Beata Oxenstierna

Beata Oxenstierna (1591 - 1652) was a Swedish noblewoman and courtier. She served as Mistress of the Robes to queen Christina of Sweden from 1639 to 1647.

Beata Oxenstierna was born to Baron Erik Oxenstierna and Bengta Gera. She served as maid of honor to the queen, Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, in 1610-1613. In 1613, she married Erik Göransson Ulfsparre af Broxvik, but as was the custom at the Swedish nobility up until the late 18th century, she kept her name also after her marriage. In 1639, she was appointed mistress of the robes to queen Christina. She is described as: "A charitable lady, who did much good at court".^[1]

With some exceptions, such as Ebba Sparre, lady Jane Ruthven and Louise van der Nooth, Christina did not show any interest in her female courtiers, and generally mentions them only to express contempt over their femininity and portray herself as more masculine than them. In 1639 she mentions her attitude toward her ladies in waiting in regard to Beata Oxenstierna and her daughter, maid of honor Märta Ulfsparre: "The Mistress of the Robes Lady Beata Oxenstierna and her daughter arrived just now. The more of them that comes here the worse it is".^[2]

She was granted two estates in 1646 and retired with a large pension in 1647.

References

Bibliography

• Eva Österberg, ed. (1997). Jämmerdal & Fröjdesal. Kvinnor i stormaktstidens Sverige. Stockholm: Atlantis AB. ISBN 91-7486-355-X; p. 321
• Erik Petersson: Maktspelerskan: drottning Kristinas revolt (2011)
• Marie-Louise Rodén: Drottning Christina: en biografi (2008)