Countess Anna Charlotte Dorothea von Medem (3 February 1761 – 20 August 1821) was born a
Gräfin
(feminine: ) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count". Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title of "earl" (whose female version is "cou ...
(Countess) of the
noble
A noble is a member of the nobility.
Noble may also refer to:
Places Antarctica
* Noble Glacier, King George Island
* Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land
* Noble Peak, Wiencke Island
* Noble Rocks, Graham Land
Australia
* Noble Island, Great B ...
German Baltic Medem family and later became
Duchess of Courland Duchess of Courland House of Kettler, 1561–1737
House of Biron, 1737–1740
* Council of the Duke, 1740–58
House of Wettin, 1758–1763
*None, although Charles of Saxony was morganatically married with the Polish countess Francisz ...
. Popularly known as Dorothea of Courland after her marriage to
Peter von Biron
Peter von Biron (15 February 1724 – 13 January 1800) was the last Duke of Courland and Semigallia, from 1769 to 1795.
Life and reign
Peter was born in Jelgava (german: Mitau) as the oldest son of Ernst Johann von Biron, future Duke of Courl ...
, the last
Duke of Courland
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia ( la, Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ; german: Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen; lv, Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste; lt, Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė; pl, Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii) was ...
, she hosted an
aristocratic
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word's ...
salon
Salon may refer to:
Common meanings
* Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments
* French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home
* Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment
Arts and entertainment
* Salon (P ...
in
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
and performed various diplomatic duties on behalf of her estranged husband. She would spend the rest of her life in her estate in
Löbichgau, where she would invite and host many important political and cultural figures of the time and make many acquaintances, ranging from
Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as treat ...
over
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
to
Talleyrand, the latter of whom she was reportedly very close.
Biography
Anna Charlotte Dorothea was born at
Mežotne
Mežotne (german: Mesothen) is a town in Latvia 10 km west of Bauska and 40 km south of the capital of Latvia, Riga. It lies in the historical region of Zemgale on the left bank of the Lielupe river near the Lithuanian border.
Mežo ...
to Johann Friedrich von Medem, a
Graf
(feminine: ) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count". Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title of "earl" (whose female version is "coun ...
from the old Courland nobility, general-
poruchik
The rank of lieutenant in Eastern Europe ( hr, poručnik, cs, poručík, pl, porucznik, russian: script=latn, poruchik, sr, script=latn, poručnik, sk, poručík) is one used in Slavophone armed forces. Depending on the country, it is either ...
of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
, and (as of 1779)
Reichsgraf of the Holy Roman Empire; and his second wife, Louise Charlotte von
Manteuffel
The House of Manteuffel is the name of an old and influential German Pomeranian noble family, which later also resided in Brandenburg, Prussia, Silesia, Mecklenburg, Poland, the Baltics and in Russia.
History
Manteuffel family was first ment ...
. Her father, a descendant of Konrad von Mandern, was himself awarded the
Order of St. Alexander Nevsky
The Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was an order of chivalry of the Russian Empire first awarded on by Empress Catherine I of Russia.
History
The introduction of the Imperial Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky was envisioned by Empero ...
in 1774 for his help in preparing the
Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca
The Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ( tr, Küçük Kaynarca Antlaşması; russian: Кючук-Кайнарджийский мир), formerly often written Kuchuk-Kainarji, was a peace treaty signed on 21 July 1774, in Küçük Kaynarca (today Kayna ...
. He owned many estates in Courland, including
Elley Elley may refer to:
Geography
*German exonym for the village Eleja, Latvia
People
* Chris Elley (born 1977), founder and current Director of Texas-based film production company Electro-Fish Media LLC
* Derek Elley, film critic
*Elley Duhé (born ...
and
Alt-Autz. Her elder half sister from her father's previous marriage was the poet
Elisa von der Recke
Elisabeth "Elisa" Charlotte Constanzia von der Recke (née von Medem; 20 May 1754 – 13 April 1833) was a Baltic German writer and poet.
Family
Elisa von der Recke was born in Schönberg, Skaistkalne parish, Courland (present-day Skaist ...
. Her younger brother was Russian diplomat
Christoph Johann von Medem
Count Christoph Johann Friedrich von Medem (''Jeannot Medem''; 1763 – 1838) was a nobleman from Courland and courtier in the courts of Prussian kings Frederick the Great, Frederick William II and Emperor of Russia Paul I. His sisters were poe ...
, who built Villa Medem in
Mitau (now Jelgava).
Duchess of Courland
On 6 November 1779, eighteen-year-old Dorothea became the third wife of the 55-year-old, childless Duke
Peter von Biron
Peter von Biron (15 February 1724 – 13 January 1800) was the last Duke of Courland and Semigallia, from 1769 to 1795.
Life and reign
Peter was born in Jelgava (german: Mitau) as the oldest son of Ernst Johann von Biron, future Duke of Courl ...
, son of the famous
Ernst Johann von Biron
Ernst Johann von Biron (german: Ernst Johann von Biron; russian: link=no, Эрнст Иоганн Бирон; (german: link=no, Bühren); ) was a Duke of Courland and Semigallia (1737–1740 and 1763–1769) and briefly regent of the Russian E ...
