Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova was part of the coup d'etat that placed Catherine on the throne, the first woman in the world to head a national academy of sciences, the first woman in Europe to hold a government office and the president of the Russian Academy, which she helped found.
22 Facts About Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova
2.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova published prolifically, with original and translated works on many subjects, and was invited by Benjamin Franklin to become the first female member of the American Philosophical Society.
3.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova's younger brother Semyon was a Russian ambassador to Great Britain, and a celebrated Anglophile.
4.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova had two older sisters: Maria, later Countess Buturlin, who married Count Peter Buturlin, and Elizabeth, who married state advisor Alexander Polyansky.
5.
When Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova was just 2 years old, Marfa died and Count Roman was an absent father, so the children were sent to different places.
6.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova developed an interest in politics at a very young age and was allowed by her uncle to go through his papers, reading diplomatic letters from Russian ambassadors to illustrious foreigners like the Emperor of China, which gave her an inside look at how diplomacy worked.
7.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova grew up a well-educated, well-read, bright and intelligent girl.
8.
Just like her older sisters, Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova went to live at the Russian court when she became a teenager and, by favour of her godmother Empress Elizabeth I, appointed as one of her maids-of-honour.
9.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova supported the Grand Duchess through her difficult marriage to Grand Duke Peter Petrovich.
10.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova became known as Princess Vorontsova-Dashkova or simply Princess Dashkova.
11.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova's nephew ascended the throne, began undoing her policies and kept a submissive position towards his idol and Russia's enemy, Frederick the Great, much to the displeasure of his court and military.
12.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova continued to be loyal to the newly crowned Empress Catherine.
13.
However, their friendship gave place to a more estranged relationship as Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova often disliked the men the Empress took as lovers, and often resented the graces and devotion shown to them.
14.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova was disappointed when her request to become a colonel of the Imperial Guards was denied.
15.
When Prince Dashkov died in 1764, Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova decided to ask to leave court and was granted permission, starting in 1768 a 14-year-long journey through Europe, where she was welcomed in several courts with respect and admiration.
16.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova corresponded with Garrick, Dr Blair, and Principal William Robertson, meeting them during her visit to the United Kingdom and entrusting the education of her son Pavel to the latter.
17.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova was friends with English painter Georgiana Hare-Naylor, daughter of Jonathan Shipley, whom she met in London.
18.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova became the first woman in the world to head a national academy of sciences.
19.
Yekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova-Dashkova died in Moscow on the 4th of January, 1810, at 66 years of age.
20.
Besides her work on the 6-volume dictionary of the Russian Languages, Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova edited a monthly magazine, and wrote at least two novels: The Marriage of Fabian and a comedy entitled Toissiokoff.
21.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova's memoirs were published in French in 1804, then edited and translated to English by Martha Wilmot in 1840 in two volumes and the Russian version of her memoirs was translated by Alexander Herzen in 1857.
22.
Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova loved to compose her own music and collect and transcribe the folk music of Russia.