Orloff
a celebrated Russian family, founded under Peter the Great by Ivan Orel, one of the archers or strelitzes, who, when that body was destroyed, saved his life by his cool courage, and be came an officer and a noble. The most celebrated of his descendants were:
GREGORY, a Russian general and political intriguer, who greatly promoted the elevation of his mistress, Catherine II., to the throne. Being disappointed in his hope of sharing the crown with her, and declining a private marriage, he was supplanted by a new favorite, and died insane in 1783. He had one son by the empress, named Bobrinski. ALEXIS, his brother, and fellow conspirator, was a man of gigantic stature and strength, and is said to have strangled the Emperor Peter with his own hands. He was a the Princess Tarakanoff, daughter of oirs of Nafavorite of Catherine, and was married the Empress Elizabeth; died in 1808.
GREGORY VLADIMIROWITZ, a nobleman of the same family, born in 1778, and bearing the title of Count Orloff, was distinguished for his patronage and culture of letters. He was author of "Historical, Political, and Literary Memoirs of Naples"; ples"; and "History of the Arts in Italy"; died in 1826. MICHAEL, son of the above Alexis; born in 1785, served in the Russian army against Napoleon I., and went to Paris with the Allies in 1814.
ALEXIS, brother of the preceding; born in 1787, distinguished himself as a diplomatist and statesman under Nicholas, and died in 1861.