The Earl of Orford | |
|---|---|
 Admiral Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, Thomas Gibson | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 1694 to 1699 – 1709 to 1710 – 1714 to 1717 | |
| Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire | |
| In office 1715–1727 | |
| Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire | |
| In office November 1695 – May 1697 | |
| Member of Parliament for Portsmouth | |
| In office March 1690 – October 1695 | |
| Treasurer of the Navy | |
| In office 1689–1699 | |
| Member of Parliament for Launceston | |
| In office January 1689 – February 1689 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 February 1657 Chiswick, London, England |
| Died | 26 November 1727 (aged 70) Covent Garden, London, England |
| Resting place | St Michael's, Chenies |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse | Lady Margaret Russell |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
| Occupation | Sailor and politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of England Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Branch/service |  Royal Navy (1664–1707)  Royal Navy (1707–1717) |
| Years of service | 1666–1717 |
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet |
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief, Channel Fleet Phoenix; Reserve; Defiance; Swiftsure; Newcastle |
| Battles/wars | Third Anglo-Dutch War Battle of Solebay Nine Years' War Battles of Barfleur and La Hogue |
Admiral of the Fleet Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, PC (1653 – 26 November 1727) was a Royal Navy officer and politician. After serving as a junior officer at the Battle of Solebay during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, he served as a captain in the Mediterranean Sea in operations against the Barbary pirates.
Russell was one of the Immortal Seven, a group of English noblemen who issued the Invitation to William, a document asking Prince William of Orange to depose King James II. Based in the Netherlands, he served as Prince William's secretary during the planning of William's invasion of England and subsequent Glorious Revolution. He was fully engaged in providing naval support for the Williamite War in Ireland until the war ended. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Anglo-Dutch force that fought the French fleet at the Battle of Barfleur and destroyed much of it in a night attack at the Battle of La Hogue during the Nine Years' War.
Russell went on to be First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of William III and then held the office twice again in the reigns of Queen Anne and King George I. He was also MP for Launceston, for Portsmouth and then for Cambridgeshire.