Yelizaveta Aleksandrovna Palmenbach or Palmenbakh was a Russian pedagogue and lady-in-waiting who served as the principal of the Smolny Institute in Saint Petersburg from 1797 to 1802.
Occupation
lady-in-waiting
Citizenship
Russian Empire
Born
1761
Died
July 5, 1832
Overview
Yelizaveta Palmenbach (1761–1832) was an Imperial Russian pedagogue, the principal of the Smolny Institute in Saint Petersburg from 1797 to 1802, and a lady-in-waiting.
Biography
Yeliaveta was born into 1761 to Alexander Ivanovich Cherkasov and Hedvig Elizabeth von Biron, known as Ekaterina Ivanovna. Her brother was Peter von Biron. She was educated at the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens, after her graduation in 1779, she became maid of honour. She married Colonel Evstafy (Gustav) Ivanovich Palmenbach on 16 August 1780 in Saint Isaac's Cathedral.
In 1796, she was appointed assistant to Sophie de Lafont, the head of the Smolny institute. De Lafon dies in August 1797, after which Ekaterina became head of the institution, and attained the title of Excellency. She held this position until 1802.
She was close to Empress Maria Feodorovna who entrusted her with the education of two daughters of A. Kh. Bechendorff, and the princesses Biron. She was awarded the Order of Saint Catherine, small cross in 1801.
