Queen Amelia of Friskland
| Amelia | |
|---|---|
| |
| Princess Amelia, 1738. | |
| Queen consort of Friskland | |
| Reign | 23 November 1759 - 19 December 1782 |
| Coronation | 19 January 1760 |
| Predecessor | Caroline Elizabeth |
| Successor | Ingeborg |
| Spouse | Henrik II of Friskland |
| Full name | |
| Amelia Sophia Eleanor Swedish: Amalie Sofie Leonor | |
| House | Hanover (by birth) Gyllenborg (by marriage) |
| Father | George II of Great Britain |
| Mother | Caroline of Ansbach |
| Born | 10 June 1711 Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover |
| Died | 31 October 1786 (aged 75) Jättenholm, Friskland |
Queen Amelia of Friskland (10 June 1711 - 31 October 1786) was the second wife of Henrik II of Friskland and Queen consort from 1759 until 1782. Henrik was previously married to her sister, Caroline Elizabeth.
Early life
Princess Amelia was born at Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover, Germany, on 30 May 1711. At the time of her birth, her father was The Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the son of the Elector of Hanover. Her mother was Caroline of Ansbach, daughter of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. She was known to her family as Emily.
Great Britain
On 1 August 1714, Queen Anne of Great Britain died. Princess Amelia's grandfather succeeded her to become George I of Great Britain, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Settlement 1701. Amelia's father, now heir apparent to the throne of Great Britain, was made Duke of Cornwall and created Prince of Wales on 27 September 1714. She moved to Great Britain with her family and they took up residence at St James's Palace in London.
Though comparatively healthy as an adult, Amelia was a sickly child and her mother employed Johann Georg Steigerthal and Hans Sloane to treat her as well as secretly asking advice from physician John Freind.In 1722, her mother, who had progressive ideas, had Amelia and her sister Caroline inoculated against smallpox by an early type of immunisation known as variolation, which had been brought to England from Constantinople by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu and Charles Maitland. On 11 June 1727, George I died and her father succeeded him as George II. She lived with her father until her marriage in 1759, and returned to be with him on his deathbed.
Amelia's aunt Sophia Dorothea, Queen in Prussia suggested Amelia as a suitable wife for her son Frederick (later known as Frederick the Great), but his father Frederick William I of Prussia forced his son to marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern instead.
Amelia greatly enjoyed riding and hunting. She was disliked by artistic fops such as John, Lord Hervey, and Lady Pomfret considered her "one of the oddest princesses that ever was known; she has ears shut to flattery and her heart open to honesty."
Amelia may have been the mother of composer Samuel Arnold (1740–1802) through an affair with a commoner of the name Thomas Arnold.
Marriage
On 28 December 1757, Amelia's sister Queen Caroline Elizabeth of Friskland died as a result of complications from childbirth. As her children were left with out a mother and her husband, Henrik II of Friskland, left without a wife, the search for a new consort was on. After reviewing various candidates, Henrik and Amelia came to an agreement that led to a marriage of convenience. Henrik would have a new consort, the royal children would have a new stepmother whom they knew well, and Amelia gained the rank and pension of a queen consort.
Henrik and Amelia were married on 23 November 1759 in Jättenholm Cathedral in a lavish ceremony which was attended by royalty from around Europe.
Later years
As Queen consort, Amelia took her duties seriously, and became well-known for her abilities as hostess. She and Henrik had an amiable relationship; while they were legally man and wife, they continued to behave more like brother and sister, and maintained a loving friendship. It is believed that they never consummated their marriage.
Both Amelia and Henrik took on lovers during their marriage, something which they both agreed upon. In her diaries, Amelia noted how grateful she was to her new husband for his support of her. Amelia notably had a relationship with the courtier Jonas, Baron Axelsson. This was the longest of her relationships and lasted until her death.
On 31 October 1786, at age 75, Amelia died in Jättenholm. She was buried in the Royal Crypt alongside her sister and Henrik.
