ZOFJA, A GREEK BEAUTY
She was the wife of
Stanislav Szczesny Potocki (1752–1805), one of the most
polished European nobles of his time, enormously rich, we
should add, and with political aspirations, aimed very
high indeed. Zofya, of Greek descent, was known for
exceptional beauty and wit. The Potocki are worth having
a romantic novel written about them but we‘ll just look
into the dry facts of history, enlivened by the vivid
personages involved.
THROUGH
THE MISTS OF HISTORY
The end of
the 18th century in Europe and elsewhere was packed tight
with exciting events that would have a tremendous impact
upon the later destiny of mankind. The Age of
Enlightenment was coming to an end, the Age of the
Machine was beginning to be ushered in. Revolutions swept
through the Old World, and in the New World a number of
former British colonies proclaimed themselves an
independent Union of states. Philosophy was developed by
Kant, music by Mozart, art by David, literature by Goete,
science by Lavoisier... the choice of names is almost
arbitrary, as there were so many of them to choose from,
in every field of human endeavour.
And what about Ukraine? What was going on in this part of
the world, so richly endowed by nature? Ukraine remained
torn apart among several states, with parts of Ukraine
being under Polish, Austrian, Russian and Turkish
domination.
Bust of an ancient
philosopher.
Poland
acquired a constitution in 1791, but there immediately
emerged a powerful opposition to it on the part of those
who felt that their vital political interests might be
threatened. Among the mightiest and richest opponents
were Count Stanislav Szczesny («Szczesny» in Polish
means «a happy one») Potocki who owned more than 300
towns and villages together with thousands of serf
peasants; the lands of this feudal landlord stretched for
miles and miles in Ukraine and Poland proper. He married
young (one of the most eligible bridegrooms in all of
Europe!) but his wife died and her much lamented tragic
death that came to him as a terrible shock,had turned a
jovial, happy man, enjoying life to the full, into a
silent, brooding melancholic. But this melancholic
disposition did not prevent him frompursuing a brilliant
military career. He was favourably received at the court
of the Russian EmpressCatherine II; also, Catherine’s
all-powerful
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Isle of the Blessed
favoritePrince
Potyomkin looked upon Potocki as at a political force
worthy of special attention. Count Potocki figured that
in the political turmoil Poland was going through at the
end of the 18th century, he could make an attempt to get
himself installed on the Polish throne. The Polish king
Stanislav-Augustus, the guarantor of the constitution,
was under heavy pressure on all sides, and when Russia
invaded Poland with the intent of settling matters there
the way Catherine II desired them to be settled, the
Empress saw fit to send Count Potocki to Poland with an
army. Potoicki’s second wife, Josepha, was a
lady-in-waiting of Catherine’s, and she had probably
put in a word with the Empress for her handsome husband.
Count Potocki definitely planned to seize the opportunity
and ascend the Polish throne, but Catherine II had
somewhat different plans for Poland — she had decided
to do away with Poland as an independent state
altogether. Potocki was used as a pawn in a political
game and in 1795, largely thanks to Potocki’s efforts,
Poland ceased to be — it was divided among the three
powers: Austria, Prussia and Russia. Paradoxically, it
was then that all these political manoeuvrings started a
process that would eventually lead to Ukraine’s
independence two centuries later.
Grotto of Venus
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