Ulrike Eleonora of Sweden

Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden, in Swedish Ulrika Eleonora (February 23, 1688 - November 24, 1741) was Queen regnant of Sweden from 1719 to 1720 and then Queen consort until her death. The youngest child of King Charles XI and Queen Ulrika Eleonora, she was named after her mother. Upon the untimely and debated death of her brother, King Charles XII, at Fredrikshald on November 30, 1718, the succession discussions ultimately ended up in her favour, after she had accepted to abolish the absolute monarchy.

In 1715 she had married Landgrave Friedrich I of Hesse-Kassel, whose counsel she constantly sought in political matters. She even wanted him to officially become co-regent, but this was not allowed, and in stead she abdicated in his favour after just one year of reign. Friedrich succeeded her on the Swedish throne as King Frederick I. Queen Ulrika Eleonora died of smallpox in 1741 after a childless marriage. The reigns of Ulrika Eleonora and her husband saw the birth of the era of Swedish history that is traditionally called the Age of Liberty, where the monarch had to give up most of his power to the aristocracy.

See also: List of Swedish queens