Chief Court Mistress

Chief court mistresses of Austria

In 1619, a set organisation was finally established for the Austrian Imperial court which came to be the characteristic organisation of the Austrian-Habsburg court roughly kept from this point onward.

The first rank of the female courtiers was the Obersthofmeisterin, who was second in rank after the empress herself, and responsible for all the female courtiers. Whenever absent, she was replaced by the Fräuleinhofmeisterin, normally in charge of the unmarried female courtiers, their conduct and service.

Anna of Tyrol, 1608–1618

1611–1618: Freiin Katharina v. Kollowrath-L.

Eleonora Gonzaga , 1622–1658

1621–1624: Gräfin Maria Anna v. Portia

1624–1637: Gräfin Ursula v. Attems

1637–1644: Freiin Margarita v. Herberstein

1647–1647: Gräfin Octavia Strozzi

1652–1655: Freiin Anna Eleonora v. Metternich

Maria Anna of Spain, 1631–1646

1630–1638: Victoria de Toledo y Colonna

1643–1646: Marquesa de Flores Dávila

Maria Leopoldine of Austria, 1648–1649

1648–1649: Gräfin Anna Eleonora v. Wolkenstein 1648–1649

Eleonora Gonzaga, 1651–1686

1651–1658: Gräfin Maria Elisabeth v. Wagensperg

Maria Theresa of Austria, 1740–1780

1740–1754: Gräfin Marie Karoline von Fuchs-Mollard

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, 1854–1898

1854–1862: Gräfin Sophie Esterházy

1862– : Gräfin Pauline von Königsegg

Maria Welser, Gräfin von Welsersheimb Freiin zu Gumpenstein

Chief court mistresses of Denmark

The early modern Danish court was organized according to the German court model, in turn inspired by the Imperial Austrian court model, from the 16th century onward.

The highest rank female courtier to a female royal was the hofmesterinde (Court Mistress) from 1694/98 onward named Overhofmesterinde (Chief Court Mistress), equivalent to the Mistress of the Robes, normally an elder widow, who supervised the rest of the ladies-in-waiting.

The Princess Anne of Denmark married James VI of Scotland in 1589, and Fru Ide Ulfstand was appointed hofmesterinde to her new household. In Scotland, Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree seems to have fulfilled the role.

When the office was vacant the tasks were taken over by the second in command, the kammarfrøken. This was also the case when the office of hofmesterinde to the queen was left vacant in 1808–23 and 1839–45, and was handled by Friederiche Amalie Marie Hedevig von der Manfe and Marie Ernestine Wilhelmine von Walterstorf respectively.

Christina of Saxony, 1481–1513

1490–1496: Sidsel Lunge

1503–1516: Anne Meinstrup

Isabella of Austria, 1515–1523

1516–1517: Anne Meinstrup

1517–1523: Sigbrit Willoms

Sophie of Pomerania, 1523–1533

1526–1533: Anne Meinstrup

Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, 1534–1571

1557–1558: Fru Kirstine.

1558– : Anne Albertsdatter Glob-Urne.

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, 1572–1631

1572–1584: Inger Oxe

1584–1592: Beate Clausdatter Bille

Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, 1597–1612

1597–1612: Beate Huitfeldt

Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, 1648–1685

Lucie von Løschebrand

1657–1685: Maria Elisabeth von Haxthausen

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel, 1670–1714

1677–1692: Juliane Elisabeth von Uffeln

1695–1705: Dorothea Justina Haxthausen

1705–1707: Sophie Dorothea von Schack von Marschalck

Louise Charlotte von Schlaberndorf

Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, 1699–1721

1699–1716: Abel Cathrine Buchwald

Anne Sophie Reventlow, 1721–1743

Fru von Grabow

Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, 1721–1770

Beate Henriette af Reuss-Lobenstein

Louise of Great Britain, 1746–1751

1746–1751: Christiane Henriette Louise Juel (first term)

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, 1752–1796

1752–1754: Christiane Henriette Louise Juel (second term)

