Countess Elena Zavadovskaya

Countess Elena Zavadovskaya (nee Vlodek) was the daughter of Polish general (her mother was Russian), wife of the chief prosecutor of the Senate V.P. Zavadovskiy (1798-1855). Charming lady of St. Petersburg was called “Star of the North”. Elena was one of the brightest beauties of her time. Such poets as Alexander Pushkin, Ivan Kozlov, Vyazemsky dedicated their poems to her. She was a friend of Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov.
Elena was born on December 2, 1807.
In 1830, she began a love affair with General S.F. Apraksin, which lasted about six years. When Elena left her husband, she spent much time with her son abroad.
Zavadskaya died on March 22, 1874 and was buried next to her husband and son in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery.