State Ladies or Statsdame at the Russian Imperial Court were the second largest group of court ladies, after maids of honour. This position was officially established during the reign of Paul I, at the coronation of his wife Maria Feodorovna. Before that women simply carried portraits of the empress. As a general rule of thumb, most of the ladies of state were also cavalry ladies, women awarded with the Order of Saint Catherine, given to them for their philanthropy or charity at court. When appointed to the position, the women were bestowed with a portrait of the Empress with a crown set in diamonds, similar to the maid of honour cipher.
In 1870 and 1871, the Russkaya Starina magazine published an extensive list of State Ladies, compiled by Pavel Fedorovich Karabanov.
State Ladies of Empress Catherine (until 1725) No.Appointment datePortraitNameBirth and deathNote11 August 1711Princess Anastasia Petrovna Golitsyna1665–1729Wife (since 1684) of Prince Ivan Alekseevich Golitsyn21 August 1711Princess Kassandra (Alexandra) Sergeevna Kantemir1682–1713Married Prince Dimitrie Cantemir in 1685 Emperor Peter I bestowed her with his portrait,
but in fact she was never called a lady of state.31 August 1711Lists of remarkable persons // Readings at the Imperial Society of Russian History and Antiquities at Moscow University. Book. 1. January–March. – M., 1860.Anastasia Markovna Skoropadskaya1667–1729Married Hetman Ivan Skoropadsky in 170041 August 1711Maria (Vassa) Yakovlevna Stroganova1677–1733The second wife of Grigory Dmitriyevich Stroganov Emperor Peter I honored her with his portrait.
Considered the first state lady57 May 1724 (Coronation of Catherine I)Matryona Ivanovna BalkMarried Fedor Nikolaevich Balk in 169967 May 1724Elizaveta Ivanovna Vilboamind. 1757Wife of Captain 1st Rank Nikita Villebois Daughter of pastor E. Gluck, whom Catherine I served as a girl77 May 1724Baroness Margaret Campenghausenmind. 1733Married Baron Ivan Ivanovich von Campenhausen in 171287 May 1724Anna Ivanovna Olsufievamind. 1748Married Matvey Dmitrievich Olsufiev in 1719
State Ladies of Empress Catherine I (1725–1727) No.Appointment datePortraitNameBirth and deathNote121 May 1725 (the wedding of
Princess Anna Petrovna)Countess Anna Gavrilovna Bestuzheva-Ryuminamind. 1751Until 1722 she was a Maid of Honour Married Count Pavel Yaguzhinsky in 1723221 May 1725Countess Marfa Ivanovna Osterman1698–1781Married Count Andrey Osterman in 1721321 May 1725Princess Maria Yurievna Cherkasskaya1696–1747Married of Prince Alexey Cherkassky in 1710 On December 18, 1741, Empress Elizabeth
approved her with the rank of lady of state and awarded her with her portrait.421 May 1725Countess Avdotya Ivanovna Chernysheva1693–1747Married Grigory Petrovich Chernyshev in 1710 In 1742 she and her husband were granted the title of count.
She was a lady of state under Empress Elizabeth
and had her portrait.510 March 1726Natalya Fyodorovna Lopukhina1699–1763Married Stepan Vasiliyevich Lopukhin in 1715
State Ladies of Empress Anna Ivanovna (1730–1740) No.Appointment datePortraitNameBirth and death13 May 1730 (Coronation Day)Duchess Benigna Gottlieba Biron1703–1782Married Ernst Johann von Biron, Duke of Courland and Semigallia in 17232May 3, 1730Countess Ekaterina Ivanovna Golovkina1703–1782Married Count Mikhail Golovkin in 17223May 3, 1730Countess Praskovya Yurievna Saltykova1704–1767Married Pyotr Saltykov in 1715 In 1733 she and her husband were granted the dignity of a count.
