Evgeniya Sotnikova
The Lady Evgeniya Sotnikova, the Countess of Schwinn, Viscountess of Hope, Lady in Shirekeep (Mishalanese: Евгения Сотникова, Графиня Швиннская; Yevgeniya Sotnikova, Grafinya Shvinnskaya), born 1646 in Mishalan, is a Shirerithian–Mishalanese singer, noblewoman and politician (Imperial Order). Chamberlain of the Imperial Household, 1702–1723. Minister of State 1684–1702.
Coming from humble working-class denizen backgrounds, Sotnikova rose to prominence in 1666 as the Shirerithian contestant in the Microvision Song Contest of that year. She finished equal to the winner but due to the calculation rules of that time, she was given silver. Huge anger at this treatment in Shireroth. Shireroth bombed Stonetree in the Republic of Inner Benacia as a result (as it was the RIB vote that made it so). Sotnikova was given the noble title Lady in Shirekeep by Kaiser Ayreon IV.
Used her fame and newly ennobled status to enter politics, first in Mishalan where she became a health spokesperson for the Mishalan branch of the Imperial Order (a conservative political party), and then in 1668 named Minister of Health in Mishalan. However, she was elected to the Adelsraad in the 1669 Adelsraad election, and named Commissioner of Health in the second executive of Soraya Octavius-Parini, The Count Palatine of Kezan, a position which she held until 1680. In 1674, she was raised to the peerage as Viscountess of Hope (an allusion to the song which made her famous in the Microvision contest), and admitted to the Landsraad. In 1680, she transferred from the health commission of the Imperial Government to Public Works, becoming its commissioner in the Holly-Wythe executive. In 1684 promoted to Imperial Minister of State (the merged MoMA/MinInt ministry). In 1688, raised to Countess of Schwinn. In 1702, she was transferred from Imperial Minister of State to Chamberlain of the Imperial Household, signifying the Kaiseress's trust in her. She held that position until after the elections of 1723, being allowed to retire upon the swearing-in of the second Thuylemans government after serving in the government for 53 consecutive years.
She continues to sing, and releases albums targeting the Mishalanese community regularly. Since 1681, she has been aligned with the Grand Dust Takin label.
Her two children married well. The son married into the royal house of Constancia, albeit under somewhat controversial circumstances. Her daughter married Prince Rubin, Kaiseress Salome's favourite sibling, and second-in-line after Princess Kian. In 1701, Evgeniya's husband died from a heart attack, and their son died in 1707.
Imperial Service
Local positions
- Minister of Health, Mishalan, 1668–1669
Legislative positions
Executive positions
- Commissioner of Health, 1670–1680
- Commissioner of Public Works, 1680–1684
- Imperial Minister of State, 1684–1702
- Chamberlain of the Imperial Household, 1720–1723
Nobility
- Lady in Shirekeep, 1666
- Viscountess of Hope, 1674
- Countess of Schwinn, 1688
Family and descendants
- Evgeniya Sotnikova (1646– ) m. 1666 Eduard Davidovich Maksimilianov (1642–1701)
- Ivan Eduardovich Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy (1667–1716) m. Eugenia Cecilia Primo de Aguilar de Todos los Santos (1670– ), concubine Christina Aguilar (1670– )
- Mikhail Ivanovich Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy (1696– ; mother Eugenia)
- Ekaterina Ivanovna Maksimilianova-Shvinnskaya (1698– ; mother Eugenia )
- Vladimir Ivanovich Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy (1698– ; mother Christina)
- Lyudmila Eduardovna Maksimilianova-Shvinnskaya (1669– ) m. 1694 Rubin Leonid Orientalis Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati of Waffel-Paine, Prince of Shireroth (1671– )
- Atreyu Maximilian Octavius Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati of Waffel-Paine, Prince of Shireroth (1697– )
- Valdemar al-Aziz Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati of Waffel-Paine, Prince of Shireroth (1697– )
- Farzana Casimira Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed al-Osman bin Sathrati of Waffel-Paine, Princess of Shireroth (1701– )
- Ivan Eduardovich Maksimilianov-Shvinnskiy (1667–1716) m. Eugenia Cecilia Primo de Aguilar de Todos los Santos (1670– ), concubine Christina Aguilar (1670– )
