Sept 4, 1557 birth of Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen consort of Frederick II of Denmark.
She was an intellect and shrewd business woman who died one of the richest women in Europe at the time due to her own deeds.
She was the only daughter of Ulrich III of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and his wife Elizabeth of Denmark. She was named in honor of her maternal grandmother Sophie of Pomerania, second wife of Frederick I of Denmark. Like her father who she was extremely close to, she was an intellect from early on.
Her marriage to Frederick was not intended. Frederick II at 38 had been convinced he needed to marry after giving up his mistress. But he insisted on meeting the women before he agreed to marry. He was intended to meet Princess Margaret of Pomerania, Sophie's second cousin. Margaret's father Philip I of Pomerania and Sophie's mother Elizabeth were first cousins, both grandchildren of Bogislaw X of Pomerania. Margaret was 17 and was meant to meet the king at Nykobing Castle. Sophie's parents were assigned to escort Margaret, and chose to take Sophie with them on the trip. The king's eyes instead of Margaret fell on Sophie who soon found herself betrothed to the king and married six months later. 14 year old Sophie was half first cousins of Frederick, as Frederick's father was the son of Frederick I by his first wife.
Despite a 24 year age difference, by all historical accounts it was a very happy marriage. Her husband never took a mistress, and wrote lovingly of her in his journals. When in 1575, three years after they wed, he came down with malaria she nursed him and wrote letters noting her deep concern for her husband, to her father.
She bore her husband seven children. She was a loving mother and nursed her children when sick herself. The children were all, but for the youngest, sent to her parents for a time as fostering was common in those days. She herself would visit her parents over the years, up until her father's death.
Her husband died in 1588 after 16 years of marriage. Sophie had no political influence in his life and she was denied a place on the regency counsel for their 11 year old son. But she was named the regent of Schleswig-Holstein for her son. Even then she showed a mind for numbers. She negotiated her own allowance, as well as the dowries of her daughters. She also planned her husband's grand funeral. She was in a power struggle for years with the counsel, even after her son came of age in 1593, which ended in her exile to Nykobing castle on Falster. It had been the home of dowager queens in the past.
While there she saw to the refurbishment of the home. And continued her studies that had always been a part of her life. She had a passion for astronomy and chemistry. She had also studied music and folklore of Denmark since the start of her marriage and it continued here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyköping_Castle
She was a diligent manager of her estates. So much so that she entered into major trade and even money lending. Her son often came to her for loans for his wars. She also had some influence at her son's court. When her grandson Christian's mistress Anne Lykke was arrested by the king, and threatened with trial for witch craft as King Christian worried about her influence on his son, Sophie spoke up. Anna had the support of other nobles as it was against the law to hold a noble like Anna without trial, but Sophie was the strongest voice in seeing to her freedom.
Sophie died October 14, 1631 at her home at the age of 74. She was buried with her husband at Roskilde cathedral.
She bore her husband seven children. She had played a very active hand in the marriages of her daughters.
-Elizabeth: was married to Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg. They had 10 children, 7 of whom reached adulthood.
-Anne: married James VI and I of Scotland and England. The couple had three children to reach adulthood though only Charles I and Elizabeth would marry, their eldest Henry died at 19.
-Christian: succeeded his father as Christian IV. With Anne Catherine of Brandenburg he had three sons who reached adulthood. It was the second of these sons who succeeded him as Frederick III. The eldest Christian (the one whose mistress was almost tried for witch craft) died a year before his father. He had a morganatic second marriage to Kirsten Munk who was made Countess of Schleswig-Holstein. She bore him 7 children who reached adulthood though there is some doubt her youngest was his child. She took a lover in later years and the child was likely his not the king's. The king refused to recognize her though she was legitimized eventually.
-Ulrik: Ulrich II Lutheran Administrator of the Prince-Bishopric of Schwerin and last bishop of the old Schleswig see which no longer actually had a seat but he received the perceived income despite that. He inherited the prince-bishopric from his maternal grandfather. He married Catherine Hahn-Hinrichshagen but after his death his mother contested Catherine's dower.
-Augusta: married Duke John Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp and had eight children. It was an unhappy marriage as her Calvinist husband and she fought lividly over religion. When he sent away her Lutheran vicar, she woud walk to the town on foot to the nearest Lutheran church for service. When he died she got rid of his Calvinist priest.
-Hedwig: married Christian II, Elector of Saxony, but in 9 years had no children. When her husband died and her brother in law became elector, she lost no power. Being the sister of the kings of Denmark and England (sister in law) meant she wielded a lot of influence at court. She was incharge of the police and courts, and had a lot of support at court.
-John: died at the age of 19. He had gone to Russia to marry Princess Xenia, daughter of Tsar Boris Fyodorovich Godunov. He had made the trip but he fell ill and died before they could marry. Xenia had also been engaged to Prince Gustav of Sweden but that engagement ended because of Gustav's lifestyle. After her brother was killed, Xenia was forced into a convent by her brother's successor.