Princess midnight: mystery Evdokia Galitzine, the mistress of the St. Petersburg salon

Princess Evdokiya Golitsyna was one of the most famous personalities of the nineteenth century. Well-educated and charming, she drove men crazy with their beauty and intelligence, but its reputation has remained impeccable. In the higher light of Golitsyn became famous for the idea to open a St. Petersburg salon, which is visited by famous people of the era.

Techniques she spent exclusively at night, for which she soon became known not only as the Princess Nocturne, or Princess midnight. The reason for this was a terrible prediction, once heard from the fortune-teller Lenormand...

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Source: kulturologia.ru

Evdokiya Golitsyna (nee Izmailova) got her name from her husband, the famous Prince Sergei Golitsyn, who through the great mercy of her betrothed, the Emperor Paul. But the marriage was not happy too different were the newlyweds. They have lived in Russia for several years, and later was forced to move to Dresden as Sergei Golitsyn fell into disgrace. From exile Golitsyn returned one, and Evdokia had decided to stay in Europe and build a new life. Here she was able to find true love — Prince Mikhail Dolgorukov. To seek divorce Eudoxia could not, therefore, a formal marriage with Dolgorukov was impossible. And life's meant to be a short story in love, in 1808, the Prince was killed in the war.

The reputation of Eudoxia Galitzine was always spotless. Back in Russia, she opens the saloon, she is surrounded by the best people of that time. Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Batyushkov, and, of course, Pushkin (the future great poet at this time was 18). The great poet falls under the spell of Eudoxia and begins to spend all night in her salon. Of course, the Princess was flattered by such attention, but the attitude of the poet with her was a condescending.

Evdokiya Golitsyna Pushkin dedicates three poems, one of which best characterizes the attitude of the poet to his Muse.

The edges others the inexperienced Amateur, And his everlasting crown, I said, in my country Where true to the mind where the genius we find? Where a citizen with the soul of a noble, Exalted and flame free? Where is the woman — not from the chill beauty, But with a fiery, captivating, alive? Where is the conversation going to find a relaxed, Brilliant, fun, enlightened? Someone I can be chill, not empty? Homeland almost I hated — But yesterday I saw Golitsyn And reconciled to my Fatherland.

Salon Galitzine has worked exclusively at night. In his youth, the girl heard a prophecy that her life will end in the night, and since then, she vowed to stay awake after sunset, and sleep in the day. Interestingly, information about the death of Eudoxia was not preserved, therefore the judge, whether true prediction Lenormand, is not possible. At the end of life the young man was engaged in self-education. According to some accounts, its former beauty is not gone. Thus ended the life of Princess midnight...