Baroness Emmuska Orczy
| Baroness Emma Orczy | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Baroness Emma Orczy by Bassano
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| Born | Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orci 23 September 1865 Tarnaörs, Heves County, Hungary |
| Died |
12 November 1947 (aged 82) Henley-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | Hungarian, British |
| Genre | Historical fiction, mystery fiction and adventure romances |
| Notable works |
The Scarlet Pimpernel The Emperor's Candlesticks |
| Spouse | Montagu Barstow |
| Children | John Montague Orczy-Barstow (pen name John Blakeney) |
Baroness Emma Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála "Emmuska" Orczy de Orci (/ˈɔːrtsiː/; 23 September 1865 – 12 November 1947), pen name as Baroness Orczy, was a Hungarian-born British novelist, playwright, and artist of noble origin. She is most known for her series of novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel, the alter ego of Sir Percy Blakeney, a wealthy English fop who transforms into a formidable swordsman and a quick-thinking escape artist, representing the original "hero with a secret identity".
Opening in London's West End on 5 January 1905, The Scarlet Pimpernel became a favourite of British audiences. Some of her paintings were exhibited at the Royal Academy in London. During World War I, Orczy formed the Women of England's Active Service League, an unofficial organisation aimed at the recruitment of female volunteers for active service.
Emmuska Orczy was born in Tarnaörs, Heves County, Hungary, and was the daughter of composer Baron Félix Orczy de Orci (1835–1892) and Countess Emma Wass de Szentegyed et Cege (1839–1892). Her grandfather, Baron László Orczy (1787–1880) was a royal councillor, and also knight of the Sicilian order of Saint George, her grandmother was the Baroness Magdolna Müller (1811–1879). Her maternal grandparents were the Count Sámuel Wass de Szentegyed et Cege (1815–1879), member of the Hungarian parliament, and Rozália Eperjessy de Károlyfejérvár (1814–1884).
Emma's parents left their estate for Budapest in 1868, fearful of the threat of a peasant revolution. They lived in Budapest, Brussels, and Paris, where Emma studied music unsuccessfully. Finally, in 1880, the 14-year-old Emma and her family moved to London, England where they lodged with their countryman, Francis Pichler, at 162 Great Portland Street. Orczy attended West London School of Art and then Heatherley's School of Fine Art.
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