It is my pleasure to thank all those who have helped me in the writing of this book. First, I would like to thank the many people who introduced me to Brazil, its history and culture and the delights of the Portuguese language. I want particularly to thank the staff of the archive of the Museu Imperial de Petrópolis for all their help with Princess Isabel's papers. In Russia, as always, the staff of the Russian State Library in Moscow did all they could to help. I am grateful to the British Academy for financial support at the early stage of this project. The Department of History at York has provided a stimulating and friendly environment for research and teaching, both colleagues and students. In particular, I would like to thank Professor James Walvin for his encouragement and Professor Simon Ditchfield for reading the manuscript and making many helpful suggestions. I want to thank students, who for many years have made working in a university such a privilege, especially all the brilliant young women (and the very few young men!) who have taken my course on Catherine the Great over the past three years. My debt to my close friends in Moscow is enormous and has accumulated over twenty years. I would also like to thank Nina Pogosian, Viktoria Loktionova and Alyona Bulakh. Amina, Molly and Finn have been constant in their support and I am forever grateful to them. Two terrible wars feature in this book and, as I write these words, a third one is raging. This book is dedicated to two Ukrainian women, Kateryna Minakova and Olena Ionkina, who embody the spirit of their people and with whom I am privileged to be friends.

Easter 2023, York.