The Prophetess Madame Bouche and the Triune of Emperor Alexander, A. N. Golitsyn, and R. A. Koshelev, 1810–1822
This chapter reveals the remarkable influence of Madame Bouche, a French prophetess and early member of the Avignon Society, on Emperor Alexander I of Russia. This is the first detailed examination of the key role played by Bouche at the imperial court between 1819 and 1821. Drawing extensively on archival evidence, it shows that Bouche remained in contact with former members of the Avignon Society into the early 1810s. By 1817 she had begun to write to Emperor Alexander to reveal to him his pivotal role in fulfilling a divine mission to bring peace to Europe. Bouche also continued the tradition of consulting the Holy Word at this time. Through an analysis of police records, the chapter shows that Bouche was able to secure the patronage of the Russian emperor as a result of her links to dukes Eugen-Friedrich and Ferdinand of Württemberg. Finally, the chapter undertakes an in-depth examination of Bouche’s remarkable two-year residence in Petersburg, where she acted as a prophetic adviser to Emperor Alexander and to two of his ministers, A. N. Goltisyn and R. A. Koshelev.