Biography Dorothea von Medem

dorothea daughters, wilhelmine , pauline.


duchess of courland

on 6 november 1779, eighteen-year-old dorothea became third wife of 55-year-old, childless duke peter von biron, son of famous ernst johann von biron. couple had 6 children, 2 of whom died in infancy. 4 surviving children daughters; however, youngest one, dorothea, illegitimate, although recognized duke.

dorothea welcomed highest social circles new status duchess beauty. because husband preoccupied political difficulties @ home involving overlord king of poland , courland nobility, sent on diplomatic missions warsaw, lasting months @ time, , berlin, karlovy vary, , saint petersburg shorter periods. during these long absences dorothea became alienated husband , had numerous love affairs other men, including gustaf mauritz armfelt, talleyrand, , polish nobleman alexander batowski, fathered fourth daughter, born in 1793. after year gave birth illegitimate daughter, named dorothea (whom husband nevertheless acknowledged own), duchess moved permanently palais kurland in berlin, held aristocratic salon.

later life

in 1794 acquired gutsherrschaft löbichau in altenburgischen , spent summers @ newly built schloss there. inviting poets, philosophers, relatives , friends löbichau, became known musenhof der herzogin von kurland. sister elisa von der recke, later linked christoph august tiedge, came löbichau live , tsar alexander of russia, frederick william iii of prussia, napoleon of france, talleyrand, metternich, goethe, schiller , other personalities of time duchess s personal friends. in 1801, received proposal prince frederick adolf of sweden.

upon youngest daughter dorothea s marriage talleyrand s nephew, edmond de talleyrand-périgord, in 1809, duchess moved paris, having intense relationship talleyrand , influenced him turn against napoleon. in 1814 traveled congress of vienna confront him alleged love affair daughter dorothea. few years after death @ löbichau in 1821, duchess body moved place of death family vault @ sagan husband buried in 1800.