The nobility, as the highest privileged class in Russia, arose on the basis of public service. The very term "nobleman" in Russia first appeared in the 2nd half of the 12th century and denoted people living at the princely court. According to the prominent genealogist L.M. Savelov, “the roots of the Russian nobility go to the very depths of our history, which, if it did not know a strictly organized estate, then knew a class of service people who fully corresponded to the concept of the nobility, although it was not as closed as it was among the peoples of the West. Our nobility has never broken its ties with the people, it has always been an integral part of it.

With the development of feudal relations in Russia, the nobles turned into small landowners, receiving small plots of land as a reward for military or administrative service. From princely servants, they turned into "sovereign service people." For the received land (estate), the nobles were obliged to faithfully serve the Grand Duke (Tsar) and subsequently began to be called landowners.

Under Peter I, the lifelong service of the nobles was enshrined in the Decree of 1701: "... all service people from the lands serve, and no one owns the lands for free." The first relief was made by Empress Anna Ivanovna, who established that the nobles should serve from 20 to 45 years of age, after which they could leave the service; one nobleman from each family was allowed not to attend the service at all, but to take care of the household.

Emperor Peter III in 1762 freed the nobles from compulsory service, and Empress Catherine II in 1785 confirmed this right with a Letter of Complaint for the rights, liberties and advantages of the nobility. In particular, the nobles were granted significant personal, property and class privileges.

The main privileges of the Russian nobility were;

1) the right to own the settlement estates (until 1861);

2) freedom from compulsory service (from 1762 until the introduction in 1874 of all-class military service);

3) freedom from corporal punishment, freedom from zemstvo duties (before the tax reforms of the 2nd half of the 19th century);

4) the right to enter the civil service and to receive education in privileged educational institutions;

5) the right of corporate organization - county and provincial noble assemblies;

6) the right to directly appeal to the supreme authority with their needs.

For persons of noble origin, there were a number of advantages in serving.

The Russian nobility was not a closed caste, it was constantly replenished by the most capable and zealous representatives of other classes. As N.V. wrote Gogol, “our nobility is the color of our own population. For the most part, merit to the Tsar, the people and the whole Russian land was elevated in our country to a noble family of people from all classes.

Having risen to a certain rank, a brave officer received the Russian nobility. An official who was awarded a high order became a nobleman. Often, sovereigns favored the nobility for personal services to the Fatherland. Thus, the Russian nobility was a constantly replenished class of faithful servants of the Russian state.

The Russian nobility was divided into hereditary and personal. In the period from 1722 (the introduction of the Table of Ranks by Emperor Peter 1) until 1845, hereditary nobility was given for the length of service of the first chief officer rank - ensign, cornet (14th grade according to the Table of Ranks) in military service and the rank of collegiate assessor (8 th class) - on the civil.

Lower ranks in the civil service provided personal nobility.

Hereditary nobility was given for awarding any of the orders of the Russian Empire (with a number of restrictions for the merchants from 1826 and 1832).

In the period from 1845 to 1856, hereditary nobility was given for length of service in military service, the rank of major (8th class), for civil service - the rank of state councilor (5th class), as well as awarding all degrees of the orders of St. George, St. Vladimir and the first degrees of other orders of the empire.

Personal nobility was given for all senior officer ranks below major in military service, for ranks 6 - 9-ro classes in the civil service and the awarding of the lower degrees of the orders of St. Stanislav and St. Anna.

All chief officers below a colonel and civil ranks of the 5th-9th grades in the civil service became personal nobles. The procedure for awarding the nobility in connection with the awarding of orders remained the same.

In the period from 1856 to 1900, hereditary nobility was given for length of service in military service, the rank of colonel or captain of the 1st rank (6th class), and in civilian service, the rank of real state councilor (4th class).

In the period from 1900 to 1917, the procedure for granting to the hereditary and personal nobility remained the same as in the previous period, with the exception of raising the qualification for the order: only the 3rd step awarded the Order of St. Vladimir could become a hereditary nobleman. Personal nobles were allowed to ask for hereditary nobility in the event that their fathers and grandfathers served for 20 years in the ranks of chief officers.

The procedure for obtaining noble dignity objectively contributed to the overall improvement in the quality of public service. The high social prestige of the nobility led to the fact that the qualification to receive the nobility was a powerful incentive for the proper performance of official duties by officers and officials. Many aspired to become nobles and made considerable efforts for this. Therefore, the number of the nobility during the nineteenth century. steadily grew, although after 1861 belonging to the nobility no longer gave any serious advantages and privileges. In 1858, there were about 610 thousand hereditary nobles in Russia, and in 1897 - 1 million 222 thousand.

Hereditary nobles were divided into 6 categories, each of which was entered in a separate part of the provincial genealogy book:

in the 1st part - the nobles elevated to the nobility by the personal grant of the emperor;

in the 2nd part - those who received the nobility through military service;

in the 3rd part - those who received the nobility in the civil service (persons who received the nobility by order were also included here, but in practice they were often included in the 1st part);

in the 4th part - foreign noble families that have passed into Russian citizenship;

in the 5th part - the titled nobility (barons, counts, princes, etc.);

in the 6th part - old noble families that could prove their nobility until 1685.

There were no differences in rights and obligations between these categories, but a number of privileged educational institutions (the Corps of Pages, the Imperial Alexander Lyceum, the Imperial School of Law) accepted children of nobles from the 5th and 6th parts of the genealogy book (as well as children of persons who had ranks of at least 4th class).

The upper layer of the hereditary Russian nobility was the titled nobility, that is, noble families that had baronial, count and princely family titles. However, the possession of a family title did not give special advantages, was not associated with a certain property status, and in many cases the barons, counts and princes were not rich.

Personal nobility gave all the rights of hereditary nobility, except for the right to own populated estates, belong to a noble society (provincial and county) and participate in the elections of officials elected by the nobility.

Personal nobility was not hereditary. Children of personal nobles had the right to enter the civil service, but during its passage they enjoyed less rights than hereditary nobles. Since 1832, the children of personal nobles received hereditary honorary citizenship.

Despite the fact that the nobles at the end of the eighteenth century. was granted the right to retire or not serve at all, not everyone used this right. In the overwhelming majority, the nobility remained a serving state class, seeking in service in the military and civil fields not so much salary as honor and benefit to the Fatherland. As noted by L.M. historian Savelov, “the freedom he received did not in the least affect the quality of his service to the state, as in the 16th and 17th centuries. Art. it died for the motherland near Kazan and Smolensk, so it died in the 18th and 19th centuries. near Izmail, Kars, Borodino, Leipzig.

The contribution of the Russian nobility to the formation of Russian statehood and the strengthening of the independence, strength and power of Russia is enormous. Outstanding military leaders Count P.A. covered their names with glory. Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, Count A.V. Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy, Prince N.V. Repnin, His Serene Highness Prince M.I. GolenishchevKutuzov-Smolensky, Prince P.I. Bagration, Prince M.B. Barclay de Tolly and many others.

N.M. Karamzin wrote: “The nobility is the soul and noble image of the whole people. I like to imagine Russian nobles not only with a sword in their hand, not only with the scales of Themis, but with the laurels of Apollo, with the rod of the God of Arts, with the symbols of the Goddess of Agriculture. This is exactly what the Russian nobility was like - not only a working class, but also a guardian, a distributor of education, knowledge, and culture. For centuries, the nobility represented the most educated and socially active part of Russian society. And it is no coincidence that among those who glorified Russia in the field of science, literature, art, the majority are nobles.

Many representatives of the Russian nobility made a significant contribution to the development of Russian and world science: mathematician P.L. Chebyshev, physicist and chemist N.N. Beketov, geologist V.I. Vernadsky, physiologist K.A. Timiryazev, biologist I.I. Mechnikov, chemist N.D. Zelinsky, surgeon N.V. Sklifosovsky, travelers P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and N.M. Przhevalsky, historians V.N. Tatishchev, Prince M.M. Shcherbatov, N.M. Karamzin, T.N. Granovsky, K.D. Kavelin, A.A. Kornilov, A.A. Kizevetter, historian and philologist Ya.K. Grot, philosopher N.A. Berdyaev and others.

The role of the Russian nobility in the creation of Russian culture is well known. Without the participation of the nobles, it is impossible to imagine either the history of Russian painting, or the history of Russian theater, or the history of Russian architecture. By order of the nobles, palaces and mansions were built in the capitals, architectural ensembles in estates, artists and sculptors worked. The nobles kept theaters, orchestras, collected libraries, works of art.

The everyday culture of the Russian nobility, especially the capital, influenced the culture of other strata of society. And such greatest phenomena of world culture as Russian literature and Russian music were glorified mainly by representatives of the first estate: G.R. Derzhavin, A.S. Pushkin, E.A. Baratynsky, A.S. Griboyedov, M.Yu. Lermontov, N.V. Gogol, I.S. Turgenev, F.I. Tyutchev, N.A. Nekrasov, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, Count L.N. Tolstoy, A.A. Fet (Shenshin), F.M. Dostoevsky, A, A, Blok, M.I. Glinka, A.S. Dargomyzhsky, M.A. Balakirev, M.P. Mussorgsky, P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S.I. Taneev, S.V. Rachmaninov. The author of the Russian national anthem was a representative of an old noble family, a prominent musical figure A.F. Lvov.

Representatives of famous Russian noble families (Sheremetevs, Golitsyns, Rumyantsevs, Demidovs, Stroganovs, Bezborodko, Naryshkins, Chertkovs and many others) were widely engaged in patronage and charitable activities.

The Russian nobles played a leading role (especially in the 18th - 1st half of the 19th century) in the development of social thought and social movement. They occupied positions of an extremely wide range: protective, educational, revolutionary.

Russian nobles were members of Masonic organizations, showed extreme opposition in the speech of the Decembrists, prevailed among Westerners and Slavophiles, and to a large extent shaped the course of liberalism.

The brightest reformers of the 19th - early 20th centuries also belonged to the Russian nobility by birth or length of service. (Count M.M. Speransky, Count M.T. Loris-Melikov, Count S.Yu. Witte, P.A. Stolypin and others).

At the beginning of the 20th century, people from the Russian nobility became part of all the political parties that arose in Russia, in 1906-1917. actively participated in the work of the first representative legislative institution - the State Duma. After the February Revolution of 1917, representatives of the nobility were part of the Provisional Government (in March-July 1917 it was headed by one of the descendants of Rurik, Prince G.E. Lvov).

