Elisavet Moutzan - Martinegou

Elisavet Moutsa(n) (1801-1832) was born in Zakynthos, the daughter of Frangiskos Moutsa(n) and Angeliki, née Sigourou. Her parents hailed from aristocratic families of Zakynthos, and her father was involved in politics. Elisavet grew up in a strict, closed environment but engaged with literature from a young age. She was proficient in Italian and French and was influenced by her three teachers, Georgios Tsoukalas, Theodosios Dimadis, and Vasileios Romantzas, all of whom were lower-ranking Orthodox clergy. In 1831, following her family's decision, she married Nikolaos Martinegkos, who was twenty years her senior, and they had a son, Elissavetios. Tragically, she died from childbirth complications just a few hours after his birth. In the realm of literature, Martinegkou wrote works for the theater and two prose translations, Homer’s "Odyssey" and Aeschylus’ "Prometheus Bound." She also wrote economic and poetic studies, as well as poems and plays in Italian. Despite her extensive literary output, the only complete work that survived is her "Autobiography," which her son published in 1881.