Lieutenant-general of Infantry <Table of ranks of the Russian Empire> since 1798. He originated from an ancient noble family of Novgorod. The family is known from the end of XV century. He was the third son of Ivan Nikiforovich Morkov (died in 1778) and his wife Prasovya Fedorovna Kutozova (1711-1774). Educated in the corps of Infantry Shliakhetsky (cadets of noble birth); transferred to the Corps of Pages in 1762; He graduated from gentry’s army corps in about 1770 with the rank of lieutenant of the lifeguard Transfiguration regiment. Participant of the first Russian-Turkish war (1768-1774). In September 1773, he was assigned to the Sofia musketeer regiment. At the signing of the peace he was already a Major. He showed himself as a brave warrior during the second Russian-Turkish war (1787-1791). During the Ochakov fortress assault on December 6th 1788, he was at the head of the 3rd column and personally stood the first ladder against the fortress wall and was the first to climb over the wall and rushed in to retrenchment. A. V. Suvorov recommended him to be given the rank of Lt-Colonel and decorated with the order St. George of 4th degree and gold sword. The sword had the inscription 'For bravery'. Transferred in 1790 to the Preobrazhensky Regiment of the Guards; with the rank of Major 2nd Class (secund-maior) of this regiment [the rank of Major 2nd Class in the Guards is equivalent to Colonel of the regular army]. He also participated in the battles with the Turkish army near Fokschin and Rymnik. For that fight, he was given the rank of Prime-major of Life-Guard of Transfiguration regiment (see life-guards ranks). He was with Suvorov at the battle of Ismail during the assault and the capture of Izmail he was badly wounded. In accordance to Suvorov personal statement: <<the most brave and invincible officer>> and <<once again exhibited his courage, skill, and bravery. From the time when our batteries began to be organised on the Chatal, he commanded them and completely routed the enemy>>; A. V. Suvorov reported about him as the <<bravest and unconquerable officer>>. He was decorated with the St. George order of 3rd degree and it is referred to be given a rank of brigadier (probably Lt-Colonel of the guards). In 1792 at the conclusion of the war he was sent with a report to the Empress Catherine II of the pease with Turkey signed in Jassy. By this he was recognized as a most remarkable warrior. He was given the rank of Major-General (regular infantry). In that year (1792) he participated in military operations in Poland to command of separate squadron detached to corps of General in Chief M. V. Kahovsky. He was involved in combat actions in battles at the villages of Zelintsy and Duneka in the years of 1792 and 1794. He was instrumental in defeating the insurgents at Vishnepol, took part in the operations at Liubar, cut to pieces the confederates at Gorodishche and Mendzerzhits. For these operations he was recognized with the order St. George 2nd degree. In the Dubenky fighting, he was in command of the whole of the cavalry and to recognize his courage he was awarded with a gold sword decorated with diamonds and with the inscription 'for bravery' and an estate (land property) in the regions won from Poland in the Minsk province (June 1792). By Letters Patent of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, dated 22 May/2 June 1796 Wien, the diplomat and Privy Councillor Arkady, Major-General Nikolay, and Major-General [later Lieutenant-General] Irakly Ivanovich Morkov, with their descendants, were elevated to the dignity of Counts of the Holy Roman Empire.
In April 1798, during the reign of Paul the First, he was given the rank of lieutenant-general and assigned to be inspector of the Caucasus grenadier regiment and Chief of the Kavkaskii Musketeer Regiment that bore his name. He and his brothers Nikolay and Arkady were put in disgrace by Emperor Paul I and by Imperial Ukase dated Nov 12th 1798, they had to leave Moscow and St. Petersburg living in Podolia province (gubernia), where they had land. By this decree the brilliant military career of Count Irakly I. Morkov was interrupted; there in the estates of Kukavka (province of Podolia now regions of Vinnitsa and Khmilnitsky in Ukraine) they lived attending to agriculture. Count Irakly Ivanovich had only in Podolia over 1000 serfs.
In August 1812 during the Patriotic war (Napoleonic war), Moscow noblemen selected him to be the chief of the Moscow irregular home guard (militia). With this home guard he participated in the most vital battles like Borodino, Maloyaroslavets, Vyazma and Krasnoye. In recognition, he was decorated with the order of St. Alexander Nevsky (December 1812). In 1813 he retired from army service due to sickness. He bought a big house that had belonged to Prince Golitsyn and later to Prince Dolgorukov, valorated in 100.000 rublos located between the Kamergerskiy pereuloc and the Georgiyesvkiy Pereuloc near the Trinity church, nowadays references could be Tverskaya, and the back of the current building of the Duma. The second floor of the palace was dedicated to Tropinin studio. Prince Dolgorukov wrote about him <<Talent of warrior, selfless courage was combined with generous heart, right and unselfish character. He was a true knight without fear and reproach>>

Seee the visit of Count Marcov to the burial place of Count Irakly Ivanovich and the Marcov track at the cemetery

Sources: Batish-Kamenskyi D. Slovar dostopamiatnikh ludey.(Dictionary of outstanding persons) Vol. 3. M., 1836. Smit F. Suvorov i padenie Polshy (Suvorov and the fall of Poland). SPb.< 1867.
Orlov N.A. Shturn Izmaila Suyvorovim in 1790 (The storm of Izmil by Suvorov in 1790). SPb., 1890. Belavenets P. Ochakov. Sevastopol, 1902. Voennaya entsiklopedia. (Military encyclopaedia). SPb., 1914, p. 413.
B. Fedorchenko: Imperator House. Prominent Dignitaries. Olma Press Moscow 2001.