OTD February 3rd 1761 Anna Charlotte Dorothea von Medem

Countess (Anna Charlotte) Dorothea von Medem was born on February 3rd. 1761
in Latvia.

Her parents were Friedrich von Medem and his second wife Louise Charlotte of
Manteuffel.

Dorothea von Medem - Source picture: Wikipedia

On November 6th. 1779 Dorothea married Duke Peter von Biron. She was 

18 years old he 55 years old ...

They would have 6 children, two of them didn't survive childhood.
The rest were all daughters. The youngest also known as Dorothea was
probably illegitimate, however she was recognized
by the duke as his child.

The marriage was an access ticket for Dorothea to the higher social ranks. 

Due to her beauty and to her new status as Duchess it became easy for her

to meet the most influential persons of her time.

While her husband spent much of his time abroad on diplomatic missions

in Warsaw (Poland), in Saint Petersburg (Russia) and in Berlin she stayed

home and had many love affairs. 

In 1794 the Duchess moved permanently to the Palais Kurland in Berlin, 

there she held her aristocratic salon.

Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Frederick William III of Prussia,
Napoleon I of France, Talleyrand, Metternich, Goethe, Schiller
and other grand personalities of that time

were personal friends of the Duchess.

This remarkable lady died on August 20th. 1821 at the age of 60.

She was buried beside her husband at Sagan (now located in Poland).