Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach - Queen

Queen

She became queen of Denmark in 1730. The royal couple's life together was harmonious and her spouse respected and trusted her, but Sophie Magdalene was unpopular. She was accused of creating a certain closedness around the Court and the royal family. She was seen as haughty, arrogant and proud. Her background in a religious environment, marked by Pietism, strongly influenced the introduction of the subdued life at the Court. However, although her court was strict, it was also very luxurious. She was interested in luxury, pomp, fashion and jewelry and spent large sums of money on luxury during a time of poverty in the country. She made the most of her position as Queen in etiquette and ceremonial matters. Later, she was criticized also for never having discarded her Germanness, even though German culture and language had been dominant at the Court before her time. She did in fact never learn Danish. Her German entourage was given important positions at court and was favoured over Danes. Her sister, Sophie Caroline of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, lived at the Danish court from 1740, and it was rumoured that she was the mistress of her husband.

In 1732, she founded the order Ordre de l'Union Parfaite, which was to be given only to women who lived in happy marriages. In 1737, she founded Vallö Abbey, a Protestant convent for unmarried noblewomen.

Sophie Magdalene was behind the making of a new Danish queen's crown when she refused to wear the same one that the hated Queen Anna Sophie had worn. Queen Sophie Magdelene established the collection of crown jewels when she bequeathed a large part of her jewellery for that purpose. This includes the emeralds given to Sophie by King Christian VI upon the birth of the future Frederik V. She had Hirschholm Palace built and lived there after being widowed in 1746.