The Duchess of Plakendia

After leaving Nafplio, the first capital of the newly founded Greek Nation, the affluent French Duchess of Plaisance and ardent philhellene, Sophie de Marbois-Lebrun, moves to Athens with her young daughter, Eliza, circa 1834. There, a chance encounter with a handsome descendant of the prominent Mavromichalis clan leads to a passionate but ill-fated romance, resulting in the death of the Duchess’ frail offspring by bubonic plague in 1837. Alone and devastated, against the backdrop of Eliza’s untimely death, pained Sophie tries to move on with her life; however, on December 19, 1847, a raging fire robs her of her cherished remaining memories. —Nick Riganas