Count Alexei (Alexey) Grigoryevich Orlov-Chesmensky (; – ) was a Russian soldier,
general-in-chief
General-in-chief has been a military rank or title in various armed forces around the world.
France
In France, general-in-chief () was first an informal title for the lieutenant-general commanding over other lieutenant-generals, or even for some ...
,
general admiral and statesman, who rose to prominence during the reign of
Catherine the Great
Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
. His joint victory with
Grigory Spiridov and
Samuel Greig
Samuel Greig, also known as Samuil Karlovich Greig (; 30 November 1735 – ), was a Scottish-born Russian admiral who distinguished himself in the Battle of Chesma (1770) and the Battle of Hogland (1788). His son Alexey Greig also made ...
in the
Battle of Chesma
The naval Battle of Cheshme (also the Battle of Chesma, Chesme or Cesme Bay) took place on 5–7 July 1770 during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) near and in Çeşme (Cheshme, Chesma, or Chesme) Bay, in the area between the western tip of An ...
put him in the ranks of the outstanding Russian military commanders of all time; and although he lacked naval experience, he was the only authority in those circumstances who could ensure proper co-ordination of action.
Orlov served in the
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army () was the army of the Russian Empire, active from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was organized into a standing army and a state militia. The standing army consisted of Regular army, regular troops and ...
, and through his connections with his brother, became one of the key conspirators in the plot to overthrow
Tsar Peter III
Peter III Fyodorovich (; ) was Emperor of Russia from 5 January 1762 until 9 July of the same year, when he was overthrown by his wife, Catherine II (the Great). He was born in the German city of Kiel as Charles Peter Ulrich of Schleswig-Holst ...
and replace him on the Russian throne with his wife, Catherine. The plot, carried out in 1762, was successful, and Peter was imprisoned under Alexei Orlov's guard. He died shortly afterwards under mysterious circumstances, and it was popularly believed Orlov had either ordered, or personally carried out, his murder. Handsomely rewarded by Catherine after her accession, the Orlovs became powerful at court. Alexei was promoted and took part in the
Russo-Turkish War of 1768–74, commanding a
naval expedition to the
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
in 1770, which destroyed the
Ottoman fleet
The Ottoman Navy () or the Imperial Navy (), also known as the Ottoman Fleet, was the naval warfare arm of the Ottoman Empire. It was established after the Ottomans first reached the sea in 1323 by capturing Praenetos (later called Karamürsel ...
at the battle of Chesma. For his success he was granted the
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...
Chesmensky. The Russian victory sparked off the
Orlov Revolt in the Greek territories of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
soon afterwards.
Orlov remained in the Mediterranean, and received the unusual commission of seducing and then capturing
Princess Tarakanoff, a pretender to the Russian throne. Orlov was successful in doing so, and tricked her into boarding a Russian ship at
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
, where she was arrested and transported to Russia. Alexei's brother, Grigory, Catherine's lover before and after the coup overthrowing Tsar Peter III took place, fell from favour soon afterwards, and the Orlovs' power at court diminished. Alexei became a renowned breeder of livestock at his estates, developing the horse breed known as the
Orlov Trotter
The Orlov Trotter (also known as ''Orlov;'' Russian: орловский рысак) is a horse breed with a hereditary fast trot, noted for its outstanding speed and stamina. It is the most famous Russian horse. The breed was developed in Rus ...
and popularising the
Orloff breed of chicken. He left Russia after the death of Catherine and the accession of her son,
Tsar Paul I, but returned after Paul's death and lived in Russia until his death in 1808.
Family and early life
Alexei was born into the noble
Orlov
Orlov or Orlova may refer to:
Places
*Orlov, Russia (''Orlova''), several inhabited localities in Russia
*Orlov, Stará Ľubovňa District, a village in Slovakia
*Orlová, a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic
*Orlov, a village ...
family, presumably in Lyutkino (Liutkino), which is now in
Tver Oblast
Tver Oblast (, ) is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Tver. From 1935 to 1990, it was known as Kalinin Oblast (). Population:
Tver Oblast is a region of lakes, such as Seliger and Brosno. Much o ...
, on ; the son of Grigory Ivanovich Orlov, governor of
Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod ( ; , ; ), also known simply as Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the oldest cities in Russia, being first mentioned in the 9th century. The city lies along the V ...
, and brother of
Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov
Prince Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov (; 17 October 1734 – 24 April 1783) was a favourite of the Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (1772), state and military figure, collector, patron of arts, and General-in- ...
.
He entered the
Preobrazhensky Regiment
The Preobrazhensky Lifeguard (military), Life-Guards Regiment (, ''Preobrazhensky leyb-gvardii polk'') was a regiment of the Russian Imperial Guard, Imperial Guard of the Imperial Russian Army from 1683 to 1917.
