Praskovya Bruce
Encyclopedia
Countess Praskovja Aleksandrovna Bruce (née
Rumjantseva
) (1729–1785) was a Russian
lady-in-waiting
and noble
, confidante of empress Catherine the Great.
She was the sister of Marshal
noble Peter Rumjantsev
and married to Count
Jacob Bruce, governor
of Saint Petersburg
. She was described as an attractive woman, the "Right hand" of Catherine.
She became the lady-in-waiting of Catherine soon after Catherine's arrival in Russia in 1744, and continued to be so after Catherine's elevation to the monarchy in 1762. Catherine called her "Brussja" and entrusted her with her most intimate personal affairs. Catherine said of her that she was "the person to whom I can say everything, withouth fear of the consequenses", and she is described as her closest confidant in her private affairs. Bruce is best known in history as the "l'éprouveuse", the role she played in Catherine's love life. According to legend, Bruce was to "test" the prospective lovers sexually before they became the lovers of Catherine, after they had been suggested by Potemkin
, chosen by Catherine, and examined by a doctor. This very same role has then been attributed to her successor as lady-in-waiting, Anna Protasova
. This is unconfirmed, and it is unknown how much truth there is in this, but it is a well known story in history.
Bruce played an important role in developing the relationship between Catherine and Potemkin, notably as a messenger, a role she played until the relationship was consummated in 1773, when it was she who was given the task to persuade Potemkin to leave his exile in a convent
and enter in to a relationship with Catherine. She is suggested to have been Potemkin's advisor from the beginning in the 1760s.
In 1779, Catherine was directed in to a room where she witnessed her latest lover, Ivan Rimskij-Korsakov
, committing adultery with Bruce. The person who directed her is believed to have been Aleksandra von Engelhardt
, on the order of Potemkin, who wished for the removal of both Korsakov and Bruce from court. This resulted in the fall of both Korsakov and Bruce: Korsakov was sent in exile to Moscow
, where Bruce soon followed him. However, the relationship with Bruce and Korsakov ended and Bruce returned to reside with her spouse. She was dismissed as a lady-in-waiting and replaced by Anna Stepanova Protasova
(1745-1826), the cousin of Alexej Orlov
, who is mentioned as "l'éprouveuse" in the poems of Byron.
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Rumjantseva
Rumyantsev
The Rumyantsev family were Russian counts prominent in Russian imperial politics in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The family claimed descent from the boyar Rumyanets who broke his oath of allegiance and surrendered Nizhny Novgorod to Vasily I of Moscow in 1391.The first Rumyantsev to gain...
) (1729–1785) was a Russian
lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
and noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, confidante of empress Catherine the Great.
She was the sister of Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
noble Peter Rumjantsev
Pyotr Rumyantsev
Count Pyotr Alexandrovich Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky was one of the foremost Russian generals of the 18th century. He governed Little Russia in the name of Empress Catherine the Great from the abolition of the Cossack Hetmanate in 1764 until Catherine's death 32 years later...
and married to Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
Jacob Bruce, governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
. She was described as an attractive woman, the "Right hand" of Catherine.
She became the lady-in-waiting of Catherine soon after Catherine's arrival in Russia in 1744, and continued to be so after Catherine's elevation to the monarchy in 1762. Catherine called her "Brussja" and entrusted her with her most intimate personal affairs. Catherine said of her that she was "the person to whom I can say everything, withouth fear of the consequenses", and she is described as her closest confidant in her private affairs. Bruce is best known in history as the "l'éprouveuse", the role she played in Catherine's love life. According to legend, Bruce was to "test" the prospective lovers sexually before they became the lovers of Catherine, after they had been suggested by Potemkin
Potemkin
Potemkin is a Russian surname which derives from the word Потёмка Potyomka meaning "dark". It may refer to:People*Prince Grigory Potyomkin, statesman and lover of Catherine the Great...
, chosen by Catherine, and examined by a doctor. This very same role has then been attributed to her successor as lady-in-waiting, Anna Protasova
Anna Protasova
Countess Anna Stepanova Protasova was a Russian lady-in-waiting and noble, confidant of empress Catherine the Great....
. This is unconfirmed, and it is unknown how much truth there is in this, but it is a well known story in history.
Bruce played an important role in developing the relationship between Catherine and Potemkin, notably as a messenger, a role she played until the relationship was consummated in 1773, when it was she who was given the task to persuade Potemkin to leave his exile in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and enter in to a relationship with Catherine. She is suggested to have been Potemkin's advisor from the beginning in the 1760s.
In 1779, Catherine was directed in to a room where she witnessed her latest lover, Ivan Rimskij-Korsakov
Ivan Rimsky-Korsakov
Ivan Nikolajevich Rimsky-Korsakov, né Korsav was a Russian courtier and lover of Catherine the Great from 1778 to 1779....
, committing adultery with Bruce. The person who directed her is believed to have been Aleksandra von Engelhardt
Aleksandra von Engelhardt
Aleksandra von Engelhardt , also known as Sasjenka and Countess Branicka, was a Russian noble. She was the niece, confidant and likely the lover of Grigory Potyomkin, and the favourite and lady-in-waiting of Catherine the Great....
, on the order of Potemkin, who wished for the removal of both Korsakov and Bruce from court. This resulted in the fall of both Korsakov and Bruce: Korsakov was sent in exile to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, where Bruce soon followed him. However, the relationship with Bruce and Korsakov ended and Bruce returned to reside with her spouse. She was dismissed as a lady-in-waiting and replaced by Anna Stepanova Protasova
Anna Protasova
Countess Anna Stepanova Protasova was a Russian lady-in-waiting and noble, confidant of empress Catherine the Great....
(1745-1826), the cousin of Alexej Orlov
Orlov
Orlov is the name of a Russian noble family which produced several distinguished statesmen, diplomatists and soldiers. The family first gained distinction in the person of four Orlov brothers, of whom the senior was Catherine the Great's paramour, and the two junior were notable military...
, who is mentioned as "l'éprouveuse" in the poems of Byron.