Maria Feodorovna (née Duchess Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg; 1759 – 1828) Empress consort of Russia as the second wife of Tsar Paul I.
Daughter of Duke Frederick Eugene of Württemberg and Princess Friederike of Brandenburg-Schwedt, Sophie Dorothea belonged to a junior branch of the House of Württemberg and grew up in Montbéliard, receiving an excellent education for her time. After Grand Duke Paul (the future Paul I of Russia) became a widower in 1776, King Frederick II of Prussia (Sophie Dorothea's maternal great-uncle) and Empress Catherine II of Russia chose Sophie Dorothea as the ideal candidate to become Paul's second wife. In spite of her fiancé's difficult character, she developed a long, peaceful relationship with Paul and converted to the Russian Orthodox Church in 1776, adopting the name Maria Feodorovna. During the long reign (1762-1796) of her mother-in-law, she sided with her husband and lost the initial affection the reigning Empress had for her. The couple were completely excluded from any political influence, as mother and son mistrusted each other. They were forced to live in isolation at Gatchina Palace.
They had ten children. Among them, Alexander I and Grand Duke Michael Pavlovich.
Maria Feodorovna founded and managed all the Empire's charitable establishments and founded the Office of the Institutions of Empress Maria.
We couldn't find any information about her hair colour, but in some portraits it looks red/copper.
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