"Nordisk familjebok" on Ebba Sparre, year 1917

Source:

Nordisk familjebok, tjugusjätte bandet: Slöke - Stockholm, page 575, edited by Theodor Westrin, 1917

https://runeberg.org/nfcf/0318.html

The biography:

10. Ebba Larsdotter S., den föregåendes syster, f. 1626, d. 1662, var en af de mest firade skönheterna vid drottning Kristinas lysande hof. Hon gick allmänt i och utom hofvet under namnet La belle comtesse ("vackra grefvinnan"). Hon var jämnårig med drottningen, stod högt i hennes ynnest och var hennes enda kvinnliga gunstling. Ebba S. fick dock icke mycken glädje af hennes vänskap. Hon hade varit förlofvad med Bengt Oxenstierna (den sedermera, under Karl XI:s tid, så bekante statsmannen), men under dennes frånvaro utrikes föll det drottningen in att bryta denna förbindelse och gifta sin gunstling med den några år yngre Jakob Kasimir De la Gardie (se d. o. 6), en broder till den allsmäktige Magnus Gabriel, hvars släkt Kristina nu på allt sätt ville gynna, helst då hon på samma gång kunde få det nöjet att förarga Oxenstiernorna. Ebba S., som oaktadt sin äldre förbindelse mottagit De la Gardies hyllning, var dock ej villig till detta giftermål, när det kom till allvar. Men Kristina visste att drifva sin nyck igenom; förlofningen firades vid hofvet under julen 1651 och giftermålet i början af följande år, båda under stora lustbarheter. Huru lyckligt ett under sådana omständigheter knutet äktenskap skulle bli, är lätt att tänka sig. Det upplöstes dock snart af döden, då De la Gardie stupade vid Köpenhamns belägring 1658; och inom fyra år därefter följde honom hans änka i grafven. Det förtroliga förhållandet till hennes annars så ostadiga kungliga väninna bibehöll sig dock, äfven sedan denna lämnat sitt fädernesland, intill Ebbas död.

English translation (my own):

10. Ebba Larsdotter S., the sister of the preceding [Gustaf Larsson S.], b. 1626, d. 1662, was one of the most celebrated beauties at Queen Kristina's brilliant court. She generally went in and out of court under the name La belle comtesse ("the beautiful Countess"). She was the same age as the Queen, stood high in her favour, and was her only female favourite.

Ebba S., however, did not get much joy from her friendship. She had been engaged to Bengt Oxenstierna (later, during the time of Karl XI, such a well-known statesman), but during his absence abroad it occurred to the Queen to break this relationship and marry her favourite to the few years younger Jakob Kasimir de la Gardie (see d. o. 6), a brother of the all-powerful Magnus Gabriel, whose family Kristina now wanted to favour in every way, particularly when at the same time she could have the pleasure of annoying the Oxenstiernas.

Ebba S., who, despite her earlier relationship, had received de la Gardie's homage, was not, however, willing to this marriage when it came to seriousness. But Kristina knew how to carry out her whim; the engagement was celebrated at court during Christmas 1651 and the marriage at the beginning of the following year, both amidst great revelry.

How happy a marriage contracted under such circumstances would be is easy to imagine. It was, however, soon dissolved by death, when de la Gardie fell at the siege of Copenhagen in 1658; and within four years his widow followed him to the grave. The intimate relationship with her otherwise unsteady royal friend was maintained, however, even after she had left her Fatherland, until Ebba's death.

Above: Ebba Sparre.

Above: Kristina.

Note: Ebba Sparre and Jakob Kasimir de la Gardie were married in 1653, not 1652.