Sophia Charlotte of Hanover

Sophia Charlotte of Hanover
Queen consort in Prussia
Tenure	18 January 1701 – 21 January 1705
Spouse	Frederick I of Prussia
Issue
Frederick William I of Prussia
House	House of Hanover
Father	Ernest Augustus, Elector of Hanover
Mother	Sophia of the Palatinate
Born	30 October 1668(1668-10-30) Schloss Iburg, Osnabrück
Died	1 February 1705(1705-02-01) (aged 36) Hanover

Sophia Charlotte of Hanover (30 October 1668 – 1 February 1705) was the Queen consort of Prussia as wife of Frederick I of Prussia. She was the daughter of Ernst August, Elector of Hanover, and Sophia of the Palatinate. Her eldest brother George Louis succeeded to the British throne in 1714 as King George I.

Biography

As a girl, Sophia Charlotte visited France with her mother in hopes of marrying Louis of France, the "Grand Dauphin", heir to the throne of France. He later married Maria Anne Victoria of Bavaria instead, but Sophia Charlotte was also proposed as a possible bride for Louis's father, King Louis XIV, after he lost his wife in 1683. Nothing came of this plan either. A marriage to Frederick, the heir of the Electorate of Brandenburg and Duchy of Prussia, was therefore arranged. By marrying Frederick, she became Electress of Brandenburg in 1688, and after the elevation of Brandenburg-Prussia to a kingdom in 1701, she became the first Queen in Prussia. Her only child to reach maturity became King Frederick William I of Prussia. Her husband was so much in love with her that while he had an official mistress at his palace—in imitation of Louis XIV—he never made use of her services.

Wax portrait of Sophie Charlotte, c. 1700

Sophia Charlotte is mainly remembered for her friendship and correspondence with her mother's good friend and tutor Gottfried Leibniz, whose avowed disciple she became. In addition to German, she spoke French, Italian and English. In 1696, she had the Charlottenburg Palace (originally Lützenburg Palace) constructed at Lützow by Arnold Nehring: here, she lived independently from her spouse and had her own court. Her spouse was only allowed there by invitation, such as in 1699, when she hosted a birthday party for him there. From 1700, she regularly lived there in the summer months. She surrounded herself with philosophers and scientists and inspired the foundation of the Prussian Science academy. She was interested in music, sang and played the cembalo, had an Italian opera theater constructed, and employed the musicians Attilio Ariosti and Giovanni Battista Bononcini. The composer Arcangelo Corelli did her the honor of dedicating to her his Op. 5 sonatas for solo violin (Rome, 1700). The latter was one of the most significant and influential publications of compositions for violin in the history of Western music. Nonetheless, the nature of her relationship with Corelli remains obscure.

Sophia Charlotte was such a formidable personage that when Peter the Great first met her and her mother on his Great Embassy in 1697, he was so overwhelmed and intimidated that he could not speak. Both women put him at ease, and he reciprocated with his natural humour and trunks full of brocade and furs.

Sophia Charlotte's died of pneumonia on 21 January 1705, when she was 36 years of age.

Charlottenburg, the Charlottensee, and the Sophie-Charlotte-Oberschule in Berlin are all named after her.

Issue

1. Frederick August of Brandenburg (6 October 1685 - 31 January 1686) died in infancy.
2. Frederick William I of Prussia (14 August 1688 – 31 May 1740) married Sophia Dorothea of Hanover and had issue.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 30 October 1668 – 8 October 1684 Her Serene Highness Duchess Sophia Charlotte of Brunswick-Lüneburg
• 8 October 1684 – 29 April 1688 Her Serene Highness the Electoral Princess of Brandenburg
• 29 April 1688 – 18 January 1701 Her Serene Highness the Electress of Brandenburg
• 18 January 1701 – 1 February 1705 Her Majesty the Queen

References

• MacDonald Ross, George, 1999, "Leibniz and Sophie-Charlotte" in Herz, S., Vogtherr, C.M., Windt, F., eds., Sophie Charlotte und ihr Schloß. München: Prestel: 95–105. English translation.
• Stiftung Preußische Schlösser und Gärten in Berlin-Brandenburg (Hrsg.in): Sophie Charlotte und ihr Schloss, München, London, New York 1999, ISBN 3-7913-2225-7
• Clemens Götze: Das "musische Preußen" Sophie Charlottes. Kunst und Politik am Hof der ersten Königin in Preußen. Grin 2008.
• Karin Feuerstein-Prasser: Die preußischen Königinnen. Piper 2005.
• Renate Feyl: "Aussicht auf bleibende Helle. Die Königin und der Philosoph." Kipenheuer & Witsch 2006.
• Otto Krauske: Sophie Charlotte. In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Band 34, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1892, S. 676–684.

External links

Sophia Charlotte of Hanover House of Hanover Cadet branch of the House of Welf Born: 30 October 1668 Died: 1 February 1705
German royalty
Preceded by Sophia Dorothea of Holstein	Electress consort of Brandenburg 29 April 1688 – 1 February 1705	Vacant Title next held by Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
	Duchess consort of Prussia 29 April 1688 - 18 January 1701	Title abolished Duchess of Prussia elevated to royal rank
New title	Queen consort in Prussia 18 January 1701 - 1 February 1705	Vacant Title next held by Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Preceded by Mary II of England	Princess consort of Orange (disputed) 8 March 1702 - 1 February 1705