Sophie-Caroline de Camas

## Gräfin von Camas

Portrait of the Countess of Camas, as Lady In-Waiting to Élisabeth de Brunswick c. 1734

## Occupations

### Court Posts

Première Dame d’HonneurSecrétaire de la Reine

## Biography

### Died

2nd July 1766, Schloß Schönhausen, Berlin

### Religion

Protestant Lutheranism

**Sophie Caroline von Camas** *(née Brandt)* 18th June 1686-Présent is a Prussian noblewoman, confidant and *Première Dame d’Honneur* to Elisabeth Christine von Braunschweig. Brought up in a *Fahnenjunker* family of the lower aristocracy, she rose to prominence by means of wit, intelligence and good nature at the strict and illustrious court of *Frédéric le Grande.*

Born to Prussian General *Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandt* and his wife, *Luise,* Sophie Caroline was from a humble family. She married Oberst (Colonel) *Paul Heinrich Tilio de Camas*, the Commanding Officer of the *13th Infantry Regiment* Varenne*.* During her lifetime, she was one of the few women at Court to be given the honours of being apart of Frederick the Great's inner-circle of philosophers, bureaucrats and some of the Enlightenment's greatest contributors such as Voltaire. As Crowned Prince, Frederick the Great befriended her; he appreciated her intelligence and affectionally nicknamed her *Mama.* Sometimes, he even confided in her in both political and personal issues and also sometimes took her advice. Following the death of the King in 1786, their correspondence has been preserved in the Royal Archives of Berlin.

## Early Life

### ***Birth & Infancy***

Sophie Caroline von Camas was born on an early summer's morning in the Hôtel de Brandt of Berlin. She was born to her father, Lieutenant General *Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandt,* and her mother, *Luise von Borstell.* Born as the daughter and only child of a Prussian General, Sophie Caroline's upbringing was rather humble, compared to her contemporaries in adult life.

A fairly easy birth, the infant *Demoiselle de Brandt* was raised as a happy child in Berliner society. Her father's intentions were for her to receive a good education, and possibly gain a position at Court.

### ***Childhood***

From a young age, Sophie was cared for by her mother, as her father was often away on campaign with *Friedrich I* during the *War of the Grand Alliance.* Her early childhood was spent in the company of her family in Berlin.

The fruit of a happy childhood, the young Demoiselle de Brandt enjoyed the privileges of Berlin's bourgeoisie society. Her mother was patron to her education and made arrangements for her tutoring by an elder Dutch lady, a particular *Madame de Tischenkoopen.* A diligent student and often described as a *Petit-Guerriere de Plume*, Sophie Caroline developed a hobby of writing, often making correspondences with her tutor, a habit she'd continue into adolescence.

### ***End of the War - Peace of Ryswick***

1697 saw the conclusion of Louis XIV's costly Nine Years' War, otherwise referred to as the *War of the Grand Alliance*. The war would be the last great conflict of the 17th century, as it presided over the succession crisis in the Rhein-Palatinate region of the Holy Roman Empire. Sophie Caroline's own father, *Friedrich Wilhelm von Brandt* fought as a General in the then-*Brandenburg-Prussian Army* with the *Imperial* campaign against France. Louis XIV was concerned by the increase in Habsburg power and confidence following victories over the Ottomans at *Vienna in 1683* and *Zenta in September 1697*; however, the growing independence of German states like Brandenburg-Prussia also provided opportunities.

## Adolescence

As she was still young, the war passed nearly unseen to Sophie, since she was focused on her studies almost all the time. She continued exchanging letters with her tutor during her adolescence, while learning Philosophy and Arts at home. As the situation was rather calm after the war, Sophie was able to travel to nearby cities and seek for knowledge at their libraries, being a frequent visitor and borrowing lots of books, both in German and French.

She grew up surrounded by books, which made her hold immense amounts of knowledge from various fields. This knowledge helped her later on, when she became the Première Dame D'Honeur of Élisabeth de Brunswick.