Editing Orlov Revolt (section)

== Background ==

The Ottoman Empire had controlled most of the Peloponnese since the fifteenth century. Venice occupied the peninsula between 1685 and 1715, after which Ottoman rule was restored.<ref name="peloponnese-history"/> Much of [[Greece]] remained under Ottoman rule during the eighteenth century.<ref name="greece-history"/>

Russia entered a new war with the Ottoman Empire in 1768 and sought to encourage revolts among Orthodox Christian populations under Ottoman rule. Before the Russian fleet reached Greece, Russian agents contacted Greek leaders and attempted to organize support for an uprising. George Papazolis, a Greek officer in Russian service, was among those who established contacts in the Peloponnese. Local support was strongest in Mani, where armed communities retained a high degree of autonomy from Ottoman administration.

Greek leaders who supported the planned revolt expected substantial Russian military assistance. The expedition sent to the Mediterranean was primarily naval, leaving only a limited number of Russian personnel available for operations on land.