In 1665, thirteen-year-old German Princess Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege was sent to live at the Swedish royal court. She had been chosen as the future bride of her cousin, King Charles XI, who had reigned since the age of 4 (with his mother as regent) following his father’s death. Charles was educated in preparation for his solo rule but preferred “sports, exercise and bear-hunting.” The Queen Dowager enjoyed great respect, and took over guardianship of her niece Juliana. Her father had since died, and it was rumored that her mother was to embarrassed to return to court after becoming pregnant by a lute player just before her marriage. Following the nuptials, her mother had confessed “on her knees” of the affair; her husband chose to act as if nothing had happened, though the truth eventually came out.
Juliana was taught music and dance and was described as a great beauty; it was understood at court that she was the bride-to-be of Charles, though the wedding would never take place. By 1672 Juliana had became pregnant, going into labor during a carriage ride with Hedwig in Stockholm. Juliana gave birth to a son right on the floor of the carriage, but the father wasn’t Charles as some had hoped – it was a married officer by the name of Count Gustaf Lillie. As if to make sure there was no confusion, Juliana named her child Gustaf Gustafsson Lillie; the officer was immediately dismissed and her son was raised elsewhere, though his fate is unknown. Juliana was likewise sent away, allowed to recover in the countryside and perhaps spend some time thinking upon what she had done. Unfortunately, she was sent to an estate ran by a handsome unmarried (or maybe widowed) Dutchman by the name Johann Jakob Marchand. Well, a few years passed by and Juliana was pregnant again. Following the birth of a second son out of wedlock, Charles decided it best that he find a different bride, and everyone agreed. Charles gave Juliana permission to marry Johann, and even granted him the title of Baron von Lilienburg. The couple were married in 1680 and welcomed a further seven children. By all accounts the marriage was extremely happy, lasting until her death in 1693.
As for Charles, he ended up marrying Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, and though they were strikingly different in terms of personality and hobbies, the marriage was likewise happy. As no known portraits of Juliana exist, the portrait above is actually of her mother, Princess Eleanor Catherine of Sweden and Hesse-Eschwege, painted c. 1646.
