Spouse By Bigamy
She was daughter of Conrad, Count Reventlow who served Frederick as Chancellor of Denmark 1699–1708. In 1711, the King fell in love with her at a masquerade ball and wanted her as his mistress. Her mother refused to allow this. In 1712, the King took her to Skanderborg Slot, where she was married to him morganatically in a wedding ceremony by Thomas Clausen.
The King's official spouse was still alive. However, he had committed bigamy once before, with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg. The church authorities had not forbidden the king to engage in polygamy, as there were doctrines based on biblical polygamy of Hebrew patriarchs. She was made Princess and Duchess of Schleswig. In 1713, she was given Vallø as a fief.
Read more about this topic: Anne Sophie Reventlow
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