Hedvig Eleonora of Holstein Gottorp

Hedwig Eleonora of HolsteinGottorp was Queen of Sweden from 1654 until 1660. She was the wife of Charles X Gustav of Sweden, and mother of Charles XI. She served as regent during the minority of her son from 1660 until 1672, and during the minority of her grandson Charles XII in 1697. She also represented Charles XII during his absence in the Great Northern War from 1700 until the regency of her granddaughter Ulrika Eleonora in 1713. Hedwig Eleonora was described as a dominant personality, and was regarded as the de facto first lady of the royal court for 61 years, from 1654 until her death.

Hedwig Eleonora was born onOctober 1636 to Duke Frederick III of HolsteinGottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. She was the sixth of the couples sixteen children. One day after her eighteenth birthday, she was married to King Charles X Gustav of Sweden onOctober 1654. The marriage was arranged as an alliance between Sweden and HolsteinGottorp against their mutual enemy Denmark. Queen Christina of Sweden met Hedwig Eleonora in HolsteinGottorp on her way to Rome after her abdication. Christina was concerned that Charles was unmarried, and so she suggested the match. The suggestion was immediately accepted by HolsteinGottorp, who agreed to all demands from Sweden, which made the negotiations quick. Hedwig Eleonora was at the time engaged to Gustav Adolph, Duke of MecklenburgGstrow, and Queen Christina recommended Hedwig Eleonoras elder sister, Magdalene Sibylle of HolsteinGottorp. After having seen portraits of both sisters, however, Charles X chose Hedwig Eleonora because of her

Source: Wikipedia