After the October Revolution of 1917, the Russian nobility, having officially lost all their titles and privileges, was persecuted. The Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917 abolished estates, estate ranks and civil ranks. The official policy of the new government was the consistent eradication of the Russian nobility through physical destruction, exile, prohibition acts; many representatives of the estate participated in the armed struggle against the Soviet authorities and died in the fire of the Civil War, many were forced to leave their homeland. Most of those who remained had to “forget” about their origin in order to survive. It was dangerous to remember one's own parents or grandfathers and relatives in general if they were nobles. Family documents and letters were burned, portraits and photographs were destroyed, other family relics were hidden, and even surnames were sometimes changed. And only after many decades it became obvious that the eradication of the nobility was one of the reasons for the degradation of Russian society.

Back in the first half of the 19th century, the English historian and politician T. Macaulay wrote: “Woe to the state that ever decides to entrust the highest power to the majority of citizens, counting them without exception, for this is tantamount to the abolition of everything that is smart, beautiful, educated and rich ... And if power falls even for one hour into the hands of the most ignorant and poorest, and consequently, the most embittered part of the population, then science, culture, industry, trade, and along with them, inevitably, freedom will also drown in the sea blood and in the abyss of the most brutal, merciless violence...”.

Now, in the new Russia, the Russian Nobility Assembly, noble unions and associations, genealogical societies have been re-created, scientific conferences on genealogy are being held, publications on the history of noble families are being published.

RANKS, RANKS AND POSITIONS IN THE MOSCOW STATE AND THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE:

Admiral - fleet commander. Naval rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of general-in-chief (general from infantry, from cavalry, from artillery, engineer-general) and a real secret adviser.

Adjutant - an officer who is attached to a senior commander and transmits his orders, as well as a staff position in a battalion, regiment, etc.

Assessor - assessor, middle-ranking official in various institutions.

Auditor - official, secretary and clerk in military courts. In 1797, the auditors were united in an audit department headed by an auditor general; subdivided into brigade and regimental; in 1867 replaced by military court officials.

Boyar - the highest service rank in the Russian state of the XIV - XVII centuries. The title of boyar gave the right to participate in meetings of the Boyar Duma. Canceled by Tsar Peter I at the beginning of the 18th century.

Brigadier - a military rank of the 5th class according to the Table of Ranks in 1722 - 1799, which occupied an intermediate position between a major general and a colonel and corresponded to the ranks of a captain-commander of the fleet and a state adviser.

Brigade Major - an officer with the rank of major, who was with the brigadier as his closest assistant in managing the brigade, maintaining correspondence and the police unit in the camp and on the campaign. The title was established by Emperor Peter I and abolished by Paul I in 1799, along with the rank of brigadier.

Bunchuk comrade - rank in Little Russia, was under the hetman, to whom he was directly subordinate; corresponded to the rank of prime minister.

Burgomaster - an official of choice (for 3 years) of the city society, presiding over the magistrate and the town hall. The position was introduced by Tsar Peter I in 1699 instead of Zemstvo heads.

Vice Admiral - naval rank 3-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, corresponding to the rank of lieutenant general and privy councillor.

Vice Governor - government official in the provinces, the only deputy governor who directly controlled the activities of provincial institutions. He had, as a rule, a rank not lower than 5-6th grade according to the Table of Ranks.

Vice Chancellor - the name of the civil rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks for persons who headed the foreign ministry.

Governor - the head of the city administration with the county (the territory adjacent to the city, administratively subordinate); regimental governors headed each of the regiments or detachments of the Russian army.

Army foreman - military rank in the Cossack troops, in 1798-1884. - 8th class, corresponded to the rank of major, and since 1884. - 7th class, corresponded to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Army comrade - rank in Little Russia in the XVIII century, corresponded to the rank of cornet.

Midshipman - a rank in the navy, established in 1716 for pupils of the senior companies of the Naval Academy, sent to the navy for practice.

Wardrobe master - court servant, caretaker of the imperial wardrobe.

Admiral General - naval rank 1-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, corresponding to the ranks of field marshal general and real privy councilor 1st class.

Adjutant General - one of the highest military ranks of persons who were under the emperor. Since 1808, the adjutant general was a member of the emperor's retinue. This honorary title was awarded by the emperor to military ranks, as a rule, 2nd - 3rd classes. They had the right to transmit oral orders of the emperor.

General-anshef - general rank of 2-ro class according to the Table of Ranks in the 18th century; a full general, who was below the rank of field marshal, corresponded to the ranks of admiral and actual privy councillor. Under Emperor Paul I in 1796-97. the rank of General-in-Chief was replaced by ranks according to the types of troops: general of infantry (infantry), general of cavalry, general of artillery, engineer-general.

Auditor General - head of the military office. His main duty was to direct the investigation and war crimes trial; was in the rank of 7th class according to the Table of Ranks.

Governor General - the highest official of the local administration in 1703-1917. He ruled over several provinces (in the 19th century, mostly outlying ones). He had, as a rule, a rank not lower than 2 - 3-ro class according to the Table of Ranks.

Inspector General - one of the highest positions in the army. The position of inspector general existed in the cavalry, infantry, artillery, engineering troops.

Quartermaster General - position in the field headquarters of the Russian army. He was responsible for the food supply, financial, medical, veterinary and clothing support of the army.

Generalissimo - the highest military rank in the armed forces of a number of countries. It was assigned to generals who commanded several allied armies during the war, as well as sometimes to persons from reigning dynasties. In Russia, the title was not included in the Table of Ranks. During the existence of the Russian Empire, the title was awarded to only three persons: His Serene Highness Prince A.D. Menshikov (1727), Prince Anton Ulrich of Brunswick-Lüneburg, father of the infant Emperor Ivan VI Antonovich (1740), c. A.V. Suvorov-Rymniksky, Prince of Italy (1799).

Quartermaster General - one of the highest staff positions in the army. He was in charge of studying the terrain, organizing the location and movement of troops, preparing military maps, and building fortifications. Under the quartermaster general, a quartermaster unit was created, which served as the basis for the formation of the General Staff.

General-Kriigskommissar - position in the central military administration of the Russian army in 1713 - 1864. He was in charge of supplying the army with clothing and monetary allowances, expenses for the maintenance of troops, etc.

Lieutenant General - military rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, introduced in the army in 1798 instead of the rank of lieutenant general. Corresponded to the ranks of Vice Admiral and Privy Councillor.

Major General - military rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of rear admiral and real state adviser.

General of Infantry(from cavalry, from artillery, engineer-general) - general rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks, replacing in 1796 - 97. rank of general-anshef; corresponded to the ranks of admiral and actual privy councillor.

Chief of Police General - official in the Russian army in 1812 - 1868 (in 1716 - 1812 he was called General-Gewaldiger), who performed military and police functions during the campaign; later, his duties were assigned to the commandant's office.

Lieutenant General - military rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, which existed in the Russian army until 1798. Corresponded to the ranks of Vice Admiral and Privy Councilor

Provision Master General - rank and position in the central military administration of the Russian army in 1716 - 1864. He was in the 5th class of ranks according to the Table of Ranks, he was in charge of the food part of the army.

Attorney General - the highest official of the civil administration, who oversaw the legality of the activities of the state apparatus. The position of Prosecutor General was established in 1722 by Emperor Peter I to oversee the activities of the Senate. With the formation of ministries (1802), the prosecutor general became at the same time the minister of justice.

Requetmaster General - an official in charge of receiving complaints and petitions addressed to the emperor. Field Marshal General - the highest military rank in the army. First introduced in the Russian army in 1699. Corresponded to the ranks of Admiral General, State Chancellor and Actual Privy Councilor 1st class.

Feldzeugmeister General - rank and position of chief artillery commander in the Russian army. General clerk - one of the highest officials in Little Russia, keeper of the press and archives, head of external relations and general office work.

Judge General - one of the highest officials in Little Russia, the head of legal proceedings. King of Arms - the post of head of the central state institution (Heroldy), created in 1722. His duties included compiling noble lists, making sure that the nobles did not evade service, adding military ranks not from the nobles who had reached the rank of chief officer to the noble lists, representing at the request of the Senate, candidates for vacancies, as well as the compilation of coats of arms, noble genealogical books.

Streltsy head - an officer rank in the archery army, under whose command five hundreds of archery regiments consisted.

Mayor - representative of the local administration, headed the administrative and police authorities in county towns; position abolished in 1862.

City nobleman - a title denoting the category of the best (by merit, equipment, kinship) from the provincial nobles.

State Chancellor - civil rank of the 1st class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of Field Marshal General, Admiral General and Actual Privy Councilor 1st class. Secretary of State - an official, as a rule, of the 2nd - 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, who headed the State Chancellery, which was in charge of the clerical work of the State Council. The position was created in 1810.

Knight Marshal - court rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1726. He was in charge of affairs to the contentment of the court, arranging receptions and travels, and was in charge of court servants. One of the main duties of the marshal's part was the maintenance of the table of the imperial family.

Chamberlain - court rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1727. Managed the palace economy and the staff of the courtiers.

Chamberlain - court rank. Position for ladies. She was in charge of the court ladies' staff and the offices of empresses and grand duchesses.

Hoff Junker - court rank of the 12th class according to the Table of Ranks.

Mayor - the head (as a governor) of an administrative-territorial unit, which included a city with an adjacent territory, separated from the provinces, was appointed personally by the emperor (in the capitals) or on the proposal of the minister of internal affairs; they headed the city police, supervised trade and shipping, the post office, the condition of fortifications, port and public buildings, offices, etc.

Governor - the highest government official in the provinces, appointed by the emperor and performing administrative, police and military functions. He had, as a rule, a rank not lower than the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks.

The Butler - court position, manager of the royal household, which was the order of the Grand Palace with nourishing, fodder, grain and living yards.

Acting State Councilor - civil rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of major general and rear admiral.

Active Privy Councilor - civil rank 2-ro class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of general-in-chief (or general from infantry, from cavalry, from artillery, engineer-general) and admiral.

Active Privy Councilor 1st Class - Civilian rank 1-ro class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of Field Marshal and General Admiral.

Boyar children - nobles, the bulk of the service class, which constituted the core of the army - the local cavalry; for the service received estates.

Dumb nobleman - the third rank of the Boyar Duma; persons who, for the most part, did not belong to the titled or boyar aristocracy, the humble, the tsar's favorites, and the relatives of the queens.

