Sophie Amalie Moth
{{Infobox nobility
| name = Sophie Amalie Moth
| title = Countess of Samsøe
| image = Sophie Amalie Moth Graefin von Samsoe.jpg
| caption = Sophie Amalie Moth, Countess of Samsøe
| alt =
| succession = Landgravine of Samsø
| CoA =
| more = no
| reign = 1677 – 1698
| reign-type =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| suc-type =
| spouse =
| spouse-type =
| issue = Christiane Gyldenløve
Christian Gyldenløve
Sophie Christiane Gyldenløve
Anna Christiane Gyldenløve
Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve
| full name =
| styles =
| titles =
| noble family = Moth
| house-type = Noble family
| father = Poul Moth
| mother = Ida Dorothea Bureneus
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1654|03|28|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| christening_date =
| christening_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1719|01|17|1654|03|28|df=y}}
| death_place = Jomfruens Egede manor house, Zealand, Denmark
| burial_date =
| burial_place =
| occupation = Royal mistress to Christian V of Denmark
}}
Sophie Amalie Moth, Countess of Samsøe (28 March 1654 – 17 January 1719) was the officially acknowledged royal mistress of King Christian V of Denmark. Together they had six acknowledged illegitimate children, all of whom bore the surname Gyldenløve. In 1677 she was elevated to be the first Landgrave of Samsø. The still-existing Danish noble family of Danneskiold-Samsøe is descended from her.
Sophie Amalie Moth was the first officially acknowledged royal mistress in Denmark.
Biography
File:Paul Moth (1600–1670), Leibarzt.jpg
Sophie Amalie was born on 28 March 1654 as the daughter of Poul Moth (1601–1670), doctor of the royal court, and Ida Dorothea Bureneus (1624–1684).
The relationship with the monarch was more or less arranged by her mother and started in 1671 or 1672. Sophie bore Christian six children, each of whom he acknowledged publicly. Consistent with the practice of his father and grandfather, all were given the surname Gyldenløve.
In 1677 Sophie Amalie was given the title Countess of Samsø, a title which chancellor Peder Griffenfeld had been deprived of after falling from favor. The relationship was known within the royal court from the start, but it was not official until she was given her title and officially presented at court.
In 1679, her children were acknowledged; in 1685, they were officially introduced at court.
Moth lived quite discreetly and did not have any political influence; the only times that she used her influence were when she secured a few favours from the monarch for some of her relatives. Her brother Matthias Moth, in particular, used the connection to his advantage. In 1682, she was granted estates in Gottorp.
File:Nerger Bust of Christian V of Denmark.jpg, 1680s, National Museum in Warsaw]]
After Niels Juel's death in 1697, the king arranged for her to take over his mansion, today known as the Thott Palace after a later owner and housing the French Embassy in Copenhagen.{{cite web|url=http://www.berlingske.dk/kultur/soeheltens-palae-paa-kongens-nytorv|title=Søheltens palæ på Kongens Nytorv|date=21 December 2006 |publisher=Berlingske|accessdate=2010-01-07}} Two years later Christian died and she lived a quiet life on her estate until her death in 1719, twenty years later. Christian Gyldenløve, their oldest son, took over the mansion after her.
Children
Sophie Amalie's six acknowledged illegitimate children by Christian V were:
| border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse;" | ||
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!Name!!Birth!!Death | ||
| Christiane Gyldenløve | 7 July 1672 | 12 September 1689 |
| Christian Gyldenløve | 28 February 1674 | 16 July 1703 |
| Sophie Christiane Gyldenløve | 1675 | 18 August 1684 |
| Anna Christiane Gyldenløve | 1676 | 11 August 1689 |
| Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve | 24 June 1678 | 8 December 1719 |
| Daughter | 1682 | 8 July 1684 |
References
Sources
- [https://runeberg.org/dbl/11/0492.html Sophie Amalie Moth] in Dansk Biografisk Leksikon 1. ed. (in Danish)
- [http://www.kvinfo.dk/side/597/bio/1457/origin/170/ Sophie Amalie Moth (1654 - 1719)] at Dansk Kvindebiografisk Leksikon (in Danish)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Moth, Sophie Amalie}}
Category:Mistresses of Danish royalty
Category:18th-century Danish landowners
Category:17th-century Danish landowners