The Preobrazhensky Regiment was ...
and by 1762 had reached the rank of sergeant. He was involved in the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
. He was described as a giant of a man, over two meters tall, and a celebrated duellist, with a scar across his cheek.
The scar earned him the nickname 'scarface'.
Involvement in the 1762 coup
Together with his brother Grigory, Alexei Orlov became involved in the palace coup to overthrow
Tsar Peter III
Peter III Fyodorovich (; ) was Emperor of Russia from 5 January 1762 until 9 July of the same year, when he was overthrown by his wife, Catherine II (the Great). He was born in the German city of Kiel as Charles Peter Ulrich of Schleswig-Holst ...
and place his wife,
Catherine
Katherine (), also spelled Catherine and Catherina, other variations, is a feminine given name. The name and its variants are popular in countries where large Christian populations exist, because of its associations with one of the earliest Ch ...
, on the Russian throne. In the coup, carried out in July 1762, Alexei went to meet Catherine at the
Peterhof Palace
The Peterhof Palace ( rus, Петерго́ф, Petergóf, p=pʲɪtʲɪrˈɡof; an emulation of German "Peterhof", meaning "Peter's Court") is a series of palaces and gardens located in Petergof, Saint Petersburg, Russia, commissioned by Peter th ...
, and finding her in bed, announced 'the time has come for you to reign, madame.'
He then drove her to
St Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
, where the guards regiments there proclaimed their loyalty to her.
The Tsar was arrested and imprisoned at
Ropsha
Ropsha ( rus, Ропша, p=ˈropʂə) is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, settlement in Lomonosovsky District, Leningrad Oblast, Lomonosovsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated about south of Petergof, Peterhof and south ...
, under the guard of Alexei Orlov.
There Peter died in mysterious circumstances on . Orlov is popularly supposed to have murdered him, either on his own initiative or on Catherine's orders.
One account has Orlov giving him poisoned wine to drink which caused
... flames o coursethrough his veins. This aroused suspicion in the overthrown emperor and he refused the next glass. But they used force, and he defended himself. In that horrible struggle, in order to stifle his cries, they threw him on the ground and grabbed his throat. But he defended himself with the strength that comes from final desperation, and they tried to avoid wounding him. They placed a rifle strap on the emperor's neck. Alexei Orlov kneeled with both legs on his chest and blocked his breathing. He passed away in their hands.
They thought that Orlov apparently wrote a letter to Catherine after Peter's death, confessing that Peter had been killed in a drunken brawl with one of his jailers, Feodor Bariatynsky, and taking the blame.
The authenticity of this letter has been questioned nowadays. It was announced that the Tsar had died from an attack of
haemorrhoidal
Hemorrhoids (or haemorrhoids), also known as piles, are sinusoid (blood vessel), vascular structures in the anal canal. In their normal state, they are cushions that help with Human feces, stool control. They become a disease when swelling ( ...
colic
Colic or cholic () is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content ou ...
.
Service under Catherine II

The Orlovs were rewarded after Catherine's accession, and Alexei was promoted to the rank of
major-general, and given the title of count. He and his brother received 50,000 roubles and 800
serf
Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery. It developed du ...
s.
Despite a lack of formal education and his ignorance of foreign languages, he maintained an interest in science, patronizing
Mikhail Lomonosov
Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov (; , ; – ) was a Russian polymath, scientist and writer, who made important contributions to literature, education, and science. Among his discoveries were the atmosphere of Venus and the law of conservation of ...
and
Denis Fonvizin
Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin (, ; – ) was a Russian playwright and writer of the Russian Enlightenment. He was one of the founders of literary comedy in Russia. His main works are two satirical comedies—including '' The Minor'', which mocks con ...
, and corresponding with
Jean Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher ('' philosophe''), writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects ...
. He was one of the founders of the
Free Economic Society
Free Economic Society for the Encouragement of Agriculture and Husbandry () was Russia's first learned society which formally did not depend on the government and as such came to be regarded as a bulwark of Russian liberalism.
18th century
One ...
and its first elected chairman. Rewarded with large estates, he took an interest in
horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given Horse breed, breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired chara ...
, developing the
Orlov Trotter
The Orlov Trotter (also known as ''Orlov;'' Russian: орловский рысак) is a horse breed with a hereditary fast trot, noted for its outstanding speed and stamina. It is the most famous Russian horse. The breed was developed in Rus ...
, and popularising the breed of chicken now known as the
Orloff.
He became involved in military operations during the
Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774, organising the
First Archipelago Expedition, and commanding of a squadron of the
Imperial Russian Navy
The Imperial Russian Navy () operated as the navy of the Russian Tsardom and later the Russian Empire from 1696 to 1917. Formally established in 1696, it lasted until being dissolved in the wake of the February Revolution and the declaration of ...