Since December 1741, the lady of state of Empress
Elizabeth Petrovna, with the award of a portrait
State Ladies of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna No.Appointment datePortraitNameYears of lifeNote125 November 1741Princess Anastasia Ivanova of Hesse-Homburg1700–1755Married Prince Dimitrie Cantemir in 1717 In 1723 she married secondly Ludwig Gruno of Hesse-Homburg218 December 1741Maria Alekseevna Saltykova1701–1752Married General-in-Chief Vasily Fedorovich Saltykov325 April 1742 (coronation day)Countess Anna Karlovna Vorontsova1722–1775Married Chancellor Mikhail Illarionovich Vorontsov in 1741 Became Chief Chamberlain of the Court 29 June 1760425 April 1742Countess Anna Artemyevna Hendrikova1723–1744Married Count Andrei Simonovich Hendrikov in 1742525 April 1742Maria Simonovna Choglokova1723–1756Married Nikolai Naumovich Choglokov c.1742 Married secondly Alexander Glebov Became Chief Chamberlain of the court 26 May 1746625 April 1742Countess Marva Yegorovna Shuvalova1708–1759Married Peter Ivanovich Shuvalov in 1742728 January 1743Countess Varvara Alekseevna Sheremeteva1711–1767Married Pyotr Sheremetev in 174386 September 1746Countess Maria Andreevna Rumyantseva1699–1788Married Alexander Rumyantsev in 1720 Became Chief Chamberlain of the Court 10 July 1778928 October 1746Countess Ekaterina Ivanova Razumovskaya1729–1771Married Count Kirill Razumovski in 1746101747Baroness Ekaterina Karlovna Korf – 1745Married Baron Nikolai Andreevich Korf111747Princess Irina Grigorievna Trubetskaya1669–1749Married Prince Ivan Trubetskoy in 1691125 November 1747Marfa Simonovna Safonova1727–1753Married Lieutenant General Mikhail Ivanovich Safanov in 174711December 1747Anastasia Mikhailovna Izmailovna1703–1761Married Major General Vasili Andreevich Izmailov121749Elena Alexandrovna Naryshinka1708–1767Married Alexander Lvovich Naryshkin Became Chamberlain of the Supreme Court in 17621328 January 1751Princess Ekaterina Dmitrievna Golitsyna1720–1761Married Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Golitsyn in 1751 Became Chambermaid of Honour in 1744141756Countess Maria Nikolaena Skavronskaya1732–1805Married Count Martyn Karlovich Skavronsky in 1754151756Princess Anna Lvovna Trubetskaya1704–1776Married Prince Alexei Yuryevich Trubetskoy1626 October 1756Agrippina Leontieva Apraksina1719–1771Married Field Marshal Stepan Fyodorovich Apraksin
State Ladies of Empress Catherine II No.Appointment datePortraitNameYears of lifeNote122 September 1762 (coronation day)Princess Ekaterina Romanovna Dashkova1743–1810Married Prince Mikhail (Kondrat) Ivanovich Dashkov in 1759222 September 1762Countess Anna Alekseevna Matyushkina1722–1804Married Count Dmitry Mikhailovich Matyushkin in 1754 Became Chief Chamberlain of the Court in 1796 The first lady to wear a portrait on the right side315 August 1773Countess Praskovya Alexandrovna Bruce1729–1786Married Count James Bruce in 1751415 August 1773Princess Daria Alekseevna Golitsyna1724–1789Married Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Golitsyn in 1747515 August 1773Countess Ekaterina Mikhailovna Rumyantseva1724–1779Married Count Pyotr Rumyantsev615 September 1773Anna Nikitichna Naryshkina1730–1820Married Senator Alexander Alexandrovich Naryshkin in 1749 Became Chief Chamberlain of the Court in 1796715 September 1773Countess Anna Rodionovna Chernysheva1744–1830Married Count Zakhar Chernyshev81 January 1776Daria Vasilievna Potemkina1704–1780Married Alexander Vasilievich Potemkin922 September 1777Most Serene Princess Ekaterina Nikolaevna Orlova1758–1781Married His Serene Highness Prince Grigory Orlov in 17771012 November 1781Countess Alexandra Vasilievna Branitskaya1754–1838Married Count Franciszek Ksawery Branicki in 1781 Became Chief Chamberlain of the Court in 18241117 August 1786Countess Ekaterina Vasilievna Skavronskaya1761–1829Married Count Pavel Martynovich Skavronsky in 1781 Married Second Count Giulio Renato Litta Became Camberlain of the Court in 1824121792Countess Yuzefina Amalia Potocka1752–1798Married Count Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki in 1774131792Countess Ekaterina Petrovna Shuvalova1743–1816Married Count Andrei Petrovich Shuvalov in 1762142 September 1793Countess Daria Petrovna Saltykova1739–1802Married Count Ivan Saltykov in 1771152 September 1793Countess Natalya Vladimirovna Saltykova1736–1812Married Count Nikolai Saltykov in 1762165 April 1794Broness Charlotte Karlovna Lieven1742–1828Married Baron Otto-Heinrich von Lieven in 1799 Became Most Serent Princess 18261731 DecemberPrincess Natalya Alexandrovna Repnina1737–1798Married Prince Nicholas Vasilyevich Repnin181 January 1795Countess Elizaveta Vasilievna Zubova1742–1813Married Count Alexander Nikolaevich Zubova
