Biography
Daughter of the Polish prince Antoni Stanisław Czetwertyński-Światopełk and 1795 married to Dmitry Lvovich Naryshkin (a hofmeister). In 1799, she entered into a relationship with Alexander, who became tsar in 1801, with her spouse's approval. She was well liked by Alexander's family except by his consort, the empress. She is described as fascinating and charming, with the ability to attract people, and called "The Aspasia of the North". In 1803, she made an attempt to have Alexander divorce his spouse and marry her, but failed. She accompanied the tsar to the Vienna Congress in 1815, which gave him bad publicity.
She had one illegitimate daughter by Alexander - Sophia; and a son Emanuel, who wasn't admitted by her husband and possibly was also tsar's child.
Her children were:
- Zenaida Naryshkina (d. 18 May 1810).
- Sophia Naryshkina (1808 - 18 June 1824).
- Emanuel Naryshkin (30 July 1813 - 31 December 1901).
Alexander was persuaded to leave her in 1818 and went back to his spouse Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden). He continued to talk of her as his family.
Read more about this topic: Maria Naryshkina
Famous quotes containing the word biography:
“There never was a good biography of a good novelist. There couldn’t be. He is too many people, if he’s any good.”
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)
“Just how difficult it is to write biography can be reckoned by anybody who sits down and considers just how many people know the real truth about his or her love affairs.”
—Rebecca West [Cicily Isabel Fairfield] (1892–1983)
“Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.”
—James Boswell (1740–95)