Dumny clerk - an official who was a member of the Boyar Duma (the lowest duma rank after the boyar, roundabout and duma nobleman). He drafted and ruled the projects of the Boyar Duma and the most important royal decrees, was in charge of the office work of the Duma.

Dyak - an official who was in charge of the clerical work of state or local government and diplomatic negotiations and served for a salary.

Jägermeister - court rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1743. He was engaged in the organization of the imperial hunt.

Esaul - a person who was on campaigns under the king, for various assignments; in the Cossack army of the 17th century - assistant chieftain, senior officer.

Residents - the lowest rank of the capital's nobility, recruited from the district nobles, who were appointed in turn to Moscow to guard the royal palace and occupy administrative positions.

icon comrade - rank in Little Russia in the 18th century, corresponded to the rank of non-commissioned officer.

Cabinet Minister - member of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty., the highest state institution in 1731 - 1741, created as a Council under the Empress "for the best and decent administration of all state affairs." By decree of 1735, the signatures of the three Cabinet Ministers were equal to those of the Empress.

Treasurer - keeper of the royal treasury and jewels.

Chamberlain - court rank, first introduced in Russia in 1711. From 1737 he was in the 6th class of ranks according to the Table of Ranks, in 1809 he was transferred to the 4th class, and later the title acquired the character of an honorary award. Since 1836, only nobles who were in the civil service and had the rank of 3rd - 5th class, that is, not lower than the state councilor, and since 1850 - 3rd - 1st class (as a distinctive sign, had a key sewn over the left pocket of his uniform).

Chamber page - a special court rank for young men who studied in the senior classes of the Corps of Pages. Their duties included duty with the emperor, empress and grand duchesses, as well as participation in court ceremonies and festivities (accompanying members of the Imperial Family, carrying trains, etc.).

Maid of honor - senior court rank for maidens, first introduced in 1742.

Chamber Juncker - originally a court rank of the 9th class according to the Table of Ranks, from 1737 - the 6th class, from 1742 - the 5th class, after 1809 - a junior court rank, from 1836 for persons who had the rank 4 - 9- first class, and since 1850 - 5th - 8th class. The duties of the chamberlains and chamberlains included daily (in order of priority) duty with the empresses and other members of the imperial family, as well as special duty with them during court ceremonies, balls and when visiting theaters.

Captain - chief officer rank 9th class, and from 1884 - 8th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, artillery, engineering troops and 7th class - in the guard. The rank of captain corresponded to: in the cavalry - the rank of captain, in the Cossack troops - the captain, in the navy - the captain-lieutenant (then senior lieutenant), in the civil ranks - the collegiate assessor.

Captain 1st rank - naval rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks in 1713 - 1732 and 1751 - 1917 Corresponded to the ranks of colonel and collegiate adviser.

Captain 2nd rank - naval rank of the 7th class according to the Table of Ranks in 1713 - 1732 and 1751 - 1917 Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant colonel and court adviser.

Captain Commander - naval rank of the 5th class according to the Table of Ranks, in 1707 - 1732, 1751 - 1764, 1798 - 1827, and then was finally abolished. Corresponded to the ranks of brigadier and state councillor.

Lieutenant Commander - naval rank 8-ro class according to the Table of Ranks in 1798 - 1884 and 1907 - 1911 In 1911, he was abolished and replaced with the rank of senior lieutenant.

Quartermaster - an officer in charge of accommodating troops, supplying them with food and fodder.

Collegiate assessor - rank of the 8th class according to the Table of Ranks, corresponding to the military rank of major.

Collegiate Secretary - civil rank of the 10th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant, centurion and midshipman.

Collegiate Counsel - civil rank of the 6th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of colonel and captain of the 1st rank.

Rear Admiral - naval rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks. Introduced in Russia in 1699. Originally called Schautbenacht. Corresponded to the ranks of major general and real state adviser.

stableman - the court rank, originally in charge of the grand ducal horses, then acquired the value of an honorary title, denoting primacy among the boyars.

Kravchy - court rank, which was in charge of organizing royal feasts, for which he served the sovereign, and sending out treats on solemn days, granted by the tsar to ambassadors, boyars and persons of other ranks.

Landrat - in the Baltic provinces - a member of the landrat collegium (a body of noble self-government), an adviser from the nobles of the county under the governor.

Life Guard - privileged part of the Russian army. Until 1884, ranks in the guard were considered 2 classes higher than in the army, and from 1884 they began to be considered 1 class higher than the army (for example, the rank of lieutenant in the guard was equal to the rank of captain in the army). All posts in the guards were replaced by higher ranks than in the army (for example, major generals commanded guard regiments, colonels commanded battalions, etc.).

Lieutenant - military rank of 12th class according to the Table of Ranks in the army and engineering units, 10th class in artillery and 9th class in the guard; in 1730 he was replaced by the rank of lieutenant. Naval rank of the 9th class in 1798 - 1917

Stalker - court position, in charge of royal animal hunting.

Major - military rank in the Russian army until 1798 in the guard of the 6th class according to the Table of Ranks, in the artillery and engineering troops of the 7th class, in the infantry of the 8th class. Since 1798 - in the infantry, artillery and engineering troops of the 8th class, and in the guards it was canceled. In 1731 - 1797. The rank of major was divided into two levels - prime major and second major. In 1884, the rank of major in all military branches was abolished.

Minister - the highest official is the head of the ministry, appointed by the emperor. The position was first introduced in Russia in 1802 with the creation of ministries. He was, as a rule, in the 2nd - 3rd grade according to the Table of Ranks.

Midshipman - naval rank in the Russian fleet, was in the 13th class according to the Table of Ranks, from 1764 - in the 12th, since 1884 - in the 10th class. Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant and collegiate secretary.

Moscow nobleman - a title considered higher than a city nobleman, but lower than court ranks. In the seventeenth century the title of Moscow nobleman was also given as a reward to those nobles who did not have estates near Moscow.

Murza - title of nobility among the Tatars.

Outside Advisor - civil rank of the 7th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant colonel, military foreman and captain of the 2nd rank.

Punishment ataman - the title assigned to all the chiefs of the military and civil administration in the Cossack troops.

Viceroy - an official appointed by the Grand Duke, the king in the cities and heading the local government. In the Russian Empire - the position of head of local government, introduced in 1775. The viceroy (governor-general) headed the administration of 2 - 3 provinces. In 1796, the position of governor was abolished, but at the beginning of the 19th century. restored (governorships existed in the Kingdom of Poland, in the Caucasus, and at the beginning of the 20th century in the Far East).

Chief Marshal - court rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1726.

Ober chamberlain - court rank 2-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1722. Managed the staff and finances of the court,

Chief Hoffmeister - the highest court rank and position for ladies. She was in charge of the court ladies' staff and the office of the empresses. For the first time, Chief Chamberlain at the Russian court was appointed in 1727.

Ober-jägermeister - court rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1736. He was in charge of the imperial hunt.

Ober chamberlain - court rank 2-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1727. He supervised the court cavaliers (chamberlains and chamberlains) and represented the members of the Imperial Family of persons who received the right to an audience.

Chief Quartermaster - an officer who was engaged in the deployment of troops, supplying them with food, fodder.

Ober Commandant - head of the fortress; in the cities, a specially appointed official or military commander who monitored order and discipline in the local troops and the appointment of guards.

Chief Commissar - military officer in charge of the money.

Ober-kriegs-commissioner - military officer in charge of supplying the army.

Chief officer ranks - military and civil ranks of the 9th - 14th grades according to the Table of Ranks.

Chief Prosecutor - an official who supervised the organizational work of the department of the Senate; consisted, as a rule, in the 4th grade according to the Table of Ranks; civil official who directed the activities of the Holy Synod.

Ober-sarvaer - chief shipbuilder.

Ober-fiscal - the positions of fiscals were established in 1711 by Tsar Peter 1 to supervise higher and local government; they were headed by the chief fiscal at the Senate, at the collegiums - special fiscals, in the provinces - provincial and city fiscals. After the establishment of the positions of prosecutors at the colleges in 1775, the positions of fiscals were abolished.

Ober-Vorschneider - court rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1856 ("forschneider" in German - a cutter of dishes).

Master of Ceremonies - court rank 3-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1727. He was in charge of the procedural side of court ceremonies.

Ober-schenk - court rank of the 2nd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1723, at the disposal of which were palace reserves.

Chief ringmaster - court rank 2-ro class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1726, heading the court stables (the imperial stables and related households).

Okolnichy - court rank and position in the Russian state until the beginning of the 18th century, the second rank after the boyar of the Boyar Duma.

Gunsmith - a court position in charge of the storage and manufacture of the royal ceremonial military and hunting weapons.

Pyazh - a special court rank for young men studying in the Corps of Pages.

Printer - in the Russian state, the keeper of the large and medium state seals.

Platz Major - Assistant Commandant.

tribute at bells - rynda assistant.

Podkomory - in the Commonwealth, a zemstvo official whose duties included surveying lands, resolving land disputes and maintaining documentation on this issue in any area.

Lieutenant Colonel - military rank of the 8th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, 6th class - in the artillery and engineering troops, 5th class - in the guard until 1798. Since 1798 - 7th class in all branches of the military, except for the guard, where this rank was eliminated. Corresponded to the ranks of captain 2-ro rank, military foreman and court adviser.

Second Lieutenant - military rank of the 13th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, the 12th class - in the artillery and engineering troops and the 10th class - in the guard until 1884. In 1884 - 10th class in the guards and 12th class in other branches of the military. Corresponded to the ranks of a cornet in the cavalry, a cornet in the Cossack troops and a provincial secretary in the civil service.

Podskarbiy - treasurer in the Commonwealth.

clerk - an official who was subordinate to the clerk and was engaged in office work.

Chief of Police - chief of the city police of the provincial city. The position was first created in 1718 in St. Petersburg (general police chief), in 1722 - in Moscow (chief police chief). Everywhere in the provincial cities introduced in 1782 by the Charter of the deanery. The chief of police headed the council of the deanery, and from the 2nd half of the 19th century, the city police department.

Colonel - military rank of the 6th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, 5th class - in artillery and engineering troops and 4th class - in the guard until 1798, and then 6th class in all branches of the military. Corresponded to the ranks of captain 1-ro rank and collegiate adviser.

School District Trustee - an official of the Ministry of Public Education, who was in the 3rd - 4th grade according to the Table of Ranks, who managed educational institutions in the territory under his jurisdiction, which included several provinces. In 1803, all educational institutions of the Ministry of Public Education were administratively divided into 6 educational districts; by the beginning of the twentieth century. the number of educational districts increased to 12.