State Ladies of Empress Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) (1796–1801) No.Appointment datePortraitNameYears of lifeNote110 November 1796Countess Praskovya Vasilievna Musina-Pushkina1754–1826Married Count Valentin Musin-Pushkin in 1759213 November 1796Maria Andreevna Renne1752–1810Married Lieutenant General Karl Ivanovich Renn Chamberlain of the Court of Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna322 November 1796Sofia Ivanovna de Lafont1717–1797Head of the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens45 April 1797 (coronation day)Evdokia Mikhailovna Bezborodkova1716–1803Married Andrei Yakovlevich Bezborodko55 April 1797Princess Ekaterina Alexandrovna Dolgorukova1750–1811Married Prince Yuri Vladimirovich Dolgorukov65 April 1797Elizaveta Mikhailovna Eropkina1727–1800Married General-in-Chief Pyotr Dmitrievich Eropkin75 April 1797Countess Anna Pavlovna Kamenskaya1749–1826Married Count Mikhail Kamensky85 April 1797Countess Ursula Mnishek1750–1808Married Count Michał Jerzy Mniszech in 178195 April 1797Marina Osipovna Naryshkina1741–1800Married Chief of the Ringmaster Lev Aleksandrovich Naryshkin in 1759105 April 1797Princess Elena Radziwill1753–1821Married Prince Michał Hieronim Radziwiłł in 17711120 July 1791Princess Louise-Emmanuelle de Châtillonde Tarant, Louise Emanuilovna // Russian Biographical Dictionary : in 25 volumes. – St. Petersburg. – M., 1896–1918.1743–1814Married Charles Bretagne Marie de La Trémoille, Duke of La Tremouille Former Dame du Palais to Marie Antoinette126 September 1798Most Serene Princess Ekaterina Nikolaevna Lopukhina1763–1839Married Pyotr Lopukhin in 17861317 April 1799Countess Yuliana Ivanovna Palen1751–1814Married Count Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen in 1773 who played a part in the assassination of Paul I148 February 1800Princess Anna Petrovna Gagarina1777–1805Married Prince Pavel Gavrilovich Gagarin in 1800 Mistress of Paul I
State Ladies of Empress Elizabeth Alexeievna (1801–1825) No.Appointment datePortraitNameYears of lifeNote115 September 1801 (coronation day)Countess Ekaterina Alexandrovna Golovkina1733–1821Married Count Gavriil Ivanovich Golovkin in 1750215 September 1801Princess Anna Mikhailovna Prozorovskaya1749–1824Married Prince Alexander Prozorovsky in 1780315 September 1801Countess Varvara Ivanovna Suvorova-Rymnik, Princess of Italy1750–1806Married Prince Alexander Suvorov, Prince of Italy and Sardinia in 1774412 December 1801Countess Anna Vasilievna Osterman1732–1809Married Count Fyodor Andreevich Osterman518 November 1806Evdokia Ilyinichna Golenischeva-Kutozova1743–1807Married Ivan Loginovich Golenishchev-Kutuzov618 November 1806Princess Natalya Petrovna Golitsyna1744–1837Married Prince Vladimir Borisovich Golitsyn in 1766718 November 1806Countess Praskovya Kirillovna Gudovich1755–1808Married Count Ivan Gudovich81 January 1808Princess Alexandra Nikolaevna Volkonskaya1757–1834Married Prince Grigory Semyonovich Volkonsky in 177791 January 1808Maria Alekseevna Naryshkina1762–1822Married Aleksandr Naryshkin Former Maid of Honour to Catherine II101811Countess Hedviga Pontusovna Armfelt1761–1832Married to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt1130 August 1812Most Serene Princess Ekaterina Ilyinichna Golenishcheva-Kutuzova1754–1824Married to Most Serene Prince Mikhail Kutuzov1230 August 1814Elena Ivanovna Barclay de Tolly1770–1828Married Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly in 17931312 January 1820Countess Antionette Stanislavovna Wittgenstein1779–1855Married Peter Wittgenstein, 1st Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Ludwigsburg-Berleburg in 17981424 February 1842Yuilia Feodorovna Adlerberg1760–1839Head of the Smolny Institute
State Ladies of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia) No.Appointment datePortraitNameYears of lifeNote122 August 1826