Charlotta von Liewen

Charlotta von Liewen (1683–1735) was a politically active Swedish countess. She was married to riksråd count Gustaf Bonde (1682–1764) and a collaborated with France.

Charlotta von Liewen is described as a person with a great informal power position within Swedish politics. She is known to have played a part in the traitor process against Georg Heinrich von Görtz and count Gerhard von Dernath in 1718. They were both loyalists of the Holstein Party, as was her. Charlotta von Liewen managed to arrange a meeting between Dernath, who was supposed to be imprisoned, and Dankwardt, one of the commission's members. Dankwardt refused to accept bribes from Dernath. Charlotta von Liewen then had queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden fire Dankwardt, after which Dernath was freed.

Charlotta von Liewen is also confirmed to have been an agent of the French ambassador, Charles Louis de Biaudos de Casteja, who was known for his network of agents during his tenure in Sweden, especially female ones, such as Margareta Gyllenstierna and Hedvig Catharina Lillie. Casteja reported that France could use her influence over her spouse by feeding her ambitions for his career. In 1731, Casteja aided her in acquiring an advancement for her spouse, her son, who was in French service, was appointed capten for the French regiment Comte de Saxe and she herself was given a pair of diamond earrings by order of Louis XV of France. She was not the only woman in Sweden to collaborate as an agent for France, but the dealings between Lieven and Casteja was more clearly documented than most.

After her death, the French ambassador reported that Bonde could no longer be expected to act for French interests, for although his next spouse also acquired influence over his policy, she was no friend of France.

References

• Norrhem, Svante (2007). Kvinnor vid maktens sida : 1632-1772. (Women alongside power: 1632-1772) Lund: Nordic Academic Press. Libris 10428618. ISBN 978-91-89116-91-7 (Swedish)