Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was Queen consort of Denmark and Norway as the first spouse of the King Frederick IV of Denmark.
Background
She was born in Güstrow in the family of Duke Gustav Adolph of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Magdalene Sibylle of Holstein-Gottorp as a great-great-granddaughter of Frederick II of Denmark. Louise grew up into a tiny court characterized by pietistic feelings and rigid religiosity led by her father who wrote religious songs in pietistic spirit.
Career
Her maternal grandparents were Duke Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. When Louise was chosen as consort to the Danish-heir it received wholehearted acceptance from the royal house, while the Crown Prince himself, despite the promise of greater choice, in fact, had no other choice than the Duke"s daughters, Louise was the one chosen by Frederick as he expected her to accept his affairs without protests. On 5 December 1695, Louise married Crown Prince Frederik at Copenhagen Castle and became Queen consort of Denmark in 1699.
Their only children who reached maturity were King Christian VI of Denmark and Princess Charlotte Amalie of Denmark.
Louise lived quietly at the Danish Court. Unlike Frederick IV she never gained popularity with the population.
Louise figured in her role as queen at official ceremonies, but was otherwise ignored at court, and her isolated and quiet life has made her less known in history. Her passive attitude did not gain her any respect from the royal house.
lieutenant is mentioned that she caused embarrassing scenes at court during Frederick"s affairs and that she had a bad temperament.
Queen Louise suffered because of her husband"s infidelity. Frederick even entered two morganatic marriages. In 1703, he committed bigamy with Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg, and in 1712 with Anna Sophie Reventlow.
The day after Queen Louise"s funeral Frederick IV married Anna Sophie Reventlow again and less than two months later he raised her to the status of Queen.
Her main interest was reading religious books After her death, her interest in religion was praised by the clergy, who compared her with the legendary Queen Esther.
Her collection of 400 books, which was donated to the royal library after her death, was mainly composed of ascetic religious literature in German. In 1708-1709, she was regent during her husband"s trip to Italy.
Rosenborg was completely abandoned as a Royal residence while Louise was Queen.
The building of a new summer residence, Frederiksborg Palace, began in 1699 and was ready for occupation in 1703. She died in Copenhagen and was buried in the Roskilde Cathedral.