Lieutenant - military rank of 12th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, 10th class - in artillery and engineering troops and 9th class - in the guard until 1798, then 10th class in all branches of the military, except for the guard, where he stayed in 9th grade. He corresponded to the ranks of a centurion, midshipman and collegiate secretary.

Posadnik - elected official in Novgorod and Pskov. The posadnik, representing the most noble boyar families, convened a veche, led the troops, fortified the city and its suburbs, and negotiated issues of war and peace.

Bedding - a court position, whose duties included monitoring the cleanliness, decoration and safety of the royal bed. The boyars close to the tsar were usually appointed bed wardens.

Honorable guardian - an honorary title equivalent to the 3rd class of civil service officials according to the Table of Ranks. Established in 1798 to reward members of the boards of trustees (bodies in charge of charitable institutions) and was given to the nobles who made large donations to charitable purposes.

Ensign - military rank of 14th class according to the Table of Ranks in the infantry, 13th class - in artillery and engineering troops and 12th class - in the guard until 1884. Since 1884 he was transferred to the 13th class and was assigned to reserve officers in wartime.

Marshal of the nobility(provincial, county) - a representative of the nobility of the province or county, elected by the relevant Noble Assembly for 3 years (could be re-elected), in charge of the class affairs of the nobility and holding an influential place in the local administration and self-government bodies. For the duration of his duties, the provincial marshal of the nobility enjoyed the rights of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks, and the county - 5th class. Those who served in elections in this position for three terms received the right to this rank.

Prime Major - in 1731 - 1797 the upper step of the military rank of the 8th class according to the Table of Ranks (major).

Captain - military rank in the cavalry, until 1884 - 9th, and since 1884 - 8th class according to the Table of Ranks, corresponded to the rank of captain.

Rynda - royal squire, bodyguard, appointed from the stolniks and solicitors, guards of honor at the reception of ambassadors.

Retinue of His Imperial Majesty - from the beginning of the 19th century. consisted of generals, admirals and officers of the land and naval forces, who were especially close to the emperor and had a special retinue rank (general, attached to the Special E.I.V., adjutant general, retinue E.I.V. major general or rear admiral, adjutant wing), granted to them in addition to the general military ranks they had. Award to E.I.V. was carried out at the direct discretion of the emperor, and the number of persons in the retinue was not limited. The duties of the members of the Retinue included the fulfillment of special assignments of the emperor, as well as duty with the emperor in his residences or at ceremonies outside them. An important privilege of the adjutant generals on duty was to announce the emperor's oral orders.

Retinue E.I.V. major general - retinue rank, assigned to persons who had the corresponding military rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks.

Retinue E.I.V. rear admiral - retinue rank, assigned to persons who had the corresponding naval rank of the 4th class according to the Table of Ranks.

Retinue E.I.V. quartermaster - service quartermaster unit of the Russian army, later transformed into a service of the General Staff.

Second Major - in 1731 - 1797 the lower step of the military rank of the 8th class according to the Table of Ranks (major).

Senator - member of the ruling Senate, established in 1711 as the highest state institution, and in the XIX - early XX centuries. acting as the highest judicial instance and the highest body of administrative supervision. He was appointed by the emperor and was in the rank of at least 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks.

Centurion - commander of a unit (hundreds) in the Russian army until the beginning of the 18th century; military rank in the Cossack troops, in 1798 - 1884. - 12th grade, since 1884 - 10th grade according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant, midshipman and collegiate secretary.

sleeping bag - court rank in the Russian state until the beginning of the 18th century. He was subordinate to the bedkeeper, was on duty in the sovereign's room, undressed and dressed him, accompanied him on trips. Station bailiff - the official of the county police, who was in charge of police relations with the camp, a certain part of the county, was subordinate to the police officer.

State lady - court honorary title for ladies. The title was awarded mainly to spouses of major civil and military ranks, most of them belonged to well-born noble families, many were cavalry ladies (who had the ladies' order of St. Catherine). They did not have any specific duties at court, they could not even take part in court ceremonies and appeared at court only on solemn occasions. Of the state ladies, chamberlains and obergofmeisterins were appointed.

State Councillor - civil rank of the 5th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of the brigadier of the army and the captain-commander of the fleet.

Secretary of State H.I.V.- in the 18th century this title was worn by persons who acted as personal secretaries of the emperor. Since the middle of the 19th century, it has been an honorary title bestowed personally by the emperor on major dignitaries of the civil department, as a rule, not lower than the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks. They had the right to transmit oral orders of the emperor.

Stolnik - a petty court rank, whose duties included serving at the table during feasts and performing various tasks for the king. Almost all representatives of aristocratic families began their service in the stolniks, later advancing to the boyar ranks, and also the nobles served, for whom the rank of stolnik was the pinnacle of their career. The stolniks, who were part of the tsar's inner circle, were called room stewards.

Solicitor - a petty court rank, whose duties included watching the king's dress and serving it when dressed. Like the stewards, the lawyers also carried out various assignments of the king, served as city and regimental governors. Solicitor with a key - palace housekeeper.

Privy Councilor - civil rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of lieutenant general and vice admiral.

Titular Advisor - civil rank of the 9th class according to the Table of Ranks. Corresponded to the ranks of staff captain, staff captain, lieutenant.

Comrade Minister - the position of deputy minister, introduced in 1802 with the creation of ministries in Russia. He was, as a rule, in the 3rd - 4th grade according to the Table of Ranks. Each minister had one or more comrades (deputies).

Tysyatsky - military commander who led the ancient Russian city militia ("thousand"). Later in Novgorod - elective position, assistant posadnik; led the Novgorod army. Flag Captain - officer position in the squadron, corresponding to the senior adjutant.

Adjutant Wing - junior retinue rank, assigned to the headquarters of the chief officers of the army and navy. For the adjutant wing, there were preferential conditions for promotion to ranks, regardless of vacancies. The rank was retained for those whose rank was not higher than the rank of colonel or captain of the 1st rank, and was removed from the general ranks during production (often the former adjutant wing, who received the military rank of major general or rear admiral, was enlisted in the retinue of E.I. .AT.).

maid of honor - junior court rank for maidens. When you get married, it was automatically removed. But, despite this, they retained the right to be introduced to the Empress and receive invitations to balls in the Great Hall of the Winter Palace along with their husbands, regardless of the rank of the latter.

Master of Ceremonies - court rank of the 5th class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1743. Participated in court ceremonies.

Chashnik - official of the royal administration, who led a special palace institution, which was in charge of drinking affairs, a also beekeeping; served the king at dinner parties and festive feasts, were among the closest advisers to the sovereign.

Shlyakhtich - a nobleman in the Commonwealth; in the eighteenth century so the Russian nobles were also called.

Headquarters officers - military and civil ranks of the 6th - 8th grades according to the Table of Ranks.

Staff captain - rank of officer of the infantry, artillery and engineering troops, in 1797 - 1884. - 10th class, and since 1884 - 9th class according to the Table of Ranks, 8th class - in the guard. Corresponded to the ranks of staff captain, lieutenant and titular adviser.

Staff captain - rank of cavalry officer in 1797 - 1884 - 10th class according to the Table of Ranks, since 1884 - 9th class, and in the guard - 8th class. Corresponded to the rank of staff captain, lieutenant and titular adviser.

Ringmaster - court rank of the 3rd class according to the Table of Ranks, first introduced in 1773 and in charge of the court stables, grooms, carriages.

Executor - an official who was in charge of the economic part of the institution and supervised the external order in the work of clerical servants.

Literature: Shcherbachev O.V. // Noble calendar: A reference genealogical book of the Russian nobility. SPb., 1999; Shepelev. // L.E. The bureaucratic world of Russia in the 18th - early 20th centuries. SPb., 1999; Fedorchenko F. // Noble families that glorified the fatherland. M. Olma-Press. 2001.

The ranks of the Russian Army 1716-1722.

Preface.
In the article "Tables of military ranks. Russian Army 1716-1722" due to the lack of complete and reliable information that can be obtained exclusively from primary sources, I outlined the system of military ranks in a greatly simplified form, and I collected it from a large number of secondary sources, the authors of which there were historians who did not take the trouble to understand this complex system in due measure, and often simply incompetent people. To my deepest regret, I went along with them, although partly due to the fact that it is extremely difficult to find the original documents of the Petrine era today. However, thanks to V.V. Golubtsov from St. Petersburg, I acquired a copy of the Military Charter of 1716, although, unfortunately, not a reprint edition, and now I have the opportunity to present the system of military ranks in a more correct form, although it is not completely accurate and correct. the creators themselves were able to state.

First of all, it should be noted that in those days military ranks in the sense in which we understand them today simply did not exist. For example, today a person with the rank of "captain" can perform the positions of company commander, head of the regiment's first-aid post, orchestra conductor, battery commander, commander of the special forces group, head of the missile crew, head of the financial service of the regiment, assistant chief of staff of the regiment, head of physical training and sports of the regiment, and many more positions.
Those. the rank of an officer is divorced from his duties and, in fact, simply means the level of his military qualifications.

In the 18th century, things were very different. Military ranks did not exist at all. There were well-defined positions, or as they were then called - ranks. For example, the captain was an officer who commanded a company. If he was removed from command of the company, he ceased to be a captain. Those. based on philology, the words "captain" and "company commander" are synonyms.
If an officer of this level (rank) performed a different position, then he was called differently. For example, in the artillery, he was called the "shtik-hauptman", and the officer used by the field marshal general to carry out his assignments was called the "adjutant wing of the field marshal general." Everything is strictly according to the duties performed.

Actually, in civilian life it is the same now. If a person manages a plant, then he is called "Director" or "Director of the plant". And if he was fired, then he is no longer a director.

From the author. Analyzing the ranks in the Charter, it turned out to be extremely difficult to build their hierarchy. Basically, there is a listing of ranks, i.e. positions available in a company, regiment, higher management structures without division into lines, say, command, rear, legal, medical. In many cases, the rank or level of a particular rank is not indicated, which will be determined somewhat later (Table of Ranks of 1722). Perhaps the only criterion by which it turned out to be possible to at least somehow arrange the ranks according to their levels is the number of portions and rations, i.e. products issued to military personnel. For example, a field marshal general received 200 servings, and a soldier received one serving. All other ranks received the appropriate amount of products, obviously depending on the hierarchical position of this rank in the army.