, having been promoted to the rank of
general admiral. He fought and won the
Battle of Chesma
The naval Battle of Cheshme (also the Battle of Chesma, Chesme or Cesme Bay) took place on 5–7 July 1770 during the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) near and in Çeşme (Cheshme, Chesma, or Chesme) Bay, in the area between the western tip of An ...
against an
Ottoman fleet
The Ottoman Navy () or the Imperial Navy (), also known as the Ottoman Fleet, was the naval warfare arm of the Ottoman Empire. It was established after the Ottomans first reached the sea in 1323 by capturing Praenetos (later called Karamürsel ...
on 5 July 1770, with the help of British naval expertise, and received the right to add the
honorific
An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an Honorary title (academic), h ...
'Chesmensky' to his name.
He was also awarded the
Order of St. George
The Order of Saint George () is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. It was originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) as the highest military decoration of the Russian Empire for commiss ...
First Class. His expedition sparked off the
Orlov Revolt in Greece, which despite initial successes, lacked continued Russian support, and was eventually put down by the Ottomans.
Orlov was sent as
plenipotentiary
A ''plenipotentiary'' (from the Latin ''plenus'' "full" and ''potens'' "powerful") is a diplomat who has full powers—authorization to sign a treaty or convention on behalf of a sovereign. When used as a noun more generally, the word can als ...
to the talks at
Focşani in 1772, but his impatience caused the breaking off of negotiations, which led to dissatisfaction from the Empress.
Catherine then commissioned Orlov to make contact with
Yelizaveta Alekseyevna, a pretender to the throne claiming to be the daughter of Empress
Elizabeth of Russia
Elizabeth or Elizaveta Petrovna (; ) was Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular List of Russian rulers, Russian monarchs because of her decision not to execute a single person during her reign, ...
, and deliver her to Russia.
Orlov did so by pretending to be a supporter of hers, and successfully seducing her. He then lured her aboard a Russian ship at
Livorno
Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...
in May 1775, where she was arrested by Admiral
Samuel Greig
Samuel Greig, also known as Samuil Karlovich Greig (; 30 November 1735 – ), was a Scottish-born Russian admiral who distinguished himself in the Battle of Chesma (1770) and the Battle of Hogland (1788). His son Alexey Greig also made ...
and taken to Russia, where she was imprisoned and later died.
Shortly after this service, the Orlovs fell from favour at court, and Alexei and Grigory were dismissed from their positions. Orlov retired to the
Sans Ennui Palace near Moscow, and gave luxurious balls and dinners, making himself 'the most popular man in Moscow.'
Old age and death

After Catherine's death in 1796 the new ruler,
Tsar Paul I ordered that his father, Peter III, be reburied in a grand ceremony. Alexei Orlov was ordered to carry the
Imperial Crown in front of the coffin.
Orlov was briefly suspected of having been one of the assassins of Peter III.
Orlov left Russia during the reign of Paul I, but returned to
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
after his death and the accession of
Tsar Alexander I
Alexander I (, ; – ), nicknamed "the Blessed", was Emperor of Russia from 1801, the first king of Congress Poland from 1815, and the grand duke of Finland from 1809 to his death in 1825. He ruled Russia during the chaotic period of the Napoleo ...
.
Orlov commanded the militia of the fifth district during the
War of the Fourth Coalition
The War of the Fourth Coalition () was a war spanning 1806–1807 that saw a multinational coalition fight against Napoleon's First French Empire, French Empire, subsequently being defeated. The main coalition partners were Kingdom of Prussia, ...
in 1806–07, which was placed on a war footing almost entirely at his own expense.
Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov died in Moscow on . He left an estate worth five million roubles and 30,000 serfs.
His marriage with Eudokia Nikolayevna Lopukhina (contracted on 6 May 1782) produced a daughter,
Anna Orlova-Tshesmenskaja
Countess Anna Alekseyevna Orlova-Chesmenskaya (; 1785–1848), was a landowner from the Russian Empire, and courtier. She was known for her work against the serfdom in Russia. Also known for her piety, she acquired a saintly reputation.
Anna wa ...
(1785–1848), and a son, Ivan (1786–1787). Eudokia died while giving birth to Ivan in 1786. Orlov also is believed to have had an illegitimate son named Alexander (1763–1820).
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Orlov, Alexei Grigoryevich
1737 births
1808 deaths
People from Bezhetsky District
Imperial Russian Army generals
Imperial Russian Navy admirals
Recipients of the Order of St. George of the First Degree
Russian military personnel of the Seven Years' War
Russian duellists
Russian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
People of the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774)
Arabian horse breeders and trainers
Orlov revolt
Orlov family