Katerina Botsari
Greek courtier and painting subject (died 1872) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greek courtier and painting subject (died 1872) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Katerina "Rosa" Botsari (Greek: Κατερίνα Μπότσαρη; 1818/20–1872) was a Greek courtier. She was member of the Souliot Botsaris family. The daughter of Markos Botsaris, she was in the service of Queen Amalia of Greece as well as an admired young woman throughout the European courts; she was immortalised for the 'Gallery of Beauties' of Ludwig I of Bavaria in an 1841 painting by Joseph Stieler. A Damask rose species bred in 1856 was named Rosa Botsaris after her. In 1845 she married prince and general George Caradja.
Born in 1818 or in 1820 in Ioannina, she was the daughter of the chieftain and hero of the Greek revolution, Markos Botsaris.[1] When the Greek Revolution broke out, Ekaterini was in Ioannina. She and other women were captured by the authorities and transferred to a distant land of the Ottoman Empire, within the European territory.[2] During her time in captivity she was put under the protection of upper class Ottoman women. In fact, it seems that one of them tried to adopt her. In the end, however, after the prisoner exchange, Ekaterini returned to her family and later she went to the newly created Greek state.[3]
After the marriage of the newly elected king in 1836, a household was formed for his spouse Queen Amalia, and Katerina Botsari was appointed to the post of Lady-in-Waiting. She was one of few Greek courtiers in the court of Otto and Amalia, which was mostly composed of Germans before 1843.[4] She was the described by the diarist Christiane Lüth:
As a Lady in Waiting she accompanied Amalia to her official visits in the royal courts of various European Countries.[1][5] In 1844, she was honored by the king of Bavaria, Ludwig I, with a Golden Cross. Furthermore, during her stay in Bavaria, she won the admiration of the public not only for her beauty, but also for being the daughter of the famous fighter Markos Botsaris.[6] At the same time, she had her portrait made by the German painter Joseph Karl Stieler. The portrait now resides at the so-called Gallery of Beauties , in Nymphenburg Palace, in Munich.[7]
She left her service of court in 1844 when she married, and was replaced as lady-in-waiting by Fotini Mavromichali.
Ekaterini married General Prince Georgios Caradja (1802–1882) and together they had four children, two of which died at a young age.[1]
She died in Athens, in January 1875.
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