CHARTER OF THE EMPRESS CATHERINE II TO GENERAL-EN-CHEF COUNT ALEXEY G.ORLOV TO CHANGES IN THE COAT OF ARMS IN CONNECTION WITH THE VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF CHESME
Saint Petersburg
September 10, 1773
Parchment, ink, ink, gold, watercolor, cardboard, brocade, silk, silver. The original, signature — autograph of the Empress Catherine II, sheets divided by insets of green silk, cardboard folder outside covered with brocade, suspended seal on the cords with tassels in silver plated box.
Diameter of silver box – 177 mm
Receipt: as a part of collection of items and documents from the manor of Orlov-Denisov in 1918
Showcase 3
On June 24–26, 1770 in a course the Russian-Turkish war of 1768–1774 in the Aegean Sea by the Western coast of Turkey in the Chesme Bay, the Russian squadron under the command of Count Orlov and Admiral Gregory A.Spiridov had totally destroyed the Turkish fleet. Alexey G.Orlov for that victory was awarded with the order of St.George of 1st degree (third after the Empress Catherine the Great and Count Peter A.Roumiantsev-Zadunaysky) and received an honorable attachment to his name "Chesmensky" and the right to keep Kaiser-flag for life (the flag of the commander of the naval forces), placing it on his Coat of Arms.
In the updated Coat of Arms were made three partially rigged masts, on the middle of which flutters the Kaiser flag and covers the half-moon facing down, as a symbol of the victory over the Turkish fleet (the image on the golden field of the enlarged top of the heraldic shield). The Kaiser-flag is also flying above the shield.
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