Readers' attention should also be drawn to the frequently used word "general". At that time the word was used in two senses. Firstly, "General" as the designation of the highest military leader, and secondly, "General" as the designation of the chief specialist (auditor general, professional general). Therefore, one should not be surprised to meet generals of rank below the captain in the table below.

I tried to give the names of the ranks in the spelling in which they are in the Charter. I did not dare to compare them with modern ranks in the way I usually do in rank tables (using the coding of ranks that I developed). This will not be correct in all cases.

The names of the ranks given in the tables will in some cases be incomprehensible to the modern reader. Therefore, below the tables a brief explanation of these ranks is given, i.e. what did the military man wearing this rank do.

Each cell of the table lists all available ranks of the same level (rank). The charter divides all ranks into the following groups:
* General ranks;
* Headquarters officer ranks;
* Chief officer ranks;
* Non-commissioned officer ranks.

From the author. It is curious that later the non-commissioned officers in the Russian Army were somehow gradually and imperceptibly shifted to the soldiers and ceased to be considered related to the officers, while the Charter of 1716 considered them to be officers, and not sergeants (as this category is called today) composition.

Category	№	Governing bodies	Infantry Regiment Headquarters	Infantry company
General ranks	1	Generalissimo
	2	Field Marshal General
	3	General-Kriegs-Komisar
	4	General Field Marshal Lieutenant
	5	General of Infantry General of the cavalry
	6	General Lieutenant
	7	General Major
	8	Brigadier
Headquarters officer ranks	9	General Quartermaster Oberster-Kriegs-Komisar Adjutant General Sovereign	Colonel
	10	Ober-Komisar Chief Engineer* Feld-Kriegs-Zalmeister** General Quartermaster Lieutenant High Field Priest Auditor General
	11	General Auditor Lieutenant Adjutant General of General Feldmarshalkov	Lieutenant colonel
	12	General Staff Quartermaster General-Adjutant General Feldmarshalkov-Lieutenant General Fiscal
	13	Field postmaster Chief Quartermaster
	14	General Wagenmeister
	15	Generals-Adjutant General of Infantry Generals Adjutant General of the Cavalry	Prime Major
	16		Secund Major
	17	Secretary General Feldmarshalkov Secretary of the Commissariat Feld-Medicus Ober-Fiscal
Chief officer ranks	18	Adjutant Wing of General Feldmarshalkov Wing-Adjutant of General Feldmarshalkov-Lieutenant Adjutant Wing of General Feldmarshalkov Wing-Adjutant General of Infantry Wing-Adjutant of the General from the cavalry Lieutenant General's Adjutant Wing		Captain
	19	Secretary General Feldmarshalkov-Lieutenant
	20	Secretary General of Infantry Secretary General of the Cavalry Chief Auditor Chief Quartermaster field doctor
	21	General Prophos General Gewaldiger Field Apothecary Captain over the reins
	22			Lieutenant Captain
	23			Lieutenant
	24			Sub-lieutenant
	25	Field courier Headquarters Furier	Fiscal
	26	Adjutant Major General	Quartermaster	Ensign
Non-commissioned officer ranks	27	Head physician	Komisar Adjutant
	28	Scribe to General Feldmarshalkov Under Commissar	Auditor Pop healer	Sergeant
	29	Scribe to General Feldmarshalkov-Lieutenant Infantry General's Scribe Cavalry General's Scribe Lieutenant General's Scribe Major General's Scribe Brigadier's clerk Scribe to provisions Apothecary gezel	Provisional master Obozny Clerk Profos	Ensign Captainarmus Furier Corporal Company clerk Company paramedic
privates	30			corporal
	31			Saldat Leibshitz pfeiffer Oboist Flaker Drummer

* It is not clear why the chief engineer was separated from the engineering troops and assigned to the administrative bodies. Obviously due to the fact that his place was with the commander.
** This rank in a number of cases is referred to in the Charter as "General-Kriegskalmeister". It turned out to be impossible to distribute on the table such ranks of this service as Kriegscalmeister, Kriegskasirer and Pisar. The ranks of these ranks are not defined in any way and the portion norms are not defined by them.

Category	№	Headquarters of the Dragoon Regiment	Dragoon company	Artillery	Engineers
General ranks	5			Feldzeigmeister General
Headquarters officer ranks	9	Colonel		Colonel	Colonel
	10			Chief Commissar
	11	Lieutenant colonel		Lieutenant colonel	Lieutenant colonel
	15	Prime Major		Adjutant General of the Feldzeugmeister General Hauptmann-Head Ober Hauptmann Major	Major
	16	Secund Major
Chief officer ranks	18		Captain	Adjutant Wing of the Feldzeugmeister General Shtik-Hauptman Schanz-Hauptmann*	Captain
	20			Secretary General Feldzeugmeister Quartermaster
	23		Lieutenant		Lieutenant
	24		Sub-lieutenant
	25	Fiscal
	26	Quartermaster	Ensign	Shtik-Junker	Ensign Quartermaster
Non-commissioned officer ranks	27	Komisar Adjutant		Master saddleman Feldzeig-Warter. Zeigschreiber.
	28	Auditor Pop healer	Wahmister	Ober-Fireworksmeister Auditor Field Priest healer Ober-Wagenmeister (upper convoy) Artillery clerk Master blacksmith. saddlery clerk Brukenmeister (or bridge master) *.	Feld-webel healer
	29	Provisional master Obozny Clerk Profos	Furier Company clerk Company paramedic	Unter Wagenmeister (lower convoy). Provisional master Provisional clerk. Zeigdiner (corporal). Furier. Under blacksmith master. False master (corporal) Saddle master. belt master Core master. A carpenter suede master Vervosh Master Profos Unter-surrier clerk Konoval	Corporal
privates	30		corporal		corporal
	31		Dragoon Leibshitz Company Blacksmith, Company Saddleman	Zeigdiner horse. Zeigdiner infantry. Furier shitz. Medical apprentice. blacksmith apprentice false master Belt apprentice. Koret apprentice. carpentry apprentice suede apprentice Rope Apprentice Powder guard. Wagenbauer (cart builder). A servant at the shores. Artillery servant. Butcher. Khlebnik. Melnik. Drummer	Pioneer digger petarier A carpenter Private

* It is not entirely clear why the ranks of Schanz-Hauptmann and Brukenmeister are assigned to artillery, while these are just engineering specialists. The first is a specialist in the field of field fortification, and the second in the field of building bridges and crossings.

Let us explain the essence of the duties performed by some ranks.

Brigadier- this is the commander of a temporary formation, made up of 2-3 regiments, and the regiments of dragoons and infantry, or only dragoons, or only infantry, can be combined into a brigade. Since this connection is temporary, the rank of brigadier is also temporary.

The division and the corps were also temporary associations (a division of several brigades, a corps of several brigades or divisions). Naturally, it is wrong to correlate the ranks of major general and lieutenant general with the positions of division and corps commander. Actually, at the head of the army was a field marshal general, who had a deputy (field marshal lieutenant general). He was assisted by three generals (general of infantry, general of cavalry and general feldzeugmeister). The first of them was responsible for all infantry, the second for all cavalry, the third for artillery and engineering troops.

In general, they were only considered real generals. Below were lieutenant generals, i.e. assistant generals and even lower major generals, i.e. "chief majors", who, on an army scale, played approximately the same role as majors in regiments, i.e. senior officers are really responsible for everything. Usually in the army with real generals there was one lieutenant general and 4-6 major generals each. Naturally, as needed, several regiments were temporarily reduced to brigades, divisions, and sometimes even corps. Naturally, the general of the infantry (of the cavalry) instructed one of his assistants to head one of these temporary associations.

But due to the importance of these ranks, they were all reduced to the category of generals.

The Feldzegmeister General was responsible for all artillery and engineering troops, as well as for the infantry and cavalry transferred to him.

But regiments and companies, these were permanent military formations. Here the ranks were more stable.

Colonel. Regiment in command.

Lieutenant colonel. Substitutes for the Colonel in his absence. In battle, he leads one of the two or three battalions into which the front of the regiment is divided.

Major. Senior officer of the regiment. Supervises the daily activities of the regiment, the training of personnel.

Captain. Commands a company.

Lieutenant Captain. Deputy captain.

Lieutenant. Senior assistant to the captain.

Sub-lieutenant. Mate.

Ensign. Junior Assistant Captain. Responsible for the safety of the company banner, but wears it only in battle. Also responsible for the supervision of the sick, wounded and otherwise infirm. In the campaign, he is responsible for the stragglers from the company.

From the author. It is worth noting that in the Russian Army, companies began to be divided not into corporals, but into platoons already in the middle of the 19th century. But even then the platoon was commanded not by an officer, but by a senior non-commissioned officer. Lieutenants, second lieutenants and warrant officers were assistants to the company commander, but not platoon commanders. True, it was a common practice that the company commander entrusted constant supervision of the first two platoons to a lieutenant and the second two platoons to a second lieutenant. In army usage, the name "half-company" has taken root. But this division was unofficial.

The officer position of a platoon commander, at least in the Red Army, became only by the mid-thirties.

Kriegskomisar General(in the text of the charter, this rank is written both as General-Krigs-Komisar and as General-Krigskomisar) speaking in modern terms, this is the deputy commander for rear. He is responsible for all aspects of financial and economic activity, for providing the troops with money, clothing, food, transport property.
Due to the great importance of logistical support, the Kriegskommissar General was considered the second leader in the army after the Field Marshal, although he was not the head of other generals.

Ober Ster Kriegskomisar Deputy General-Kriegskommissar.

Officials who have the word "commissar" in the name of their ranks, respectively, perform similar duties in the lower levels of the army hierarchy.

Quartermaster General. Although he is called a general, his rank is colonel and the word general here means the concept of "chief". He is responsible for providing the army with maps, compiling maps, laying out routes for movement, for placing defensive fortifications and fortified camps on the ground. He also, during military operations and campaigns, assigns tasks to engineering troops for the construction of defensive structures, the repair and construction of roads and crossings on the routes of movement of troops. He also distributes the shelves to the places of quartering.

Officials who have the word "quartermaster" in the title of their ranks, respectively, perform similar duties in the lower levels of the army hierarchy. In the company, these duties are assigned to the furier.

General Auditor. Head of the Legal Service of the Army. Performs the duties of the main supervising body for the observance of laws in the army, i.e. prosecutor. But he also has the rights of a military judge.

