Maria Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Russia |
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BORN 16 Feb 1786, St. Petersburg - DIED 23 Jun 1859, Weimar, Thüringen: Belvedere GRAVE LOCATION Weimar, Thüringen: Historischer Friedhof, Poseckscher Garten (Fürstengruft) |
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Maria Pavlovna was the third daughter of czar Paul I of Russia. Her mother was Sophia Doerothea of Württemberg. She wasn't pretty after a smallpox vaccine but she was a good pianist. On 3 August 1804 he married Karl Friedrich, the future Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. They stayed in St. Petersburg for nine months and then left for Weimar. They had four children between 1805 and 1818. She was very interested in art as well as science and attended courses at the University of Jena. Schiller dedicated one of his last poems to her before he died in 1805. In 1806 she fled Weimar after the Battle of Jena and Auerstadt. She returned the next year. When France invaded Russia in 1812 she left for Bohemia where she was protected by Austrian troops. After the French were beaten near Leipzig she returned to Weimar. In 1814 she attended the congress of Vienna. She often spent the summer with her children at a small chalet near Jena. In 1828 her husband became Grand Duke and she became Grand Duchess. In later years she invited Franz Liszt to the court and he became Musical Director in 1842. After the death of her husband in 1853 she retired from public life. She died in 1859 in Weimar. Related persons • was a friend of Dillon, Anna • employed Fritsch, Constanze, Gräfin von • employed Henckel von Donnersmarck, Eleonore Maximiliane Gräfin von • has a connection with Liszt, Franz |
| Images |
 The Russian Orthodox chapel at the Friedhof vor dem Frauenturm, Weimar. It was built for Maria Pavlovna of Russia, wife of Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Saksen-Weimar-Eisenach and she was buried here. Picture by Androom (05 Feb 2005) |
Sources • Judd, Denis, Gevallen tronen, Unieboek, Bussum, 1976 • Fürstengruft |