1757–1767: Karen Huitfeldt

1772–1784: Margrethe von der Lühe

1784–1793: Sophie Louise Holck-Winterfeldt

Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, 1766–1775

1766–1768: Louise von Plessen

1768–1768: Anne Sofie von Berckentin

1768–1770: Margrethe von der Lühe

1770–1772: Charlotte Elisabeth Henriette Holstein

1772–1775: Cathrine Charlotte von der Horst

Marie of Hesse-Kassel, 1808–1852

1808–1823: Vacant

1823–1839: Lucie Charlotte Sehestedt Juul

1839–1852: Vacant

Caroline Amalie of Augustenburg, 1839–1881

1839–1845: Vacant

1845–1859: Ingeborg Christiane Rosenørn

Louise of Hesse-Kassel, 1863–1898

1864–1876: Ida Marie Bille

1876–1888: Julia Adelaide Harriet Raben-Levetzau

1888–1898: Louise Bille-Brahe (first term)

Louise of Sweden, 1906–1926

1906–1910: Louise Bille-Brahe (second term)

Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 1912–1952

1912–1935: Louise Grevenkop-Castenskiold

1935–1952: Inger Wedell

Chief court mistresses of Germany

The Austrian court model was the role model for the princely courts in Germany, and the post of Obersthofmeisterin, or only hofmeisterin, existed in the princely (and later royal) German courts as well.

The German court model in turn became the role model of the early modern Scandinavian courts of Denmark and Sweden.

Chief court mistress to the queens of Prussia and empresses of Germany

Sophia Louise of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 1708–1713

Countess von Wittgenstein Valendar

Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, 1713–1757

Sophie von Kameke

Susanna Magdalena Finck von Finckenstein

Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern, 1740–1797

1740–1742: Christiane von Katsch (the same position with the crown princess since 1733)

1742–1766: Sophie Caroline von Camas

1766–1797: Charlotte Albertine von Kannenberg

Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, 1797–1810

1797–1810: Sophie Marie von Voß (the same position with the crown princess since 1793)

Elisabeth Ludovika of Bavaria, 1840–1873

Wilhelmine van Reede-Ginkel

Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, 1861–1891

Gabriele von Bülow

Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, 1888–1918

Therese von Brockdorff

Chief court mistresses of the Netherlands

In the 16th-century, the principal lady-in-waiting in the courts of the Habsburg governors of the Netherlands, Margaret of Austria and Mary of Hungary (governor of the Netherlands), was named hofmesterees ('Court mistress') or dame d'honneur.

The principal female office holder in the royal court of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the 19th century was named Grootmeesteres ('Grand Mistress').

Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands, 1815–1837

1818–1824: Agneta Margaretha Catharina Fagel-Boreel

1823–1837: Sophie Wilhelmina barones van Heeckeren van Kell (1772–1847)

Anna Pavlovna of Russia, 1840–1865

1840–1844: Sophie Wilhelmina barones van Heeckeren van Kell (1772–1847)

1844–1850: Rose Amour Caroline Aya Gislène(Zézette) Falck, geb. barones De Roisin (1792–1850)

1850–1852: Johanna Philippina Hermanna barones van Knobelsdorff (1772–1860)

Sophie of Württemberg, 1849–1877

1849–1858: Anna Maria Margaretha Deutz van Assendelft – Rendorp (1797–1858)

1858–1878: Alida van der Oudermeulen barones van Wickevoort Crommelin (1806–1883)

Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont, 1879–1934

1879–1894: Leopoldine Marie gravin van Limburg Stirum (1817–1894)

1894–1909: Wilhelmina Elizabeth Charlotta gravin Van Lynden van Sandenburg (1869–1930)

Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, 1890–1962

1909–1938: Agneta Hendrika Groeninx van Zoelen-Van de Poll (1857–1933)

1924–1938: Gerarda Cornelia barones van Nagell (1878–1946)

1938–1954: Cornelie Marie, barones van Tuyll van Serooskerken

Juliana of the Netherlands, 1948–2004

1954–1957: Adolphine Agneta barones Van Heeckeren van Molecaten-Groeninx van Zoelen (1885–1967)

Chief court mistresses of Norway

During the union of Sweden-Norway in 1814–1905, Sweden and Norway shared the same royal family. At that time, there were two Chief Court Mistress for the same queen: one as Queen of Sweden at the Swedish royal court when she lived in Sweden, and a separate Chief Court Mistress as Queen of Norway at the Norwegian royal court, who served in her post during the visits of the Swedish-Norwegian royal family to Norway.

