Marriage to Pushkin’s Sister in Law Did Stop This Slimy Officer From Pursuing the Poet’s Wife
George d’Anthes, a French officer in Russian service, had publicly pursued Pushkin’s wife, Natalia. A beautiful if flirtatious and frivolous woman, Natalia might have encouraged the pursuit. Rumors soon swirled of an affair between the Frenchman and the poet’s wife. The era’s code of honor demanded that Pushkin challenge the offender to a duel, which the poet did in November, 1836. However, d’Anthes married Natalia’s sister soon thereafter, which made him Pushkin’s brother in law. So that challenge was dropped. However, despite his marriage to her sister, d’Anthes continued to publicly pursue Natalia Pushkina.
He went about it so openly, that rumors once again circulated. This time to the effect that the Frenchman had married Natalia’s sister only to save her honor – and to have an excuse to get closer to Pushkin’s wife. So another challenge was issued, and this time it was accepted. On February 7th, 1837, Pushkin and d’Anthes met in a duel. In movies and fiction, the good and romantic guy wins. This was real life, however, and the trained soldier d’Anthes fatally wounded Pushkin, who in return only managed to slightly wound the Frenchman’s arm. Russia’s greatest poet died of his injuries two days later.
