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Ebba Larsdotter SparreSwedish aristocrat, maid of honor
Country:
 Sweden |
Content:
- Biography of Ebba Larsdotter Sparre
- Life at the Royal Court
- Relationships and Marriage
- Friendship with Queen Christina
- Death
Biography of Ebba Larsdotter Sparre
Early LifeEbba Larsdotter Sparre was born in Stockholm in 1629. She was the daughter of Lars Eriksson Sparre, a statesman and marshal, and his wife Märta Banér. She grew up with five older brothers, each of whom played a role in Swedish history. Her grandfather, Erik Larsson Sparre, was a chancellor, and her father was a close friend and ally of King Gustav II Adolf.
Life at the Royal Court
After her father's death in 1644, Ebba Sparre entered the royal court a year later. She gained a reputation for her unmatched beauty and was even given the nickname "La belle comtesse." Queen Christina, who admired ballet and theatrical performances, often cast Sparre as Venus in amateur ballet shows organized by nobles. The close relationship between Sparre and Queen Christina, who took Queen Elizabeth I of England as her role model, fueled rumors that they were lovers. However, there is no documentary evidence to support these claims, and the truth remains unknown.
Relationships and Marriage
Ebba Sparre's fiancé was Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna, the son of her cousin Axel Oxenstierna, an old chancellor. However, at Queen Christina's urging, Sparre broke off the engagement and married Count Jakob Kasimir De la Gardie, the brother of the king's favorite, Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie, in 1652. Their marriage lasted only five years and was unhappy. They lost three children in infancy, and Sparre did not trust her husband's relatives. Jakob Kasimir De la Gardie died during the siege of Copenhagen in 1658. Sparre's first fiancé, Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna, married another aristocrat, Magdalena Stenbock, in 1667.
Friendship with Queen Christina
Ebba Sparre maintained a close friendship with Queen Christina even after she left Sweden for Rome. In 1661, Christina invited Sparre to visit her in Hamburg and wanted to meet her during her visit to Sweden, but Sparre's family strongly opposed it.
Death
Ebba Larsdotter Sparre died on March 19, 1662, at the age of just over 30. She remains renowned as the only woman who was close friends with Queen Christina, and they continued to correspond even after Christina's departure from Sweden.