. The couple had six children, two of whom died in infancy. The four surviving children were all daughters; however, the youngest one,
Dorothea
Dorothea (also spelled Dorothée, Dorotea or other variants) is a female given name from Greek (Dōrothéa) meaning "God's Gift". It may refer to:
People
* Dorothea Binz (1920–1947), German concentration camp officer executed for war cr ...
, was probably not fathered by; although recognized by the Duke.
Dorothea was welcomed into the highest social circles thanks to her new status as duchess as well as her beauty. Because her husband was preoccupied with political difficulties at home involving his
overlord
An overlord in the English feudal system was a lord of a manor who had subinfeudated a particular manor, estate or fee, to a tenant. The tenant thenceforth owed to the overlord one of a variety of services, usually military service or serje ...
the
King of Poland
Poland was ruled at various times either by dukes and princes (10th to 14th centuries) or by kings (11th to 18th centuries). During the latter period, a tradition of free election of monarchs made it a uniquely electable position in Europe (16t ...
and the Courland nobility, he frequently sent her on diplomatic missions to
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is officia ...
, lasting months at a time, and to
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
,
Karlovy Vary
Karlovy Vary (; german: Karlsbad, formerly also spelled ''Carlsbad'' in English) is a spa town, spa city in the Karlovy Vary Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 46,000 inhabitants. It lies on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá. ...
, and
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
for shorter periods. During these long absences Dorothea became alienated from her husband and had numerous love affairs with other men, including
Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt
Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (russian: Граф Густав-Маврикий Максимович Армфельт, tr, ; 31 March 1757 – 19 August 1814) was a Finnish-Swedish-Russian courtier and diplomat. In Finland, he is considered one of ...
, Talleyrand, and the Polish nobleman,
Count Alexander Benedykt Batowski, who allegedly fathered her fourth daughter, born in 1793. After the year she gave birth to her daughter, also named
Dorothea
Dorothea (also spelled Dorothée, Dorotea or other variants) is a female given name from Greek (Dōrothéa) meaning "God's Gift". It may refer to:
People
* Dorothea Binz (1920–1947), German concentration camp officer executed for war cr ...
(whom her husband nevertheless acknowledged as his own), the Duchess moved permanently to the
Palais Kurland in Berlin, where she held an aristocratic salon.
Later life
In 1794 she acquired the Gutsherrschaft
Löbichau
Löbichau is a municipality in the district Altenburger Land, in Thuringia, Germany.
The ''Ostthüringer Zeitung'' (OTZ) has its head office in the municipality. in
Altenburgischen and spent her summers at the newly built Schloss there. Inviting poets, philosophers, relatives and friends to Löbichau, it became known as the ''
Muse
In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
nhof der Herzogin von Kurland''. Her half-sister
Elisa von der Recke
Elisabeth "Elisa" Charlotte Constanzia von der Recke (née von Medem; 20 May 1754 – 13 April 1833) was a Baltic German writer and poet.
Family
Elisa von der Recke was born in Schönberg, Skaistkalne parish, Courland (present-day Skaist ...
, who would later be linked with
Christoph August Tiedge
Christoph August Tiedge (14 December 1752, Gardelegen - 8 March 1841, Dresden) was a German poet.
Biography
Tiedge was the eldest son of the rector of the Gelehrten Stadtschule in Gardelegen and his wife, and studied law in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. ...
, came to Löbichau to live and Tsar
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I (; – ) was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first King of Congress Poland from 1815, and the Grand Duke of Finland from 1809 to his death. He was the eldest son of Emperor Paul I and Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg.
The son of ...
,
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III (german: Friedrich Wilhelm III.; 3 August 1770 – 7 June 1840) was King of Prussia from 16 November 1797 until his death in 1840. He was concurrently Elector of Brandenburg in the Holy Roman Empire until 6 August 1806, wh ...
,
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
,
Talleyrand,
Metternich
Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein ; german: Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (15 May 1773 – 11 June 1859), known as Klemens von Metternich or Prince Metternic ...
,
Goethe
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, statesman, theatre director, and critic. His works include plays, poetry, literature, and aesthetic criticism, as well as treat ...
,
Schiller and other personalities of the time were the duchess's personal friends. In 1801, she received a proposal from
Prince Frederick Adolf of Sweden
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
.
[
]
Upon her youngest daughter
Dorothea's marriage to Talleyrand's nephew,
Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord
Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord, 2nd Duke of Talleyrand, 2nd Duke of Dino (1 August 1787 – 14 May 1872), was a French general of the Napoleonic Wars.
Early life
He was born in Paris, the son of Archambaud de Talleyrand-Périgord (1762–1838) an ...
, in 1809, the duchess moved to Paris, having an intense relationship with Talleyrand and influenced him to turn against Napoleon. In 1814 she traveled to the
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna (, ) of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon B ...
to confront him about his alleged love affair with her daughter Dorothea. A few years after her death at Löbichau in 1821, the Duchess' body was moved from her place of death to the family vault at
Sagan where her husband was buried in 1800.
