Grumbkow's Palace in Szczecin, where Maria Feodorovna was born. The imperial family deeply mourned her death, and her successors regarded her as a role model. She often gave political counsel to her children, who held her in great respect. Clever, purposeful and energetic, Maria Feodorovna founded and managed all the Empire's charitable establishments, re-modelled the palaces of Gatchina and Pavlovsk, and encouraged foreign links directed against Napoleon I of France. She instead instituted the precedence whereby the Empress dowager out-ranked the reigning monarch's wife, a system unique to the Russian court. On the night of Paul I's assassination (23 March 1801), she thought to imitate her mother-in-law's example and claim the throne, but her son, the future Emperor Alexander I, dissuaded her. They were forced to live in isolation at Gatchina Palace, where they had many children together.Īfter her husband ascended the Russian throne in 1796, Maria Feodorovna had a considerable and beneficial influence during his four-year reign. The couple were completely excluded from any political influence, as mother and son mistrusted each other. During the long reign (1762-1796) of her mother-in-law, she sided with her husband and lost the initial affection the reigning Empress had for her.
In spite of her fiancé's difficult character, she developed a long, peaceful relationship with Paul and converted to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1776, adopting the name Maria Feodorovna. After Grand Duke Paul (the future Paul I of Russia) became a widower in 1776, King Frederick II of Prussia (Sophie Dorothea's maternal great-uncle) and Empress Catherine II of Russia chose Sophie Dorothea as the ideal candidate to become Paul's second wife. She founded the Office of the Institutions of Empress Maria.ĭaughter of Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg and Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt, Sophie Dorothea belonged to a junior branch of the House of Württemberg and grew up in Montbéliard, receiving an excellent education for her time. Maria Feodorovna ( Russian: Мария Фёдоровна née Duchess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg 25 October 1759 – 5 November 1828 ) became Empress consort of Russia as the second wife of Emperor Paul I. Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Anna Pavlovna, Queen of the Netherlands.Catherine Pavlovna, Queen of Württemberg.Maria Pavlovna, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
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