Adjutants. This is far from what we are accustomed to understand by this word (something like a lackey in officer's shoulder straps or an officer for small personal assignments). They are rather the chiefs and employees of the personal headquarters of the corresponding generals. Their duties included the written fixation of orders and instructions given by the military leaders, the transfer of these orders to the appropriate lower commanders, control over the execution of orders and reporting to the military leaders of the results. Actually, all official communication of military leaders with subordinate units was carried out just through adjutants.
* The emperor had three adjutant generals (I remind you once again that the concept of "chief adjutant" is meant here) in the rank of colonels, and four adjutant wing in the rank of captains;
* The Field Marshal General had three adjutant generals in the rank of lieutenant colonels, and four adjutant wing in the rank of captains;
* Field Marshal Lieutenant General had two adjutant generals in the rank between lieutenant colonel and major, and three adjutant wing in the rank of captains;
* The general (from the infantry, from the cavalry, feldzeugmeister) had one adjutant general (pay attention to the name of the rank) in the rank of major, and two adjutant wing in the rank of captains;
* The lieutenant general had one adjutant wing in the rank of captain;
*Major General had one adjutant in the rank of ensign.

And finally, the regiment had an adjutant in non-commissioned officer rank.

It is worth noting that each general also had secretaries and a clerk. Thus, we see that the post-graduate course really was a kind of headquarters system.

This is much later with the development of a real staff service, which will happen by the beginning of the 19th century, the service of adjutants will really be reduced to the execution of personal assignments, and the rank of adjutant general and adjutant wing of the emperor will become just an honorary title.

Callmeister. Modern accountant.

The captain of the reins. An official responsible for ensuring that the troops move along the desired routes and arrive at the intended points. He is obliged to find guides among the local residents who know the surrounding area and provide them to the troops. Something like the head of the conductor service.

Wagenmeister. Starting from the highest position in this service, the General Wagenmeister, and down to the lowest - the Convoy, these are the persons responsible for the convoys, i.e. carts with horses, on which items and supplies necessary for the troops are loaded. Wagenmeister determines the number of wagons in each convoy, the routes and order of their movement, directs the movement. He is also responsible for the repair of roads and bridges, through which convoy cargo is delivered.

Furier. There is the name furier. Responsible for the distribution of houses between units and military personnel, the locations of units in the camp, the organization of the arrangement of tents in the camps, the placement of personnel in houses and tents.

Hoff headquarters. Court servants, providing comfortable accommodation and service to the reigning persons. At their head is Gough-Furier.

General Gewaldiger. He is Rumor Meister. The head of the service, which can be called the military police service. He oversees order and discipline among the soldiers, searches for and catches deserters, marauders. It has the right to execute fugitives and marauders.

Fiscal. What we now call the Special Section. He watches over all military personnel in order to timely identify enemy spies, traitors, pests, persons preparing to desert, entering into relations with the enemy. Investigates complex crimes. Reports to the top about all emergencies, disorders.

Prof. A person supervising prisoners and maintaining cleanliness in the locations of units. He also performs corporal punishment. The General Profos is responsible for the service of all Profos.

Sergeant. There is one sergeant in the company. In modern terms, this is the foreman of the company. In the cavalry, this rank is called Wahmister, in artillery Ober-Fierwerkmeister, in engineering units Feld-vebel. Manages all affairs in the company and commands all personnel in the absence of officers.

Captainarmus. A non-commissioned officer is one step below a sergeant. Responsible for the provision of ammunition, for the condition of weapons and their repair.

Ensign. In the campaign he carries the company banner, in battle he assists the ensign. Directly oversees the sick and those lagging behind on the march, being an assistant ensign in this matter.

Corporal. The name of this rank quickly transformed into a corporal. He commanded a corporal, i.e. 1/6 of the company (approximately 25-35 people. The company at that time was divided into 6 corporals.

From the author. A corporal is usually considered the most junior non-commissioned officer in command of a squad. However, it is worth knowing that the company was not divided into platoons and squads. The company was divided into corporals, which can be compared to a modern platoon. So corporal is a very high rank.

Corporal. Corporal's assistant.

From the author. For unclear reasons, this rank is not in the Charter in the lists of ranks of infantry and dragoon companies. He is mentioned only among the engineers, where he is called corporal. Obviously, before its publication, the Charter was not carefully read by anyone, ambiguities, uncertainties and inconsistencies were not eliminated by anyone.
Modern charters of the Russian Army also sin with this.

Leibshitz. A soldier in charge of the safety of an officer in combat. bodyguard.

The charter does not explain the ranks of the artillery - Zeugdiner equestrian and Zeigdiner infantry, but apparently, based on consonance with German words, this is a horse and foot artilleryman. Later, they will obviously be renamed gunners.

Also, the charter does not explain the ranks of Pioneer, Underminer, Petarier among engineers, but most likely this is a sapper, a miner and a bomber, respectively.

Sources and literature.

1. Charter of the military land. Printed by the command of the Tsar's Majesty in the St. Petersburg printing house of the Lord's Letter, 1716.
2. The book of the Charter of the sea. About everything related to good governance when the fleet was at sea. Printed by the command of the ROYAL MAJESTY in the St. Petersburg Printing House of the Lord's Letter 1720 April on the 13th day
3.O.Leonov, I.Ulyanov. Regular infantry. 1698-1801. AST. Moscow. 1995

Shoulder straps and ranks in the Russian army were created in order to clearly delineate duties between the military. The higher the status, the more responsibility is assigned to the soldier who was awarded the rank. Shoulder straps play an identification role, that is, they create a visual representation of a military man, namely: what position he holds, as well as his military rank.

Shoulder straps and ranks in the army play a very important role, and for different troops they have different external characteristics, as well as names. The reason here is that each type of troops has its own characteristics. For comparison, let's go over the land and sea shoulder straps and ranks of the Russian army.

Shoulder straps and ranks in the ground forces of the Russian army

Observance of subordination and knowledge of one's function in the general formation are the basis of military discipline. This is also said to ordinary soldiers who are just beginning to get acquainted in practice with military service. In the ground forces, military personnel are divided by composition.

The following military personnel are included in the number of draft and contact staff:

1. Private. This is the lowest rank of a soldier, from which all conscripts begin their military career. This rank can be considered higher, perhaps, than a cadet, since the latter only theoretically studies all the basics of military art, and the private is already being tested in practice. The shoulder straps of an ordinary soldier are clean, that is, they do not have any identification marks (as the conscripts themselves say, “clean shoulder straps - a clear conscience”).
2. Corporal. As a rule, the most distinguished privates can later be promoted to . It is received by the very best or senior privates, that is, obvious leaders in their environment. The epaulettes of the Russian Federation at the corporal already take on one thin strip as a distinctive sign. It is this symbol that gives other military personnel an idea of ​​​​the role of this soldier in the overall military structure. If the commander is absent for some reason, then he is replaced by a corporal.

After the fundamental ranks, sergeants and foremen follow. Further, it is they who follow in order of the hierarchy of shoulder straps and military ranks:

1. Lance Sergeant. This rank is an intermediate step between the corporal and the foreman. As a rule, promotion in rank means acceptance of a new position. upon receiving his new rank, he is appointed as a squad leader, or as a tank or vehicle. Another narrow stripe is added to the shoulder straps of Russia of a junior sergeant. This rank can also be obtained in exceptional cases if the soldier is sent to the reserve and at the time of sending he had the rank of corporal. However, this corporal should distinguish himself by merit and be one of the best.
2. Sergeant. This is the next link, to which the soldier passes after overcoming the rank of junior sergeant. Upon receipt of this title, shoulder straps are supplemented with another narrow strip. By this time, the soldier has three of them. It is referred to differently as "non-commissioned officer", and in many countries, especially in Germany, where the term comes from, it sounds the same.
3. Staff Sergeant. A soldier awarded this title receives one wide instead of three narrow stripes on the shoulder straps of the Russian army. occupies an intermediate step between foreman and sergeant.
4. Sergeant major. If before this rank the defining lines were located across the shoulder strap, then the wide line already goes along the shoulder strap. Among the military personnel of its composition, this rank is the most senior. As a rule, foremen are also an official and command an entire company. In relation to sergeants and soldiers who stand at the very first steps of military ranks, he is a commander. His job responsibilities include monitoring the observance of discipline among subordinates, suggesting to juniors what to do in a given situation, and ensuring that all subordinates fulfill their duties.

After that, the composition of the ranks of the RF Armed Forces goes into the category of ensigns:

1. Ensign. The shoulder straps of the military in this rank somewhat change their appearance, since instead of stripes, starting with the ensign, stars are used. At the ensign they are small and are available in the amount of two pieces. This is already a different level of military service, respectively, the requirements are being tightened in relation to the soldier who was awarded this rank.
2. Senior Warrant Officer. It is also an intermediate link between the ensign and officer ranks. Another small star is added to the shoulder straps. Just like on the shoulder straps of an ensign, red lines run along both sides. This rank of military personnel is used not only on the territory of the Russian Federation, but also in many other states.

The officer corps comes immediately after the composition of warrant officers, it includes the following ranks of military personnel:

1. Ensign. The first level of junior officers. The appearance of the shoulder strap also changes, as the two longitudinal stripes are replaced by one that runs from one edge to the other in the middle of the shoulder strap. When a soldier is promoted to the rank of junior lieutenant, three small stars are replaced by one larger one. The star is clearly on the red line. This title is used in the power structures of our country, as well as in the military hierarchy abroad.
2. Lieutenant. This title is used not only in the army, but also in such structures of our state as, for example, the police. It is the middle link between junior lieutenant and senior. On shoulder straps, instead of one star of medium size, there are two. However, not along the red line, but on its sides.
3. Senior lieutenant. A third star of medium size is added to the shoulder straps, which is located just above the two side ones, on the red center line. This military rank also applies to junior officers, it is used both in law enforcement agencies and the armed forces both in our country and on the territory of foreign states.
4. Captain. On the captain's shoulder straps, one more, fourth star of medium size is added, which is located just above the third and also on the red center line. This rank is available both in the ground forces of our country and in the navy. Initially, the chiefs of the military maritime districts were called captains, and later it acquired a modern meaning.

1. Major. The rank has one star, an order of magnitude more than the stars of a captain or lieutenant. Shoulder strap has two longitudinal red stripes. This rank is the first step in the senior officer corps.
2. Lieutenant colonel. Shoulder straps have two stars located on two red lines. It is the middle step between major and colonel. It is used in the national army, as well as in law enforcement structures of many European countries, as well as Russia.
3. Colonel. A third star is added to the shoulder straps, located just above the other two. This step is the final one in the senior officer corps. The name comes from the ancient concept of "regiment", that is, the head of this same regiment. The rank is used in the armed forces of our country, as well as in law enforcement agencies. The title exists not only in Russia, but also in other states.

