Elizabeth Grigorieva Temkina
Elizabeth Grigorievna Temkina (Russian: Елизаве́та Григо́рьевна Тёмкина, romanized: Elizaveta Grigoryevna Temkina; 24 July [O.S. 13 July] 1775 – 6 June [O.S. 25 May] 1854) - the alleged daughter of Catherine the Great and Grigory Potemkin.
Elizabeth Grigorievna Temkina | |
|---|---|
Елизаве́та Григо́рьевна Тёмкина | |
 Portrait by Vladimir Borovikovsky | |
| Born | 24 July 1775 |
| Died | 6 June 1854 (aged 78) |
| Spouse(s) | Ivan Khristoforovich Kalageorgi |
| Children | 10 |
| Parent(s) |
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Biography
According to a number of historical testimonies and family legends, which, however, do not have documentary evidence and are disputed by most historians, Grigory Potemkin and Catherine the Great were secretly married.[1][2] In 1775, a female infant appeared in Potemkin's house, who was named Elizabeth Grigorievna Temkina (the surname was obtained by truncation from “Potemkin”). The girl was born secretly, but at the court there were rumors that the empress was her mother, though this is now regarded as unlikely.[3] Elizabeth was brought up in the Samoilov household, and was never acknowledged by Catherine.
References
- "Потёмкин. история в лицах" (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2008-05-04. Retrieved 2009-02-13.
- Letters of Catherine II to G. A. Potemkin // Questions of History. № 6, 1989.
- Montefiore 2010, p. 159
Sources
- Montefiore, Simon Sebag (2010). Catherine the Great and Potemkin: The Imperial Love Affair. Orion. ISBN 978-0-297-86623-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)