On the Prehistory of the Liberation of Greek Christians from Ottoman Rule: The Image of Count A. G. Orlov of Chesma in the Account of Rear Admiral S. P. Khmetevsky

The article is devoted to the study of the image of Count A. G. Orlov of Chesma in the “Journal” of Rear Admiral S. P. Khmetevsky, a participant in the First Archipelago Expedition. The author analyzes selected fragments of the “Journal” in the broad context of the combat operations of the Russian squadron. The author believes that Count A. G. Orlov demonstrated natural military talents and proved to be a capable student of admirals G. A. Spiridov and K. S. Greig. The author believes that Count A. G. Orlov acted in the Archipelago under the leadership of Catherine II and on her beh alf. The author hypothesizes that the lacuna in the manuscript of the Journal, which covers the events of 1774–1776, may indicate a censorship edit related to information about the “Princess Tarakanova” case.