Issue
With
Peter von Biron
Peter von Biron (15 February 1724 – 13 January 1800) was the last Duke of Courland and Semigallia, from 1769 to 1795.
Life and reign
Peter was born in Jelgava (german: Mitau) as the oldest son of Ernst Johann von Biron, future Duke of Courl ...
:
*
Wilhelmine
The Wilhelmine Period () comprises the period of German history between 1890 and 1918, embracing the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II in the German Empire from the resignation of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck until the end of World War I and Wilhelm' ...
, Duchess of
Sagan,
Princess of Rohan,
Princess Trubetskoy,
Countess von der Schulenburg, mistress of
Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich
Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein ; german: Klemens Wenzel Nepomuk Lothar Fürst von Metternich-Winneburg zu Beilstein (15 May 1773 – 11 June 1859), known as Klemens von Metternich or Prince Metternic ...
*
Pauline, Duchess of
Sagan and
Princess of Hohenzollern-Hechingen
* Johanna Katharina,
Duchess of Acerenza
* Peter (23 February 1787 – 25 March 1790)
* Charlotte (21 January 1789 – 10 March 1791)
With Alexander Batowski:
*
Dorothea
Dorothea (also spelled Dorothée, Dorotea or other variants) is a female given name from Greek (Dōrothéa) meaning "God's Gift". It may refer to:
People
* Dorothea Binz (1920–1947), German concentration camp officer executed for war cr ...
,
Duchess of Talleyrand-Périgord,
Duchess of Dino,
Duchess of Sagan, protégé (and alleged mistress) of
Talleyrand and wife of his nephew the
2nd Duke of Talleyrand
Gallery
Image:Peter von Biron.jpg, Her husband, Peter von Biron
Peter von Biron (15 February 1724 – 13 January 1800) was the last Duke of Courland and Semigallia, from 1769 to 1795.
Life and reign
Peter was born in Jelgava (german: Mitau) as the oldest son of Ernst Johann von Biron, future Duke of Courl ...
Image:LaduchessedeSagan.jpg, Her eldest daughter, Wilhelmine
Image:Pauline biron.JPG, Her second daughter, Pauline
Image:Ioanna biron-d'acerenza.JPG, Her third daughter, Johanna
Image:Dorothee de Courlande.jpg, Her fourth daughter, Dorothea
Image:Biron Rezidenz.jpg, Jelgava Palace
Jelgava Palace ( lv, Jelgavas pils) or historically Mitau Palace ( lv, Mītavas pils, german: Schloss Mitau) is the largest Baroque-style palace in the Baltic states. It was built in the 18th century based on the design of Bartolomeo Rastrelli as ...
, the Biron residence
Image:Loebichau Schloss01.jpg, her beloved Schloss Löbichau
File:Wilhelmine Grafin Medem 1792.jpg, Miniature portrait titled: Wilhelmine von Mengden .. Grafin Medem ... 1792
Bibliography
*
Elisa von der Recke
Elisabeth "Elisa" Charlotte Constanzia von der Recke (née von Medem; 20 May 1754 – 13 April 1833) was a Baltic German writer and poet.
Family
Elisa von der Recke was born in Schönberg, Skaistkalne parish, Courland (present-day Skaist ...
: ''Tagebücher und Selbstzeugnisse''. Leipzig 1984
* : ''Drei Sommer in Löbichau 1819–21''. Stuttgart 1877
*
Philip Ziegler
Philip Sandeman Ziegler (born 24 December 1929) is a British biographer and historian.
Background
Born in Ringwood, Hampshire, Ziegler was educated at St Cyprian's School, Eastbourne, and went with the school when it merged with Summer Field ...
: ''Die Herzogin von Dino, Talleyrands letzte Vertraute''. München 1965
* Clemens Brühl: ''Die Sagan''. Berlin 1941
* Sabine und Klaus Hofmann: ''Zwischen Metternich und Talleyrand. Der Musenhof der Herzogin von Kurland im Schloss zu Löbichau''. Museum Burg Posterstein, 2004
*
Christoph August Tiedge
Christoph August Tiedge (14 December 1752, Gardelegen - 8 March 1841, Dresden) was a German poet.
Biography
Tiedge was the eldest son of the rector of the Gelehrten Stadtschule in Gardelegen and his wife, and studied law in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. ...
: ''Anna Charlotte Dorothea. Letzte Herzogin von Kurland''. F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig 182
Online-Version at Internet Archive
Notes
External links
*
*https://web.archive.org/web/20070928121332/http://www.burg-posterstein.de/startframes/historietopframe.htm
{{DEFAULTSORT:Medem, Dorothea
1761 births
1821 deaths
People from Mežotne
People from the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Baltic-German people
Baltic nobility
Duchesses of Courland
Dorothea
Dorothea (also spelled Dorothée, Dorotea or other variants) is a female given name from Greek (Dōrothéa) meaning "God's Gift". It may refer to:
People
* Dorothea Binz (1920–1947), German concentration camp officer executed for war cr ...
German salon-holders
18th-century Latvian people