Timofei Kulkovsky is the court jester of Anna Ivanovna .
| Timofey Kulkovsky | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | unknown, beginning of the 18th century |
| Place of Birth | Russian empire |
| Date of death | |
| A country | |
| Occupation | |
Some Biography Facts
Prince Mikhail Alekseevich Golitsyn, nicknamed Kulkovsky, or Kvasnik, a famous buffoon in those days. He was considered demented mainly because after the death of his wife, while in Florence, he fell in love with an Italian woman and married her, for which he converted to Catholicism. Although this testifies, perhaps, not to the weakness of the mind, but to the strength of the senses. Empress Anna Ioannovna became interested in this eccentric, ordered to introduce him to herself, and was fascinated by his stupidity. In a private letter, she admitted: "He defeated all the fools here." He was instructed to serve her kvass, for which they nicknamed Kvassnik. The quirk of the empress is described with him, described in Ivan Lazhechnikov’s novel “The Ice House”. She got the fantasy of marrying him on a Kalmyk cracker nicknamed Buzheninova. To do this, they built a magnificent ice palace with sculptures, ice cannons, dolphins, flowers and a life-size ice elephant.
Interesting stories that happened to Kulkovsky
- Kulkovsky and thieves
Before appearing at the court of the Duke of Biron, Kulkovsky was very poor. Once he woke up in the middle of the night from a noise and saw that thieves had climbed into his wretched home. Yawning and smiling, Kulkovsky said: “I don’t know, brothers, that you can find here in the dark when I myself can’t find anything here during the day.”
- Why there are no women among Russian judges
According to the laws of the Russian Empire, after the position of judge appeared, only a man could be elected to her, and at least forty years old. When once a lady asked Kulkovsky why there were no women among the judges, the jester replied: “Therefore, ma'am, we don’t have a lady who is forty years old.”
- Jester and Duke
Once Biron asked Kulkovsky:
- What do Russians think about me?
- You, Your Grace, some consider God, others - Satan, but no one considers man.
- Answer to the doctor
In a feast at one of the courtiers, a dispute arose about doctors and medicine.
“I am a doctor myself,” said one of the guests, “and, without protecting myself, I will say: no one will complain to me.”
“Of your patients, probably no one was left alive and there is no one to complain,” retorted Kulkovsky.
There are also known stories of his passion (quite successful) for the fair sex :
One elderly widow, loving Kulkovsky, left him with her rich village after death. But the young niece of this mistress began a dispute with him for such a gift, which he did not rightfully receive.
- My sovereign! She said to him in court, “you got this village for a very cheap price!”
Kulkovsky answered her:
- Ma'am! If you like, I will gladly give it to you for the same price.
Kulkovsky courted a beautiful and pretty girl. Once, in conversations, she told him that she wanted to know the person whom he most loved. Kulkovsky for a long time discouraged, and finally, in satisfaction of her curiosity, promised to send her a portrait of that person. In the morning she received a bundle from Kulkovsky with a small mirror and, looking, she recognized his love for her.
Old man Kulkovsky, shortly before his death, came one early morning in the morning to one of the young and very handsome opera singers.
Upon learning of Kulkovsky’s arrival, she hastened to get out of bed, throw a peignoir and go out to him.
“You see,” she said, “they get out of bed for you.”
“Yes,” answered Kulkovsky sighing, “but they are no longer doing the opposite for me.”