Grégoire Orlyk
Grégoire Orlyk, also Hryhor Orlyk (, November 5, 1702, Baturyn – November 14, 1759, Minden), was a French military commander, special envoy and member of Louis XV's secret intelligence service. Grégoire Orlyk was born in Ukraine, the son of Ukrainian hetman in exile Pylyp Orlyk and Hanna Hertsyk. He received a good education in Sweden, served in Poland and Saxony, and participated in the secret efforts of France to restore Stanisław Leszczyński to the Polish throne. He later commanded the king's regiment of Royal suedois. For his intelligence work and military exploits he was given the title of comte and promoted to the general's rank of Maréchal de camp. Grégoire Orlyk was an acquaintance of the French philosopher Voltaire, and championed the Ukrainian cause in France and other countries. Background Hryhor Orlyk was born on November 5, 1702, in Baturyn, the capital of Cossack Hetmanate in the family of Cossacks' General scribe Pylyp Orlyk. The family was very well connected with the then hetman Ivan Mazepa, who became Hryhor's godfather. After Mazepa's defeat at Poltava in 1709 him and his allies, including the family of Pylyp Orlyk fled Ukraine for the Ottoman territory – Bendery, (present day Moldova), where Orlyk