Yekaterina Vorontsova-Dashkova

Princess Yekaterina Romanovna Dashkova (born Countess Vorontsova; Russian: Екатери́на Рома́новна Да́шкова [Воронцо́ва]; 28 March 1743 – 15 January 1810) was a Russian noblewoman. She was a major figure of the Russian Enlightenment and a close friend of Empress Catherine the Great. She was part of the coup d'état that placed Catherine on the throne. Vorontsova-Dashkova was the first woman in the world to head a national academy of sciences, the first woman in Europe to hold a government office, and the president of the Russian Academy, which she helped found.