About
Born Elena Ghica in Bucharest in 1828, Dora d'Istria was a Romanian woman of letters who wrote mainly in French. After marrying a Russian duke, she traveled across Europe and settled in Switzerland, where she became the first woman to ascend the Mönch peak. Her works, such as 'Women in the East' and 'Women, by a Woman', advocate for women's emancipation. She also took an interest in the Balkan peoples and supported the Albanian national cause. A member of several learned societies, she received the Bene Merenti gold medal from Prince Charles I of Romania. She died in Florence in 1888.
* 1828-01-22 — † 1888-11-17
Major works
- La vie monastique dans l'Église orientale (1855)essay
- La Suisse allemande (1856)travelogue
- Les femmes en Orient (1859)essay
- Des femmes, par une femme (1865)essay
- Excursions en Roumélie et en Morée (1863)travelogue
Key milestones
- 1855Becomes the first woman to ascend the Mönch peak in Switzerland.
- 1876Receives the Bene Merenti gold medal from Prince Charles I of Romania.
- 1888Dies in Florence, Italy.
Themes
women's emancipationBalkan peoplesnational identitytravelhistory
Sources: snaccooperative.org · experimental.worldcat.org