Ebba Sparre

Who was Ebba Sparre?

Ebba Larsdotter Sparre was a Swedish lady-in-waiting and noble. She is known as the intimate friend of Queen Christina of Sweden.

Ebba Sparre was the daughter of statesman and marschal Lars Eriksson Sparre and Märta Banér and grandchild of chancillor Erik Larsson Sparre. Sparre was a celebrated beauty at the royal court and nicknamed La belle comtesse. She frequently played the part of Venus in the amateur ballets performed by the nobility at court. Her intimate relationship with Queen Christina gave rise to the speculation that they were lovers. This has however never been confirmed, and the truth is unknown.

Most of Christina's spare time was spent with 'la belle comtesse' - and she often called attention to her beauty. She introduced her to the English ambassador Bulstrode Whitelocke as her 'bed-fellow', assuring him that Sparre's intellect was as striking as her body. When Christina left Sweden she continued to write passionate love-letters to Sparre, in which she told her that she would always love her. However, such emotional letters were relatively common at that time, and Christina would use the same style when writing to women she had never met, but whose writings she admired.