Presently, the overhoffmesterinne in Norway acts as a vice hostess at the Norwegian royal court when the queen and the other female members of the royal family are absent.

Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, 1814–1818

1817–1818: Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg

Désirée Clary, 1823–1861

1825–1844: Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg

Josephine of Leuchtenberg, 1844–1876

1844–1845: Karen Wedel-Jarlsberg

1846–1859: Fanny Løvenskiold

Louise of the Netherlands, 1859–1871

1859–1871: Juliane Cathrine Wilhelmine Wedel Jarlsberg

Sophia of Nassau, 1872–1905

1873–1887: Alette Due

1887–1905: Elise Løvenskiold

Maud of Wales, 1905–1938

1906–1925: Marie Magdalena Rustad

1925–1927: Emma Stang

1927–1938: Borghild Anker

Chief court mistresses of Russia

In 1722, the Russian Imperial court was reorganized in accordance with the reforms of Peter the Great to Westernize Russia, and the old court offices of the Tsarina was replaced with court offices inspired by the German model. Accordingly, the new principal lady in waiting of the Russian empress was named

Ober-Hofmeisterin.

Catherine I of Russia, 1713–1725

Matryona Balk

Agrippina Petrovna Volkonskaia

1727–1727: Varvara Michajlovna Arsen'eva

Anna of Russia, 1730–1740

1730–1740: Tatyana Borisovna Golitsyna, spouse of Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn (Field Marshal)

Elizabeth of Russia, 1741–1762

1741–1750: Tatyana Borisovna Golitsyna, spouse of Mikhail Mikhailovich Golitsyn (Field Marshal)

1760–1762: Anna Vorontsova

Catherine II of Russia, 1762–1796

1762–1775: Anna Vorontsova

1776–1788: Maria Rumyantseva

Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg), 1796–1828

1796–1804: Anna Matyushkina

Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden), 1801–1826

1823–1825: Alexandra Branitskaya

Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia), 1825–1860

1825–1838: Alexandra Branitskaya

Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse and by Rhine), 1855–1880

1855–1863: Yekaterina Saltykov (in position since 1840)

Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark), 1881–1917

1881–1881: Princess Julia Kurakina (in position since 1866)

1881–1888: Princess Hélene Kotchoubey

1888–1906: Countess Anna Stroganoff

Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse), 1894–1917

1894–1910: Maria Golitzyna

1910–1917: Elizaveta Narishkina

Chief court mistresses of Sweden

In Sweden, the Chief Court Mistress is the second highest-ranking official of the royal household, preceded only by the Marshal of the Realm. She ranks immediately below the members of the royal family, the speaker of the Parliament and the prime minister, and has precedence over former speakers of the Parliament and former prime ministers. The incumbent is Kirstine von Blixen-Finecke, who has served from 2016.

The title and position have changed over time. Before the reign of Queen Christina (1632–1654), the title was generally referred to as hovmästarinna (Court Mistress), but during and after the reign of Christina, it became the custom to have two such Court mistresses subordinate to one överhovmästarinna (Chief Court Mistress). Only the Queen and the Queen Dowager had a Chief Court Mistress called överhovmästarinna (the Chief Court Mistress) while the equivalent at the courts of other female members of the royal house was called hovmästarinna (Court Mistress).

The position was the highest a female courtier could have in the Swedish royal court, and the överhovmästarinna was ranked an Excellency, something unusual for a woman in the 17th century, which placed her immediately after the female members of the royal house in rank. Her role was to uphold etiquette at court, and receive and carry out the instructions of the Queen in the management of the court. She managed the employment of new members to the court of the Queen, and every meeting and letter to the Queen passed through her. She also managed the ceremony of the court presentation, in which nobles were presented to the royal family and thus allowed to show themselves officially at court. She could also represent the Queen on some occasions at court ceremonies and parties as hostess.

