Notes of Princess Ekaterina Dashkova

Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova 17 28 March 1743 — 4 16 January 1810 — a princess from the renowned family of Vorontsovs, a friend and companion of Catherine II and the first woman in the world to serve as director of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and the Arts of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In her «Notes», she recounts her acquaintance with the future empress Catherine II, full of intrigues of court life and travels across Europe. Being a contemporary of many iconic historical figures of the mid-18th to early 19th century, such as Grigory Orlov, Denis Diderot, Voltaire, and others, the princess left her memories of them on the pages of this book. Interesting details of secret diplomacy, politics, and culture of the Enlightenment era from a direct participant in the events.