, as an introduction of French Classicism in Sweden.

She wrote the French poem Portrait d’Ismene for Ulrika Eleonora, and the German language psalm Weich, Falsche Welt. She benefitted poet and writers and are remembered as the benefactor and teacher of the poet and politician Samuel Triewald.