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Dorothea von Medem

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Birth Date:
03.02.1761
Death date:
20.08.1821
Extra names:
Dorothee von Medem, Anna Doroteja fon Bīrona, Šarlote, Doroteja, Dorothea von Kurland, Gräfin Anna Charlotte Dorothea von Medem, Mēdema, Medem, Mēdema, Medem
Categories:
Count, Diplomate, Duke, Nobleman, landlord
Nationality:
 latvian, german
Cemetery:
Set cemetery

(Anna Charlotte) Dorothea von Medem was born a Gräfin (Countess) of the noble German Baltic Medem family and later became Duchess of Courland (a Baltic region). Popularly known as Dorothea of Courland after her marriage to Peter von Biron, the last Duke of Courland, she hosted an aristocratic salon in Berlin and performed various diplomatic duties on behalf of her estranged husband.

Anna Charlotte Dorothea was born at Mežotne Palace in Mežotne, now Latvia, to Friedrich von Medem, a Reichsgraf from the old Courland nobility and a general-poruchik of the Russian Empire, and his second wife, Louise Charlotte von Manteuffel. Her father, a descendant of Konrad von Mandern was himself awarded the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky in 1774 for his help in preparing the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca. He owned many estates, including the Villa Medem in Jelgava. Her elder half sister from her father's previous marriage was the poet Elisa von der Recke.

On 6 November 1779, eighteen-year-old Dorothea became the third wife of the 37-year-old, childless Duke Peter von Biron, son of the famous Ernst Johann von Biron. The couple had six children, two of whom died in infancy. The four surviving children were all daughters; however, the youngest one, Dorothea, was probably illegitimate, 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 the King of Poland and the Courland nobility, he frequently sent her on diplomatic missions to Warsaw, lasting months at a time, and to Berlin, Karlovy Vary, and Saint Petersburg 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, Talleyrand, and the Polish nobleman Alexander Batowski, who fathered her fourth daughter, born in 1793. After the year she gave birth to her illegitimate daughter, also named Dorothea (whom her husband nevertheless acknowledged as his own), the Duchess moved permanently to the Palais Kurland in Berlin, where she held an aristocratic salon.

In 1794 she acquired the Gutsherrschaft Löbichau 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 Musenhof der Herzogin von Kurland. Her sister Elisa von der Recke, who would later be linked with Christoph August Tiedge, came to Löbichau to live and Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Frederick William III of Prussia, Napoleon I of France, Talleyrand, Metternich, Goethe, 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.

Upon her youngest daughter Dorothea's marriage to Talleyrand's nephew, Edmond de Talleyrand-Périgord, 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 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:

  • Wilhelmine, Duchess of Sagan, mistress of Klemens Wenzel, Prince von Metternich
  • Pauline, Duchess of Sagan and Hohenzollern-Hechingen
  • Johanna Katharina, Duchess of Acerenza
  • Peter, died aged three (23 February 1787 – 25 March 1790)
  • Charlotte, died aged three as well

With Alexander Batowski:

  • Dorothea, protégé (and alleged mistress) of Talleyrand and wife of his nephew the 2nd Duke of Talleyrand

Source: wikipedia.org

Title From To Images Languages
Villa MedemVilla Medemlv

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        Relation nameRelation typeBirth DateDeath dateDescription
        1Johann Friedrich von MedemJohann Friedrich von MedemFather00.00.172204.08.1785
        2Vilhelmīne SagānaVilhelmīne SagānaDaughter08.02.178129.11.1839
        3Johanna d AcerenzaJohanna d AcerenzaDaughter24.06.178311.04.1876
        4Doroteja de Taleirāna-PerigoraDoroteja de Taleirāna-PerigoraDaughter21.08.179319.09.1862
        5Kārlis Johans Frīdrihs fon  MēdemsKārlis Johans Frīdrihs fon MēdemsBrother23.03.176209.12.1827
        6Kristofs Johans Frīdrihs Žanno fon MēdemsKristofs Johans Frīdrihs Žanno fon MēdemsBrother13.08.176324.02.1838
        7Elisa  von der ReckeElisa von der ReckeSister20.05.175413.04.1833
        8Pēteris fon BīronsPēteris fon BīronsHusband15.02.172413.01.1800
        9Ernests fon BīronsErnests fon BīronsFather in-law23.11.169028.12.1772
        10Karls Ernests  BīronsKarls Ernests BīronsBrother in-law11.10.172816.10.1801
        11
        George Peter Magnus von der ReckeBrother in-law00.00.173913.11.1795
        12Josephine  Pauline de Talleyrand PerigordJosephine Pauline de Talleyrand PerigordGranddaughter29.12.182012.10.1890
        13Šarls Taleirāns- PerigorsŠarls Taleirāns- PerigorsPartner02.02.175417.05.1838
        14Marie de Castellane, princess RadziwillMarie de Castellane, princess RadziwillGreat granddaughter19.02.184010.07.1915
        15Johann Wolfgang von GoetheJohann Wolfgang von GoetheFriend28.08.174922.03.1832
        16Фридрих ШиллерФридрих ШиллерFriend10.11.175909.05.1805
        17Napoleon  BonaparteNapoleon BonaparteFamiliar15.08.176905.05.1821

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