Death of Grigory Orlov – Lover of Catherine the Great
Grigory Grigoryevich Orlov was a Russian statesman, and favorite of Catherine the Great.
It was Grigory who organised the coup to place Catherine on the Russian throne, and subsequently helped the Empress rule the country.
Grigory Orlov was born on 17th October 1734, into a Russian noble family which produced several distinguished statesmen, diplomats, and soldiers.
Details of Grigory Orlov’s childhood are lost to history, but it is known he was educated at the cadet corps in St. Petersburg.
In 1749, he began his military career in the Seven Years’ War, a global military conflict that affected a number of countries including Russia.
While serving in the capital as an artillery officer, Grigory Orlov caught the fancy of the Empress-to-be Catherine.
Orlov was a very strong and handsome man, and always popular with the women.
There was one incident involving an affair between Orlov and Princess Kourakina, the mistress of his colleague Pyotr Shuvalov.
The conflict between the two men ended in a duel, in which Orlov killed Shuvalov.
The whole series of events, was followed by a great scandal…..
When rumors of this incident reached the ears of Catherine, out of curiosity she wished to meet the youth whose great exploits in love were the subject of public conversation.
Orlov was secretly introduced to the Grand Duchess Catherine.
They quickly became lovers, and Catherine spoke to him of her ambitious plans to take the throne from her husband.
Orlov started gathering a team of supporters for the coup.
Peter III, Catherine’s husband had been on the throne for a short time, and was seen a failure as a ruler and a husband.
As soon as Empress Catherine saw herself firmly seated on the throne, she rewarded the participants of the revolt by lavishing titles and money on them.
Grigory Orlov was promoted to the rank of Major-General and was awarded the title of count.
He was Catherine’s first and favorite, counselor.
Catherine deemed Orlov an “amazing creature, endowed with beauty, a wonderful soul and intelligence”.
She thought Orlov was the most handsome man of the time.
Orlov was extraordinarily witty, and had a warm heart, but was recklessly generous, and occasionally indiscreet.
In 1762 Catherine gave birth to Aleksey, Orlov’s illegitimate son.
During this time, Orlov began overextending his prospects, his actions bordering on pretentiousness.
He flattered himself on the kind of access he had to Catherine, and although she was annoyed by his arrogant self-confidence, she could not risk an argument with the man who put her on the throne.
Catherine had been, and was still very attached to Orlov, and had even contemplated on marrying him.
Orlov, however, held no great affection for Catherine, on the contrary.
He only loved the prestige that being her lover bought him.
Proud of the favour of his sovereign, he cultivated his success, and as soon as he found he had gained sufficient reputation and authority, his passion began to cool.
Orlov became distant to Catherine, and even started an affair with his niece – who was also Catherine’s lady-in-waiting.
The more Catherine wished to renew his affections, the more he withdrew, preferring to seek his amusement in the company of other ladies.
Catherine could not help but resent this ungrateful conduct.
However, on account of her fondness for Orlov’s child, she did not discard him altogether.
When Orlov discovered Catherine had finally decided to get rid of him, he tried to rekindle Catherine’s affection.
Orlov presented her with one of the greatest diamonds in the world – known ever since as the Orlov Diamond.
He soon found himself superseded in Catherine’s affections, by the younger Potemkin.
Orlov became a person of no account at court, with his tail between his legs, he went abroad for a few years.
In 1777, Orlov married his 18 year old niece, Ekaterina Zinovyeva, but their marriage was childless.
Orlov returned to Russia a few months prior to his death.
For some time he had been suffering from a serious mental illness, probably a form of dementia, which progressed towards a complete mental collapse.
Grigory Orlov died aged 48, on 24th April 1783.
He was buried in the village of Otradnoye in the Serpukhov district near Moscow.
After his death, Empress Catherine wrote,
“Although I have long been prepared for this sad
event, it has nevertheless shaken me to the depths
of my being.
People may console me, I may even repeat to
myself all those things which it is customary to say
on such occasions –
My only answer is strangled tears.
I suffer intolerably.”
🖤 Count Grigory Оrlov c.1770s,
By A.I.Chernuy.
Hermitage Museum
