Maria Keller (1792–1858) was the daughter of the Prussian ambassador and diplomat to Russia, Count Dorotheus Ludwig Christopher Keller and Amalia-Louise Sayn-Wittgenstein. In 1813, Maria married Prince Ivan Baryatinsky. After the wedding, which was officiated in Berlin, the newlyweds headed to Russia. They spent the first several years of the marriage living in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and abroad; then, in 1820, the couple settled in the Baryatinsky family estate in the Kursk Governorate. In honor of his wife, Ivan Baryatinsky named it the Maryino estate.
Despite a rather sizable age gap between them, the marriage was overall quite happy. Maria gave birth to and brought up three daughters and four sons. All of their children were perfectly educated. The sons went on to make extraordinary careers as military officers, diplomats, and civil servants.
In June 1825, the princess was widowed. Until 1831, she continued to live in Maryino, raising her young children. She then moved to St. Petersburg. In 1836, she settled in a mansion she bought on Sergievskaya Street and soon became known as a generous philanthropist.
In 1843, after the early death of her daughter Maria (whose name in marriage was Princess Kochubei), she set up the Mariinsky shelter for poor women in memory of her daughter: the shelter catered primarily to elderly former nurses. Later she financed the establishment of hospitals for women and children, a daycare center for children, and a handicraft school for girls. Then, in 1852, the Russian architect Karl Brandt was commissioned to build a four-story stone building to replace the original wooden structure the school was housed in.
The princess also founded Russia’s first community of nurses, originally known as the community of nurses of the Liteyny District, which was eventually taken under patronage by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. In 1890, the community was renamed to the Community of Nurses in the Name of Christ the Savior.
Late in life, the princess was often sick and was not able to personally run all the organizations she had established, but she continued to support them financially. Later on, supporting various communities and charities became a family tradition for the Baryatinskys and their descendants that belonged to various other noble families of St. Petersburg.
Maria Baryatinskaya was buried in Maryino. The family house on Sergievskaya Street where the princess suddenly died was later converted by her children into the Orthodox Church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
Despite a rather sizable age gap between them, the marriage was overall quite happy. Maria gave birth to and brought up three daughters and four sons. All of their children were perfectly educated. The sons went on to make extraordinary careers as military officers, diplomats, and civil servants.
In June 1825, the princess was widowed. Until 1831, she continued to live in Maryino, raising her young children. She then moved to St. Petersburg. In 1836, she settled in a mansion she bought on Sergievskaya Street and soon became known as a generous philanthropist.
In 1843, after the early death of her daughter Maria (whose name in marriage was Princess Kochubei), she set up the Mariinsky shelter for poor women in memory of her daughter: the shelter catered primarily to elderly former nurses. Later she financed the establishment of hospitals for women and children, a daycare center for children, and a handicraft school for girls. Then, in 1852, the Russian architect Karl Brandt was commissioned to build a four-story stone building to replace the original wooden structure the school was housed in.
The princess also founded Russia’s first community of nurses, originally known as the community of nurses of the Liteyny District, which was eventually taken under patronage by Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. In 1890, the community was renamed to the Community of Nurses in the Name of Christ the Savior.
Late in life, the princess was often sick and was not able to personally run all the organizations she had established, but she continued to support them financially. Later on, supporting various communities and charities became a family tradition for the Baryatinskys and their descendants that belonged to various other noble families of St. Petersburg.
Maria Baryatinskaya was buried in Maryino. The family house on Sergievskaya Street where the princess suddenly died was later converted by her children into the Orthodox Church of Saint Mary Magdalene.
