How five brothers shaped an empire: Catherine II and the Orlovs

Representatives of the Orlov noble family have long been famous for their courage, nobility, bravery, and love of the fatherland. “Firmness and constancy,” read the inscription on their family coat of arms. The five Orlov brothers, descendants of the old Peter the Great warrior, were favorites of Catherine II. They not only elevated her to the throne but also became loyal companions in all the endeavors of the Great Empress.

The noble family of the Orlov brothers

The ancestor of the Russian noble Orlov family is considered to be landowner Lukyan Ivanovich Orlov, who owned the village of Lyutkino in the Tver province. Historians claim that the Orlov family tree dates back to an ancient noble untitled family of immigrants from Prussia, but no documentary evidence has been found for this. His grandson Ivan Orlov, a lieutenant colonel in the Streltsy regiment, was involved in the Streltsy rebellion, but, according to family legend, before being executed on the scaffold, he showed composure and even joked, asking to make room for him on the block, for which he was pardoned by Peter I and re-enlisted in the army.

The fate of his son Grigory, a major general and a full state councilor, was successful, but he died early, leaving behind five young sons, the eldest of whom was only 13 years old. These were the famous Orlov brothers – Ivan, Grigory, Alexey, Fedor, and Vladimir.

Daddy darling

Count Ivan Orlov, the eldest of the famous brothers, was born in 1733. After his father’s death, he took over the management of family affairs, extensive estates, and the care of his younger brothers, who treated him with reverence and called him “Daddy-buddy.”

Ivan was an indisputable authority for the brothers, but unlike them, he preferred to keep a low profile. After retiring as captain of the Preobrazhensky regiment, he began to lead a secluded lifestyle, engaged in horses and hunting. He was not ambitious and practically did not participate in state affairs. Count Orlov was married to Elizabeth Rtishcheva, but there were no children in this marriage. He died at the age of 58.

Catherine’s favorite

Unlike his older brother, Grigory Orlov was ambitious and served in the Semenovsky regiment, took part in the Seven Years’ War, and became a prominent figure in the political life of Russia in the 18th century, known for his decisive role in the overthrow of Peter III, which contributed to Catherine’s ascension to the throne.

Grigory was not well educated, but he was very handsome, which made him the lover of Catherine, who called him “the most handsome man in the empire.” From him, Ekaterina gave birth to a son, known as Alexei Bobrinsky. Despite their long relationship, Orlov’s intellect could not compete with Ekaterina’s ambitions and her desire for intellectual communication, which eventually led to Grigory Potemkin taking his place as a favorite. Gregory had a sad fate; he lost his mind and died at the age of 48.

Orlov with a scar

Alexey was the middle of five brothers and the most talented of them; it was he who bred the famous Orel trotter. Alexey began his career with Grigory in the service of the Semenovsky regiment. During a drunken brawl, he received a saber blow to the face, after which he was left with a noticeable scar and the nickname “Eagles with a scar.”

He also took an active part in the overthrow of Peter III and contributed to Catherine’s ascension to the throne. He personally arrested Peter, sent him into temporary exile, and then organized his murder in a fight, which he informed Catherine about. As a reward for ascending the throne and removing an inconvenient dynastic obstacle, Catherine generously rewarded Alexei and his brothers. Each of them was given the title of count, assigned significant sums of money, and a responsible position in the imperial government, which they continued to hold even after Gregory ceased to be her lover.

Fyodor Orlov

The fourth of the Orlov brothers, Fyodor, was a favorite in the family; the brothers called him Darling. He also served in the Semenovsky regiment and, together with his brothers, took part in the coup d’etat and the overthrow of Peter III. After that, Catherine appointed him the chief prosecutor of the Senate. He took part in the Russian-Turkish War of 1770 as commander of a naval squadron in the Mediterranean Sea and was awarded the title of count for his exploits. In 1774, Fyodor retired, settled in Moscow, and led a quiet life. He was not officially married, but he had two common-law wives and seven illegitimate children, who later received their father’s surname and noble rank. Fyodor died at the age of 55.

The youngest of the brothers

The youngest of the Orlov brothers, Vladimir, was called an Academician in the family because he was the only one of the brothers who showed a thirst for science and, instead of serving in the army, went to study at the University of Leipzig, and upon returning to Russia at the age of 24, he was appointed director of the Academy of Sciences.

Vladimir supported the activities of scientists, organized scientific expeditions, and helped talented young people to study abroad. He accompanied the Empress on her journey along the Volga, about which he left notes. In the family, Vladimir was always considered to be in “poor health,” but, unlike his brothers, he lived a long life. In his old age, he lived in the family estate “Otrada” and led a quiet life. Vladimir died at the age of 88 and was buried with his other brothers in the family tomb.