Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark (11 September 1656 – 26 July 1693) was Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Charles XI.

Ulrika Eleonora was the daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark-Norway and his spouse, Queen Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

She was given a strict upbringing under the supervision of her mother: she was taught several different languages, and was reportedly a good student in drawing and painting.

[2] Her brother, the King of Denmark-Norway, was not enthusiastic about the match, but he left the decision to her mother, who was very eager to complete it because it would give Ulrika the status of queen.

When she left for Sweden, her brother Christian V made his farewell at Frederiksborg, during which he gave her back the jewels she had pawned in favor of the Swedish prisoners of war, including her engagement ring.

When she made her farewell to him, she said that she did not think she would ever see him again, but: "as I am now regarded a pawn of peace between Denmark and Sweden, I ask God for the grace to fulfill such a glorious commitment; so that my behavior may contribute to eradicate all hostility between these two people and instead forever unite them in friendship.

The ceremony was to officially take place in Halmstad, and Ulrika Eleonora was only to spend the night at Skottorp on her way there, but when she arrived she was hastily married instead.

Initially, Charles XI was disappointed in her appearance and asked Johan Gyllenstierna if he could not have been chosen a more beautiful consort, upon which he was given the reply: "Your Majesty will see, that within her there is an angel".

She made a favorable impression of courage before her arrival to Stockholm, when spent some time in the royal residences outside of the city awaiting her official enter in the capital and the coronation.

When Juel protested that she went much too far in her eagerness to show herself submissive, and that she was giving away her own right to independence, she answered: "As I wish for nothing else than what is right and proper, the King and his officials would never be able to refuse what I ask of them without damaging their own name.

Later that year, she contacted the bishop Samuel Wiraenius and asked him to act as a mediator, and to make the King state officially what mistakes she could have made.

At the summer residence Karlberg Palace, she enjoyed a happy family life away from the court and developed an interest in painting.

Ulrika Eleonora had no political influence over Charles XI, who preferred to discuss the affairs of state with his mother rather than with his spouse.

A common method she used was to buy the jewels and other objects sold by the impoverished nobles, and then give it back to them or their relatives.

[23] Charles XI's confidence in her grew over time: in 1690, he named her future Regent, should his son succeed him being still a minor.

Her best known projects were the Tapetskolan vid Karlberg, a tapestry school at Karlberg Palace founded in 1688, where orphan girls were educated in tapestry manufacturing by three unmarried Finnish noblewomen under the leadership of Anna Maria Schmilau; the Drottninghuset ('Queen's House'), a home for poor widows in Stockholm founded in 1686, and a poor house at Kungsholmen.

[25] She financed cereal and help to be distributed to areas suffering from failed crops and starvation, such as Finland in 1687, Estonia in 1688, Dalarna in 1691, and Ingria.

[27] In 1682, she assigned Johan von Hoorn and Urban Hjärne to organize the midwifery and scientific obstetrics profession in Sweden, but she died before the work could be completed: however, Johan von Hoorn did publish the first book on the subject of obstetrics in 1697 assisted by her own midwife, Catarina Wentin, who also practiced among the poor of the capital with her blessing.

[30] In 1690, weakened by childbirths, Ulrika Eleonora was affected by a non-diagnosed illness, which was deemed to be mortal and often confined her to weeks in bed from this point on.

[34] Ulrika Eleonora has in history been given a saintly reputation, exemplified by the words of Frans Ferdinand Carlson: "Seldom has a more lovable creature been placed upon a throne.

The officer in charge, Captain Stormcrantz, looked into the key hole and saw the countess and the queen speaking at the window of the room.

[36] Whatever the explanation, it is true that countess Stenbock died of her illness a couple of weeks after the queen, and that captain Stormcrantz also did so shortly after the event he claimed took place.

Her body was kept on Lit de parade in Karlsberg Palace for several months by the King until she was buried in the fall of 1693 in Riddarholm Church.