Aleksandra von Engelhardt
Encyclopedia
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Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
Marfa Yelena Potemkin
Franciszek Ksawery Branicki
Count Franciszek Ksawery Branicki was a Polish nobleman of the Korczak coat of arms, magnate and one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation....
Franciszek Ksawery Branicki
Count Franciszek Ksawery Branicki was a Polish nobleman of the Korczak coat of arms, magnate and one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation....
Katarzyna Branicka
Katarzyna Branicka
Countess Katarzyna Branicka was a Polish noblewoman of the Korczak coat of arms, and art collector.The portrait of her to the right was done by German painter Franz Winterhalter in 1854. A Chopin waltz is dedicated to her....
Aleksander Branicki
Władysław Grzegorz Branicki
Wladyslaw Grzegorz Branicki
Count Władysław Grzegorz Branicki was a Polish nobleman.Władysław was owner of Biała Cerkiew estates. He became senator and adviser in Russia.-Honours and awards:* Order of the White Eagle* Order of St. Anna, 1st class...
Zofia Branicka
Zofia Branicka
Countess Zofia Branicka was a Polish noble woman, art collector.She had been married to Artur Potocki since 1816.-Further reading:...
Elżbieta Branicka
Aleksandra von Engelhardt (1754–1838), also known as Sasjenka and Countess Branicka, was a Russian noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
. She was the niece, confidant and likely the lover of Grigory Potyomkin, and the favourite and lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
of Catherine the Great.
She was one of the most notable socialites at the Russian Imperial court during the reign of Catherine, and given a position close to a member of the Imperial family.
Biography
She was the daughter of Wassily von Engelhardt and his wife Marfa Yelena Potemkin, and thus the niece of Grigory Potyomkin.Aleksandra von Engelhardt was introduced to the Russian court with her five sisters (and her brother) in 1775. They were initially uneducated and ignorant, but was soon given a sophisticated polish and made to be the most favored women at the Russian court; they were treated almost as if they were a part of the Imperial family, and were to be known as : "almost Grand Duchesses" and as the "jewel
Gemstone
A gemstone or gem is a piece of mineral, which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments...
s" and ornaments of the Russian court. Potemkin gave them large dowries and had Catherine appoint them ladies-in-waiting. They were alleged to be the lovers of their uncle, which was one of the most known gossip subjects and scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
s of the age. His first mistress among them was Varvara
Varvara von Engelhardt
Varvara Golitsyna, née von Engelhardt , was a Russian lady in waiting and noble. She was the niece and lover of Grigory Potyomkin, and the favored lady-in-waiting of Catherine the Great....
: after her marriage in 1779, Aleksandra was pointed out as her successor.
Aleksandra von Engelhardt was the oldest of the sisters taken to court. She was described as ignorant and uneducated, but also as intelligent and willfull, and with a magnificent and confidant manner and a haughty personality which effectively hid her lack of education.
She was also a noted business person: she earned million
Million
One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106...
s by selling timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
. Her marriage was described as harmonious. Her spouse continued to waste their fortune and make huge debts, but this was always very temporary, as she, in parallel, continued to earn millions and thereby paid his debts quickly.
She was described by ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
Harris as: " a young, very attractive and well-shaped lady, with an superior talent for creating plots"; he added, that she spent a lot of time with Catherine and Potemkin, and that: "unless her uncle changed his attitute toward her, she is likely to become the next female confidante (of Catherine)". She is described as an influential force at the Russian court. She is pointed out as the person who exposed the adultery between the favourite of Catherine, Ivan Rimsky-Korsakov
Ivan Rimsky-Korsakov
Ivan Nikolajevich Rimsky-Korsakov, né Korsav was a Russian courtier and lover of Catherine the Great from 1778 to 1779....
, and Catherine's confidant and lady-in-waiting, Praskovja Bruce, thereby bringing about the fall of both Korsakov and Bruce (1779). She was treated as an "unofficial member of the Imperial family", a rank which was taken for granted until her death. British ambassador Harris reported that she received gifts and presents in exchange for information, and recommended her as an excellent informer, and she functioned as an agent for the British, from whom she received money.
She was rumoured to be the daughter of Catherine; a legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
claimed that she was born instead of the later Emperor Paul, but switched with the son of a Kalmyck woman because of her gender, since a male heir was wanted.
She is mentioned as the most intimate confidant and friend of Potemkin after Catherine, and his favourite among his nieces. Their alleged sexual relationship ended in 1779 and she was replaced by her sister Jekaterina, with whom he was to have had an on-and-off relationship the rest of his life, but the intimate friendship between Aleksandra and Potemkin continued. She acted as the hostess of Potemkin, and an invitation to her was a sign of favour from him. They also corresponded. She was present with him in Ukraine and on his household in the south in the 1780s. She often argued with him, which was suggested as a sign of their close friendship.
In 1791, she expressed a wish that Potemkin should be the successor to the king of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. For many years, there were rumours in Poland that Potemkin had plans to make her children heirs to the Polish throne.
She nursed Potemkin during his illness. She is said to have inherited the marriage certificate of Potemkin and Catherine. Potemkin died in her arms.
She created a sanctuary for Potemkin's memory on his estate, and was visited by Alexander I, who appointed her Lady of the court. In 1816, Wiegel reported how she was kissed on the hand and treated with the same rank in etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
as that of an Imperial Grand Duchess, and that she and others seemed to take this for granted.
Family
In 1781 she married Franciszek Ksawery BranickiFranciszek Ksawery Branicki
Count Franciszek Ksawery Branicki was a Polish nobleman of the Korczak coat of arms, magnate and one of the leaders of the Targowica Confederation....
. The marriage was arranged to create a contact in Poland.
She had five children:
- Katarzyna BranickaKatarzyna BranickaCountess Katarzyna Branicka was a Polish noblewoman of the Korczak coat of arms, and art collector.The portrait of her to the right was done by German painter Franz Winterhalter in 1854. A Chopin waltz is dedicated to her....
- Aleksander Branicki
- Władysław Grzegorz Branicki
- Zofia BranickaZofia BranickaCountess Zofia Branicka was a Polish noble woman, art collector.She had been married to Artur Potocki since 1816.-Further reading:...
- Elżbieta Branicka - Pushkin's secret love
Litterature
- Marian Kukiel, Książę Adam, Warszawa 1993.
- Henryk Mościcki, Aleksandra Branicka, w: Polski Słownik Biograficzny, t. II, Kraków 1936