Catherine Chislova

Catherine Gavrilovna Chislova (Russian: Екатерина Гавриловна Числова) (21 September 1846 – 13 December 1889) was a Russian ballerina. She was the mistress of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich; they had five children.

Life Catherine Chislova was born on 21 September 1846, the daughter of Gabriel Chislov. She became a danceuse with the Imperial Ballet. She was an unrivalled partner to the famous in the Polish mazurka. However, Catherine Chislova died unexpectedly in Crimea on 13 December 1889. She was buried in the monastery of Saint Serge in St Petersburg under the name Catherine Gavrilovna Nikolaiev.

Catherine Nikolaevna had one daughter from her marriage to Nicholas Korevo; after they divorced, she married in 1914 Ivan Alexandrovich Persiani, who worked at the Russian Embassy in Rome. After the Russian revolution, Catherine Nikolaievna lived in exile. She died in Belgrade during World War II.

Nicholas Nikolaevich followed a military career under the direction of his uncle Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich of Russia, eventually becoming his aide-de-camp. In 1894, he and his brother were admitted into the Russian nobility. He married Olga Zabotkine and they had two daughters. Nicholas died young. His widow eventually married Nicholas’ brother. His two daughters emigrated to Western Europe.