Helena Ulfsdotter Snakenborg
or Helena Parr

Helena Ulfsdotter Snakenborg lived in Fyllingarum Manor, Sweden,
in the mid-16th century
before she became a lady-in- waiting to Queen Elizabeth I in England.


At 16 she was the fiancee of William Parr,
the Marquess of Northampton.
He was uncle to the Queen, by his sister Katherine Parr's marriage
to the Queen's father Henry VIII.


The marriage took place six years later.

Until then, William Parr's marriage to his first wife had not legally ended,
in the view of some.

He had also married a second time, to Elizabeth Brooke,
a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.
The second wife had later died.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Helena is an interesting character in the Tudor era.
She was very close to Queen Elizabeth I.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Dress in portrait

Helena may be the young lady
wearing a tudor-rose decorated dress
in a portrait

(quote)

A Young Lady Aged 21, Possibly Helena Snakenborg,
Later Marchioness of Northampton 1569

Oil on oak panel
support: 629 x 483 mm
painting

Presented by the Friends of the Tate Gallery 1961

T00400

The sitter may be Elizabeth I's maid of honour, Helena Snakenborg,
who became a powerful figure at court .

In 1565 she had visited England with the Swedish princess Cecilia,
remaining there as the fiancée of the Marquis of Northampton,
whom she was to marry in 1571.

The carnation behind her ear may be a symbol of her betrothal.

http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=1497&searchid=30290
http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?workid=1497&searchid=30290&tabview=image

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Spanish silver

Helena once became richer when she found Spanish silver

Helena married a second time at the age of 30.
Her new husband was Sir Thomas Gorges,
of Longford, Wiltshire.

Sir Thomas was in charge of a fort, Hurst Castle,
on the coast, near the Isle of Wight.

A Spanish ship was wrecked nearby,
and Helena asked the Queen if she could have it for herself.

The Queen said she could, and Helena found that the ship
had a large amount of Spanish silver on board.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Helena's husband sent to the Tower of London

Helena's second husband, Sir Thomas Gorges,
was sent to the Tower of London just for marrying her.

This was not unusual in those days.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tomb

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The visit to Bath

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Helena's Triangular House

When Helena was married to Sir Thomas Gorges,
she inspired him to alter the manor house
at Longford, Wiltshire,
into a triangular shape.

This shape of house was very popular in Sweden at the time.

It is still there.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Helena's childhood friend . . .

later was a King of Sweden!

She and he wrote letters to each other all their lives.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Gerhard Snakenborg

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .



this page will be much longer soon!


Books


1. in English

2. in Swedish











Longford House or Longford Castle


Helena's children


home or index