The highest officers of our country are represented by generals, who also have their own internal military gradation:

1. Major General. This title is the first step in the so-called elite of our military hierarchy. Shoulder straps at this stage are crowned with large stars, this title has one such star. The red line now wraps around the entire shoulder strap.
2. Lieutenant general. A soldier of this rank was awarded two large stars on shoulder straps. Despite the fact that a major is higher than a lieutenant, a lieutenant general in the highest system of military service will be higher than a major general.
3. Colonel General. It has three large stars on shoulder straps, arranged in a row. Represents the middle link between a lieutenant general and an army general.
4. Army General. A soldier of this rank has four large stars. In the United States or Ukraine, it is the highest military rank. However, in countries where there are such ranks as field marshal or marshal, it is in second place in terms of seniority.
5. Marshal of the Russian Federation. The highest military rank in our country. On shoulder straps is the coat of arms of the Russian Federation and a star in a range of two colors - gold and silver. This title was established in 1993 by a relevant decree.

Military ranks and epaulettes in the naval forces of Russia

Obligations and status in the naval forces are similar to those used in the land, but the names of the sailors are different.

junior ranks:

• foreman 2 articles;
• foreman 1 article;
• chief foreman;
• chief ship foreman;
• midshipman;
• senior midshipman.

The gradation of ranks in the naval forces is as follows (starts with junior officer ranks):

1. Junior lieutenant, there is one stripe in the gap.
2. The lieutenant has two stars on the sides of the red line.
3. Senior lieutenant, there are three stars on shoulder straps.
4. Lieutenant-captain, there are four stars in the gaps.

Middle officer naval ranks are subdivided as follows:

1. Captain (rank 3), there are already two gaps on the shoulder straps of the middle link, and the stars are larger in size. At this rank, the star is between the red stripes.
2. Captain (rank 2), two stars located directly on the gaps.
3. Captain (1st rank), three stars, two on the stripes, one between them.

The composition of the highest category is characterized by the following titles:

1. Rear Admiral. Shoulder straps of this rank do not have gaps on them, stars are immediately embroidered on them. The size of the star is increasing again. Members of this rank wear one star.
2. Vice admiral. There are two stars on the shoulder straps.
3. Admiral. Soldiers of this rank wear three stars on shoulder straps.
4. Fleet Admiral. A serviceman awarded this rank, which is the highest in the navy, wears one large star on shoulder straps, which is 4 cm in diameter.

In any case, a soldier must pass the test of time before he can perform the duties of higher ranks.

: I propose: speech etiquette in the Russian Empire at the beginning of the twentieth century in everyday life and the army. From janitor to emperor.We read books, watch movies and TV series, go to theaters… We encounter “Your Excellency” and “Your Excellency”. However, it is difficult to find clear canons that regulate in detail the norms of circulation, and those works that exist are fragmentary and of little use. How is the theme?

The word "etiquette" was coined by the French king Louis XIV in the 17th century. At one of the magnificent receptions of this monarch, the invitees were given cards with the rules of conduct that guests must follow. From the French name of the cards - "labels" - the concept of "etiquette" came from - good manners, good manners, the ability to behave in society. At the courts of European monarchs, court etiquette was strictly observed, the execution of which required both the most august persons and the environment to comply with strictly regulated rules and norms of behavior, sometimes reaching the point of absurdity. So, for example, the Spanish king Philip III preferred to burn at his fireplace (his lace broke out) than to put out the fire himself (the person responsible for the court fire ceremonial was absent).

Speech etiquette- “nationally specific rules of speech behavior, implemented in a system of stable formulas and expressions in situations of “polite” contact with an interlocutor accepted and prescribed by society. Such situations are: addressing the interlocutor and attracting his attention, greeting, acquaintance, farewell, apology, gratitude, etc.” (Russian language. Encyclopedia).

Thus, speech etiquette is the norms of people's social adaptation to each other, it is designed to help organize effective interaction, restrain aggression (both one's own and others'), serve as a means of creating an image of "one's own" in a given culture, in a given situation.

Speech etiquette in the narrow sense of this term is used in etiquette situations of communication when performing certain etiquette actions. These actions can have the meaning of motivation (request, advice, offer, command, order, demand), response (reactive speech acts: consent, disagreement, objection, refusal, permission), social contact in the conditions of establishing contact (apology, gratitude, congratulations) , its continuation and completion.

Accordingly, the main etiquette genres are: greeting, farewell, apology, gratitude, congratulations, request, consolation, refusal, objection ... Speech etiquette extends to oral and written communication.

At the same time, each speech genre of speech etiquette is characterized by a wealth of synonymous formulas, the choice of which is determined by the sphere of communication, the characteristics of the communicative situation and the nature of the relationship of the communicants. For example, in a greeting situation: Hello! Good morning! Good afternoon! Good evening! (Very) glad to greet (see) you! Allow me to welcome you! Welcome! My regards! Hello! What a meeting! Well, meeting! Who do I see! and etc.

Thus, a greeting helps not only to perform the appropriate etiquette speech action at a meeting, but also to set a certain framework for communication, to signal official ( Allow me to welcome you!) or informal ( Hello! What a meeting!) relationships, set a certain tone, for example, playful, if a young man answers a greeting: My regards! etc. The rest of the etiquette formulas are distributed in a similar way according to the scope of their use.

Addressing (orally or in writing) to persons with ranks was strictly regulated and was called a title. All serfs should have known these cloying words, like "OUR FATHER". OTHERWISE THERE COULD BE BIG TROUBLES!!!

The subjects of the Russian sovereign were certainly punished for registration of the royal title. The punishment also depended on the seriousness of the offence. Punishment on this issue was the prerogative of the highest authority. The measure of punishment was fixed either in the tsar's personal decree, or in the tsar's decree with a boyar verdict. The most common punishments were whipping or batogs, imprisonment for an insignificant period. Indispensable punishment was not only the fact of distorting the title of the Russian sovereign, but also the application of one or more of its formulas to a person who did not have royal dignity. Even in an allegorical sense, the subjects of the Moscow sovereign were forbidden to use the words “tsar”, “majesty”, etc. in relation to each other. If such a fact took place, it served as a pretext for starting a search operation, placed under the control of the highest authority. An illustrative example is the “Nominal tsar's decree “On cutting the tongue of Pronka Kazulin, if it turns out on the wanted list that he called Demka Prokofiev the tsar of Ivashka Tatarinov.” It can be said that in the period under review, an encroachment on the royal title was actually equated with an encroachment on the sovereign.

Noble etiquette.

The following title formulas were used: a respectful and official address was "dear sir, gracious sir." So they turned to strangers, or with a sudden cooling or aggravation of relations. In addition, all official documents began with such appeals.

Then the first syllable was dropped and the words appeared "sir, madam". So they began to address wealthy and educated people, as a rule, strangers.

In the official environment (civilian and military), there were such rules of treatment: from the junior in rank and rank, it was required to address the senior in title - from “Your Honor” to “Your Excellency”; to persons of the royal family - “Your Highness” and “Your Majesty”; the emperor and his wife were addressed as "Your Imperial Majesty"; the grand dukes (close relatives of the emperor and his wife) were titled "imperial highness".

Often the adjective "imperial" was omitted, and when communicating, only the words "majesty" and "highness" were used ("To his majesty on behalf of ...").

Princes who did not belong to the royal house, and counts with their wives and unmarried daughters, were titled "Your Excellency", the most illustrious princes - "Your Grace".

Superiors addressed their subordinates with the word "master" with the addition of a surname or rank (position). People equal in title addressed each other without a title formula (for example, "Listen, Count ...".

Commoners, who did not know the ranks and insignia, used such appeals as master, mistress, father, mother, sir, madam, to the girls - young lady. And the most respectful form of address to the master, regardless of his rank, was "Your Honor."

military etiquette. The system of appeals corresponded to the system of military ranks. Full generals are supposed to say Your Excellency, lieutenant generals and major generals - Your Excellency. Officers, ensigns and candidates for a class position call the chiefs and seniors of the headquarters and chief officers by rank, adding the word master, for example, Mr. Captain, Mr. Colonel, other lower ranks title staff officers and captains - Your Highness, the rest of the chief officers - Your nobility (having a count or princely title - Your Excellency).

Departmental Etiquette used largely the same system of addresses as the military.

In the Russian state in the 16th-17th centuries, there was a practice of maintaining "ranks" - discharge books, in which records were annually entered on the appointments of service people to the highest military and government positions and on royal assignments to individual officials.

The first category book was compiled in 1556 under Ivan the Terrible and covered all appointments for 80 years from 1475 (starting with the reign of Ivan III). The book was kept in the discharge order. In the order of the Grand Palace, a book of “palace ranks” was kept in parallel, in which “everyday records” were entered about appointments and assignments in the court services of service people. Class books were abolished under Peter I, who introduced a unified system of ranks, enshrined in the Table of Ranks of 1722.

"Table of ranks of all ranks of military, civil and courtiers"- the law on the order of public service in the Russian Empire (the ratio of ranks by seniority, the sequence of rank production). Approved on January 24 (February 4), 1722 by Emperor Peter I, it existed with numerous changes until the 1917 revolution.

Quote: “Table of ranks of all ranks, military, civil and courtiers, in which class ranks; and who are in the same class- Peter I January 24, 1722

The Table of Ranks established the ranks of 14 classes, each of which corresponded to a specific position in the military, naval, civil or court service.

In russian language the term "rank" means the degree of distinction, rank, rank, category, category, class. By a decree of the Soviet government of December 16, 1917, all ranks, class ranks and titles were abolished. Today, the term "rank" has been preserved in the Russian Navy (captain of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd rank), in the hierarchy of diplomats and employees of a number of other departments.

When referring to persons who had certain ranks of the "Table of Ranks", persons equal in rank or inferior were required to use the following titles (depending on the class):

"YOUR HIGHNESS" - to persons in the ranks of the 1st and 2nd classes;

"YOUR EXCELLENCY" - to persons in the ranks of the 3rd and 4th classes;

"YOUR HIGHLIGHT" - to persons in the ranks of the 5th class;

"YOUR HIGHLIGHTS" - to persons in the ranks of 6-8 classes;

"YOUR BLESSING" - to persons in the ranks of 9-14 classes.

