Zofia Potocka née Clavone (; 11 January 1760 – 24 November 1822) was a Greek slave courtesan and a Russian agent, later a Polish noblewoman. She was famous in contemporary Europe for her beauty and adventurous life. During the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) she was the lover of the Russian commander prince Grigory Potemkin and acted as an agent in Russian service.

Overview

Zofia Potocka née Clavone (; 11 January 1760 – 24 November 1822) was a Greek slave courtesan and a Russian agent, later a Polish noblewoman. She was famous in contemporary Europe for her beauty and adventurous life. During the Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) she was the lover of the Russian commander prince Grigory Potemkin and acted as an agent in Russian service. Compatriots of her time wrote: "She was beautiful as a dream, a child of southern countries. All those who have seen her admire her beauty, igniting a fire in the hearts of men and envy in the eyes of women." Life Early life Potocka was born in 1760 January 1 (11 January, New Style) in the Turkish city of Bursa to Constantine Clavone, a poor Greek cattle merchant, and Maria Clavone. In 1772, when Zofia was 12 years old, she moved to the Greek district of Phanar in Constantinople with her parents and sisters.

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