Во все времена находились люди, которые оставляли след в истории разных народов, но при этом их личность оставалась загадкой для современников и потомков. Рассказы о таких людях — шпионах, авантюристах, преступниках, мистификаторах — весьма благодатная почва для творчества, поэтому неудивительно, что истории о загадочных личностях возникают то там, то тут, возбуждая воображение читателей. В сборник вошли две работы, посвященные означенной теме: «Замечательные и загадочные личности XVIII и XIX столетий» русского историка Е. П. Карновича (1823-1885) и «Загадочные личности и таинственные истории» немецкого политического писателя Ф. Бюлау (1805-1856).

In the series "Secrets of History" is released a collection, united by a common theme. Among all nations at all times there were people who left a trace in history, but at the same time their identity remained a mystery for contemporaries and descendants. Stories about such people - spies, adventurers, criminals, hoaxers - a very fertile ground for creativity, so it is not surprising that stories about mysterious personalities arise here and there, exciting the imagination of readers. In the collection under the obvious title "Mysterious Personalities" we have combined two, in our opinion, the most worthy works dedicated to the designated topic. Friedrich Bulau is a professor of law and professor of practical philosophy and politics at the University of Leipzig, has published many scientific books, and at the end of his life became fascinated by the affairs of bygone days. He carefully collected materials on the history of Europe, the result of his work was a thorough work "Mysterious personalities and mysterious stories." He writes about the adventurer Brisassier, who tried to pull off a scam and impersonate the son of the French king, and the Duke of La Forse, the Marshal of France, who during Bartholomew's night lost his father and older brother, himself escaped, pretending to be killed. He examines in detail the criminal case of witches in the 17th century Tyrol, examining the testimony of the defendants, the defense arguments and the evidence of the prosecution. His heroes - Chief Marshal of France Maurice saxon, secret agent Chevalier d'Eon, who appeared at the Russian court in a skirt, Prussian spy, post-director Johann Wagner, adventurer and adventurer Duchess Elizabeth Kingston, defender of Orthodoxy and archimandrite Fotiy and his powerful opponent, Freemason, Ober-Prosecutor of the Holy Synod Prince Alexander Golitsyn, are irreconcilable wrestler with Freemasons. Karnovich allows you to look at the history of Russia from an unexpected angle...