Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford

Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable The Earl of Orford JP, PC
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(1727-11-26) (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.