Catherine Stenbock, 1552–1621

1552–1568: Anna Hogenskild

Karin Månsdotter, 1567–1568

1567–1569: Elin Andersdotter

Catherine Jagellon, 1568–1583

1568–1583: Karin Gyllenstierna

Gunilla Bielke, 1585–1597

1587–1592: Kerstin Oxenstierna

Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, 1604–1625

1604–1608: Carin Ulfsdotter Snakeborg

1608–1612: Gunilla Jönsdotter Struss

1612–1619: Carin Kyle

Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, 1620–1655

1620–1623: Hebbla Eriksdotter Stålarm

Catharina von Schnideck

Regina Catharina von Windisch-Grätz

1628–1633: Brita Gylta

1633–1634: Ebba Leijonhufvud

1634–1639: Elisabeth Gyllenstierna

1639–1640: Christina Posse

1640–1649: Vacant

1649–1655: Görvel Posse

Christina, Queen of Sweden, 1632–1654

During the reign of Christina, the office was often shared by several people.

1633–1634: Ebba Leijonhufvud

1634–1639: Elisabeth Gyllenstierna

1639–1642: Ebba Ryning (jointly with Beata Oxenstierna)

1639–1647: Beata Oxenstierna (jointly with Ebba Ryning)

1644–1648: Margareta Brahe (jointly with Kerstin Bååt)

1645–1650: Kerstin Bååt (jointly with Margareta Brahe)

1650: Barbro Fleming (jointly with Maria Sofia De la Gardie)

1651–1654: Maria Sofia De la Gardie (jointly with Barbro Fleming)

Hedvig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, 1654–1715

1655–1660: Elisabet Carlsdotter Gyllenhielm

1660–1664: Görwel Bååt

1664–1671: Görvel Posse

1671–1686: Occa Maria Johanna von Riperda

1686–1715: Märta Berendes (equivalent position at the court of the princesses in 1687–1717)

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, 1680–1693

1680–1693: Maria Elisabeth Stenbock

Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden|Ulrika Eleonora, 1718–1741

1717–1736: Katarina Ebba Horn af Åminne

1736–1741: Hedvig Elisabet Strömfelt (equivalent position to the Crown princess in 1744–1751)

Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, 1751–1782

1751–1751: Hedvig Elisabet Strömfelt

1751–1754: Ulla Tessin

1754–1761: Ulrica Catharina Stromberg

1761–1765: Ulrika Juliana Gyllenstierna

1765–1771: Brita Stina Sparre

1771–1782: Fredrika Eleonora von Düben

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, 1771–1813

1771–1777: Anna Maria Hjärne

1777–1780: Ulrika Strömfelt

1780–1795: Charlotta Sparre

1795–1813: Hedvig Eva De la Gardie

Frederica of Baden, 1797–1809

1795–1805: Hedvig Catharina Piper

1805–1810: Lovisa Sophia von Fersen

Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, 1809–1818

1809–1810: Lovisa Sophia von Fersen

1811–1818: Christina Charlotta Stjerneld

1818–1818: Caroline Lewenhaupt

1818–1818: Charlotta Aurora De Geer

Désirée Clary, 1823–1861

1823–1829: Marcelle Tascher de la Pagerie

1829–1844: Vilhelmina Gyldenstolpe

Josephine of Leuchtenberg, 1844–1876

1844–1866: Charlotta Skjöldebrand

Louise of the Netherlands, 1859–1872

1859–1860: Stefanie Hamilton

1860–1869: Wilhelmina Bonde

1871–1872: Anne-Malène Wachtmeister

Sophia of Nassau, 1872–1907

1872–1879: Elisabet Augusta Piper

1880–1890: Malvina De la Gardie

1890–1907: Ebba Åkerhielm

Victoria of Baden, 1907–1931

1907–1908: Vacant

1908–1931: Augusta Lewenhaupt

Louise Mountbatten, 1950–1965

1950–1956: Louise Rålamb

1956–1973: Astrid Rudebeck

Queen Silvia of Sweden|Silvia Sommerlath, 1976–present

1994–2015: Alice Trolle-Wachtmeister

2015–present: Kirstine von Blixen-Finecke