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

• The princess midnight: mystery Evdokia Golitsyn, the mistress of the St. Petersburg salon

Princess Evdokia Golitsyn was one of the most famous personalities of the XIX century. Well-educated and charming, she drives men crazy with beauty and intelligence, but its reputation has remained unblemished. In high society Golitsyn famous idea to open a Petersburg salon, which was visited by famous people of the era.

Receptions she spent only at night, for which it soon became known not only as a nocturne Princess or Duchess midnight. The reason for this was a terrible prophecy, once heard from Lenormand fortune tellers ...

Evdokia Golitsyn (nee Izmailov) got her name from her husband, the famous Prince Sergey Golitsyn, whom the greatness of the mercy of her betrothed Emperor Paul. However, the marriage was not a happy one, too different were the newlyweds. They have lived in Russia for several years, and then had to move to Dresden, as Sergey Golitsyn fell into disgrace. From exile Golitsyn returned alone, and Evdokia decided to stay in Europe and to build a new life. Here she was able to find true love - Prince Michael Dolgoruky. Evdokia obtain a divorce could not, therefore, a formal marriage with Dolgorukov was impossible. And life is destined to a short history lovers - in 1808, the prince was killed in the war.

Reputation Evdokia Golitsyn was always spotless. Back in Russia, it opens the interior, it is surrounded by the best people in that time. Zhukovsky, Karamzin, Batyushkov and, of course, Pushkin (future great poet at that time was 18 years old). The great poet falls under the charm of Evdokia and begins to spend all night in her salon. Of course, the princess flattered by such attention, but the attitude of the poet on her part was only condescending.

Evdokia Golitsyn Pushkin devotes three poems, one of which is the best characterizes the attitude of the poet to his muse.

Edges foreign inexperienced lover

And his everlasting prosecutor, I said in my own country

Where the faithful mind, where we will find a genius?

Where a citizen of a noble soul, the sublime and the flame-free?

Where a woman - not a hladnoy beauty, but a fiery, captivating, alive?

Where to find laid-back conversation, brilliant, funny, enlightened?

Who can be the cool, not empty?

I almost hated the Fatherland -

But yesterday I saw Golitsyn

And reconciled with my homeland.

Salon Galitzine worked exclusively at night. As a teenager, she heard the prophecy that her life will terminate at night, and since then she has vowed to stay awake after sunset, and sleep during the day. Interestingly, the information about the death of Eudoxia did not survive, so judge whether the prediction was fulfilled Lenormand, it is not possible. At the end of his life Evdokia engaged in self-education. According to some accounts, by its former beauty was gone. Thus ended the life of Princess midnight ...