Countess Louise Sophie Danneskiold-Samsøe

Countess Louise Sophie of Danneskiold-Samsøe was born on 22 September 1796 in Gisselfeld, Denmark to Christian Conrad, Count af Danneskiold-Samsøe and his wife Johanne Henriette Valentine Kaas, daughter of the Danish Admiral Frederik Christian Kaas and a descendant of the war hero Jørgen Kaas. The House of Danneskiold-Samsøe is a non-dynastic branch of the House of Oldenburg, descended from Christian Gyldenløve, Count of Samsø, an illegitimate son of Christian V of Denmark by his mistress Sophie Amalie Moth.

On 18 September 1820 she married her second cousin Christian August II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg at the Church of Braaby, Gisselfeld. They had seven children:

• Prince Alexander Frederick William Christian Charles Augustus (20 July 1821 – 3 May 1823), died young
• Princess Louise Auguste (28 August 1823 – 30 May 1872)
• Princess Caroline Amelie (15 January 1826 – 3 May 1901)
• Princess Wilhelmine (24 March 1828 – 4 July 1829)
• Prince Frederick Christian August (6 July 1829 – 14 January 1880), later Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg. He married Princess Adelheid of Hohenlohe-Langenburg and became father of one surviving son and four daughters including Augusta Viktoria, German Empress.
• Frederick Christian Charles Augustus (22 January 1831 – 28 October 1917), he married Princess Helena of the United Kingdom, and settled in England. They were the parents of Albert, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein.
• Princess Caroline Christiane Auguste Emilie Henriette Elisabeth (2 August 1833 – 18 October 1917), married in 1872 Johann Friedrich von Esmarch (9 January 1823 – 23 February 1908)

Louise Sophie died on 11 March 1867 in Primkenau in the Kingdom of Prussia, aged 70 and was buried in the Lutheran church of Primkenau.

Her descendants include: Auguste Viktoria, German Empress, Queen Frederica of the Hellenes, Constantine II of Greece, Queen Sofía of Spain, Felipe VI of Spain and Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.