The sisters were claimed to descend from the noble aristocratic family of Pantalis Mavrocordatos, who was related by blood to the rulers of Byzantium.

The Polish Count Major Józef de Witte learned the purpose of the trip and her supposed lineage.

[2] Józef's father was the commandant of the fortress Kamieniec Podolski, where the couple lived for a year before departing for Europe in 1781.

Zofia was reportedly a sensational success when being introduced to the aristocracy by her spouse in the drawing room receptions of Europe in the palaces of Berlin and Hamburg, Vienna, Rome, Venice and, most famously, in Paris.

In the resort town of Spa, Zofia was introduced to the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, who was reportedly so fascinated and impressed by her that he ordered Mozart to compose music on the Turkish harem theme.

In one of his letters to his sister, the French queen Marie Antoinette, Joseph II recommended the Witte couple to her.

After this news reached the Polish king, she traveled to meet him at Kamianets where he congratulated her father-in-law, still commandant of the fortress, on the birth of a grandson.

During the Russo-Turkish War, she entered a relationship with Prince Potemkin, the Russian military leader and favorite of Catherine the Great.

[2] At least during the Siege of Khotyn, Zofia's husband managed Potemkin's net of agents in Southern Poland as well as his spy contacts within Chotin.

In practice, Zofia at least assisted him in managing these contacts, as her elder sister was married to the Turkish pasha of Chotin.

[2] Potemkin appointed Józef de Witte governor of Cherson, and gave Zofia the informal task of managing the Turkish-Polish relations.

[2] Stanisław Szczęsny Potocki indulged in mysticism and came under the influence of Polish "Illuminati" and died on 15 March 1805, without having time to say goodbye to her.

Zofia's embalmed body was clothed in a beautiful dress and placed in a carriage, one hand holding a bouquet and a fan in the other.

As Zofia's coffin was carried 10 miles along the road, barrels of resin were placed along the way for lighting torches as the procession passed that the night before a huge crowd.