potemkin: a Russian officer and politician who was a favorite of Catherine II and in 1762 helped her to seize power; when she visited the Crimea in 1787 he gave the order for sham villages to be built (1739-1791)
military officer: any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
property settlement: (matrimonial law) the division of property owned or acquired by marriage partners during their marriage