Anna Charlotta Schröderheim, née von Stapelmohr, also called Ann-Charlotte or Anne-Charlotte, (1754-1791), was a Swedish noblewoman, lady-in-waiting, wit and salonist, spouse of the politician Elis Schröderheim. She was one of the most known socialites of her time and became one of the more known symbols of the Gustavian age. Poems have been dedicated to her.

Contents 1 Biography 2 In fiction 3 See also 4 Image 5 References

[edit] Biography

She was born daughter of the wealthy Christoffer Lorentz von Stapelmohr and Maria Lucretia Dittmer: her father was director of the sea customs. Her parents was a center for the capitals high society and Charlotta was a celebrated beauty. After her marriage to Elis Schröderheim in 1776 she became the greatest socialite and society hostess of Stockholm. Her husband was then minister and the second most powerful man in the country, and her salon became a center of the aristocraty, were her husbands ”amible jokes mingled” with the verbality, conversation and sharp tongue of his spouse. She is described as passioned, witty and intelligent as a person, and beautiful with ”burning brown eyes” to her appearance.

The marriage was not a marriage of love, but rather a union of friendship. Several of the friends of the couple were pointed out as her lovers, and she was known for her love affairs, but her husband was tolerant, and the couple lived in harmony. In 1789, the young royal secretary Seele was her lover: Seele was kalled l'Adonis de la Roture and known for changing clothes three or four times a day to ”coming, going and riding demonstrate his beauty”.

In 1790, Charlotta was pregnant with Seele. In contrast to his usual behaviour, Schröderheim demanded a divorce and declared that the child would be taken from her and registered as dead after the birth. It became a scandal. The reason to the changed behaviour of her husband was said to be the king: Gustav III had, during a political disagreement with her, made a remarc about her childless marriage and her latest interest in one of his stable masters. She had answered him: ” I am afraid I have to make do, Your Majesty, as my husband can not afford a stable master”, which the king took as a remarc about his and the queen’s rumoured relationship with the royal stable master Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila. The sympathies was largely on Anna Charlotta’s side during the scandal.

She gave birth to a daughter 1 January 1791 and died ”of sorrow” after the childbirth. In 1796, Elsa Fougt gave a memorial speech to her:

"Court and city admired her equisite taste, her playing mind. Learning and the beautiful arts were flattered by her support. Her house became the center of the best company and the school for a good tone, the true amiability, the deacent joy. One gatthered around her, to hear her every word; one admired and praised her wit. Every wim was considered to be better then what predecessed it, and there were those, who thought temselwes to be wits, only by hearing her and repeating what she, even without effort, had babbled forth. So passed some happy years, by which she, flattered by everyones applause and safe by the nature of her own good heart, free from sorrow abandoned herself to the shining pleasures of the grand world."

[edit] In fiction

Anna Charlotta Schröderhiem have been portraited by actress Brita Appelgren in the movie Ulla, min Ulla (1930) and by Renée Björling in the movie Två Konungar (1925).

[edit] See also

• Hedvig Catharina Lilje
• Henrika Juliana von Liewen

[edit] Image

• http://www.tebordet.com/bps_27_dec.html
• http://runeberg.org/sbh/b0438.html

[edit] References

• Oscar Levertin: Från Gustaf III:s dagar ("From the days of Gustav III") (Swedish)
• runeberg.orgWilhelmina Stålberg: Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor (Notes on Swedish women) (Swedish)
• [1] M. J. Crusenstolpe: Anna Charlotta Schröderheim (Swedish)
• [2]Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon (Swedish biographical dictionary) (Swedish)