Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel - Queen

Queen

Charlotte Amalie was raised in the Reformed faith. In the marriage contract, she was not required to convert although this was disliked and met some resistance before it was accepted. She kept her faith after wedding Christian, who as ruler of Denmark was the head of the state church, the Lutheran Church. She succeeded in exempting herself and her court from the requirement that they adhere to the Lutheran Church. Charlotte obtained the right to practice her "Reformed" faith, and build a "Reformed" Church, which she financed herself. However, her action caused the Lutheran clergy to oppose her coronation as Queen. She did not get along with her mother-in-law, with whom she had conflicts regarding etiquette matters. She also supported the release of Leonora Christina Ulfeldt.

Her spouse prevented her from exerting any major political influence, because he did not want her to be as influential as his mother had been, and because he disliked her pro-Brandenburg sympathies. A spy, Justine Cathrine Rosenkrantz, was in fact placed among her ladies-in-waitings. However, she was not completely without influence, and she did manage to achieve some rights for the followers of her faith in Denmark (1685). She is described as charmful and with great tact, though not beautiful. She learned to speak Danish, which was appreciated. The relationship with her spouse was never a love match – he was constantly unfaithful during their marriage: his relationship with Sophie Amalie Moth started in 1672 – but it was a warm and mutually respectful friendship. She was not set aside or ignored at court, but enjoyed full respect in her position as queen. She was also very close to her children, and described as a good mother.