In addition, in Russia there were titles used when referring to members of the Imperial House of the Romanovs and persons of noble origin:

"YOUR IMPERIAL MAJESTY" - to the emperor, empress and dowager empress;

"YOUR IMPERIAL HIGHNESS" - to the Grand Dukes (children and grandchildren of the emperor, and in 1797-1886, and great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of the emperor);

"YOUR HIGHNESS" - to the princes of imperial blood;

"YOUR HIGHNESS" - to the younger children of the emperor's great-grandchildren and their male descendants, as well as to the most serene princes by grant;

"YOUR LORD" - to princes, counts, dukes and barons;

"YOUR BLESS" - to all the other nobles.

When addressing clerics in Russia, the following titles were used:

"YOUR HIGH PRIESTNESS" - to metropolitans and archbishops;

"YOUR HIGHNESS" - to the bishops;

"YOUR HIGH REPODITY" - to archimandrites and abbots of monasteries, archpriests and priests;

"YOUR REVEREND" - to the protodeacons and deacons.

If an official was appointed to a position that was higher than his rank, he used the general title of the position (for example, the provincial marshal of the nobility used the title of III-IV classes - “your excellency”, even if by rank or origin he had the title “your nobility"). With a written official in the appeal of lower officials to higher ones, both titles were called, and the private one was used both by position and by rank and followed the general title (for example, “His Excellency the Comrade Minister of Finance, Privy Councilor”). From Ser. 19th century private title by rank and surname began to be omitted. With a similar appeal to a lower official, only the private title of the position was retained (the last name was not indicated). Equal officials addressed each other either as inferiors or by name and patronymic, indicating the common title and surname in the margins of the document. Honorary titles (except for the title of a member of the State Council) were usually also included in the title, and in this case the private title by rank, as a rule, was omitted. Persons who did not have a rank used the general title in accordance with the classes, to which the rank belonging to them was equated (for example, chamber junkers and manufactory advisers received the right to the general title “your honor”). When speaking to higher ranks, a common title was used; to equal and inferior citizens. ranks were addressed by name and patronymic or surname; to the military ranks - by rank with or without the addition of a surname. The lower ranks were supposed to address ensigns and non-commissioned officers by rank with the addition of the word “mister” (for example, “mister sergeant major”). There were also titles by origin (according to "dignity").

A special system of private and general titles existed for the clergy. The monastic (black) clergy were divided into 5 ranks: the metropolitan and archbishop were titled - "your eminence", the bishop - "your eminence", the archimandrite and abbot - "your reverend". The three highest ranks were also called bishops, and they could be addressed with the general title of "bishop". The white clergy had 4 ranks: the archpriest and priest (priest) were titled - "your reverend", the protodeacon and deacon - "your reverend".
All persons who had ranks (military, civil, courtiers) wore uniforms, according to the type of service and class of rank. The ranks of classes I-IV had a red lining on their overcoats. Special uniforms relied on persons with honorary titles (secretary of state, chamberlain, etc.). The ranks of the imperial retinue wore shoulder straps and epaulettes with the imperial monogram and aiguillettes.

The assignment of ranks and honorary titles, as well as appointment to positions, awarding orders, etc., was formalized by orders of the tsar for military, civil. and court departments and noted in the formulary (track record) lists. The latter were introduced as early as 1771, but received their final form and began to be conducted systematically from 1798 as a mandatory document for each of the persons who were in the state. service. These lists are an important historical source for studying the official biography of these individuals. Since 1773, lists of citizens began to be published annually. ranks (including courtiers) I-VIII classes; after 1858, the publication of lists of ranks I-III and separately IV classes continued. Similar lists of generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels and army captains were also published, as well as the "List of persons who were in the naval department and the fleet to admirals, headquarters and chief officers ...".

After the February Revolution of 1917, the title system was simplified. Ranks, titles and titles were abolished by the decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 10. 1917 "On the destruction of estates and civil ranks".

In a daily business environment (business, work situation), speech etiquette formulas are also used. For example, when summing up the results of work, when determining the results of selling goods or participating in exhibitions, when organizing various events, meetings, it becomes necessary to thank someone or, conversely, to reprimand, to make a remark. In any job, in any organization, someone may need to give advice, make a suggestion, make a request, express consent, allow, prohibit, refuse someone.

Here are the speech clichés that are used in these situations.

Acknowledgment:

Allow me (permit) to express (great, huge) gratitude to Nikolai Petrovich Bystrov for the excellent (perfectly) organized exhibition.

The firm (management, administration) expresses gratitude to all employees (teaching staff) for ...

I must express my gratitude to the head of the supply department for ...

Let me (permit) express my great (huge) gratitude ...

For the provision of any service, for help, an important message, a gift, it is customary to thank with the words:

I thank you for…

- (Big, huge) thank you (you) for ...

- (I) am very (so) grateful to you!

Emotionality, expressiveness of the expression of gratitude is enhanced if you say:

There are no words to express my gratitude to you!

I am so grateful to you that it is difficult for me to find words!

You can't imagine how grateful I am to you!

– My gratitude has no (knows) no boundaries!

Note, warning:

The firm (management, board, editorial office) is forced to issue a (serious) warning (remark) ...

To (great) regret (chagrin), I must (forced) to make a remark (to reprimand) ...

Often people, especially those in positions of power, find it necessary to express their suggestions, advice in categorical form:

Everyone (you) must (should)…

You should definitely do this...

Advice, suggestions expressed in this form are similar to an order or order and do not always give rise to a desire to follow them, especially if the conversation takes place between colleagues of the same rank. An incentive to act with advice, a proposal can be expressed in a delicate, polite or neutral form:

Allow me (let me) give you advice (advise you) ...

Allow me to offer you…

- (I) want (I would like, I want) to advise (offer) you ...

I would advise (suggest) you...

I advise (suggest) you...

Appeal with the request should be delicate, extremely polite, but without excessive fawning:

Do me a favor, do (my) request...

If it's not hard for you (it won't make it hard for you)...

Do not take it for work, please take ...

-(Not) can I ask you...

- (Please), (I beg you) let me ...

The request can be expressed with some categoricalness:

I strongly (convincingly, very) ask you (you) ...

Agreement, permission is worded as follows:

- (Now, immediately) will be done (done).

Please (permission, no objection).

Agree to let you go.

I agree, do (do) as you think.

In case of failure expressions are used:

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to help (permit, assist).

- (I) cannot (unable, unable) to fulfill your request.

At present, this (do) is not possible.

Understand, now is not the time to ask (make such a request).

I'm sorry, but we (I) cannot (can) fulfill your request.

- I have to forbid (refuse, do not allow).

Among business people of any rank, it is customary to resolve issues that are especially important to them in a semi-official setting. To do this, hunting, fishing, going out into nature are arranged, followed by an invitation to the dacha, to a restaurant, to a sauna. In accordance with the situation, speech etiquette also changes, it becomes less official, acquires a relaxed emotionally expressive character. But even in such an environment, subordination is observed, a familiar tone of expressions, speech "licentiousness" is not allowed.

An important component of speech etiquette is compliment. Tactfully and timely said, he cheers up the addressee, sets him up for a positive attitude towards the opponent. A compliment is said at the beginning of a conversation, at a meeting, acquaintance or during a conversation, at parting. A compliment is always nice. Only an insincere compliment is dangerous, a compliment for the sake of a compliment, an overly enthusiastic compliment.

The compliment refers to the appearance, testifies to the excellent professional abilities of the addressee, his high morality, gives an overall positive assessment:

You look good (excellent, fine, excellent, great, young).

You do not change (have not changed, do not age).

Time spares you (does not take).

You are (so, very) charming (smart, quick-witted, resourceful, reasonable, practical).

You are a good (excellent, excellent, excellent) specialist (economist, manager, entrepreneur, companion).

You are good (excellent, excellent, excellent) in managing (your) household (business, trade, construction).

You know how to well (perfectly) lead (manage) people, organize them.

It is a pleasure (good, excellent) to do business with you (to work, to cooperate).

Communication presupposes the presence of another term, another component that manifests itself throughout the entire duration of communication, is its integral part, serves as a bridge from one remark to another. And at the same time, the norm of use and the very form of the term have not been finally established, cause controversy, and are a sore spot in Russian speech etiquette.

This is eloquently stated in a letter published in Komsomolskaya Pravda (24.01.91) for Andrew's signature. They placed a letter under the title "Superfluous people." Here it is without abbreviations:

We, probably, in the only country in the world do not have people turning to each other. We don't know how to address a person! Man, woman, girl, granny, comrade, citizen - pah! Or maybe a female face, a male face! And easier - hey! We are nobody! Not for the state, not for each other!

The author of the letter in an emotional form, quite sharply, using the data of the language, raises the question of the position of a person in our state. Thus, the syntactic unit is appeal– becomes a socially significant category.

To understand this, it is necessary to comprehend what is the peculiarity of the address in the Russian language, what is its history.

From time immemorial, conversion has performed several functions. The main one is to attract the attention of the interlocutor. It - vocative function.

Since they are used as proper names as addresses (Anna Sergeevna, Igor, Sasha), and the names of people according to the degree of kinship (father, uncle, grandfather) by position in society, by profession, position (president, general, minister, director, accountant), by age and gender (old man, boy, girl) invocation beyond the vocative function points to the corresponding sign.

Finally, appeals can be expressively and emotionally colored, contain an assessment: Lyubochka, Marinusya, Lyubka, blockhead, dumbass, klutz, varmint, clever, beautiful. The peculiarity of such appeals lies in the fact that they characterize both the addressee and the addressee himself, the degree of his upbringing, attitude towards the interlocutor, emotional state.

The given address words are used in an informal situation, only some of them, for example, proper names (in their main form), the names of professions, positions, serve as addresses in official speech.

A distinctive feature of officially adopted appeals in Russia was the reflection of the social stratification of society, such a characteristic feature of it as veneration of rank.

Isn't that why the root in Russian rank turned out to be fruitful, giving life

Words: official, bureaucracy, dean, deanery, chinolove, chivalry, clerk, clerkship, disorderly, outrageous, rank-destroyer, chino-destroyer, clerk, thief, decorum, chivalry, obey, submission,

Phrases: not according to order, distribute according to order, order after order, big order, without disassembling the ranks, without ordering, order after order;

Proverbs: Honor the rank of rank, and sit on the edge of the smaller one; Bullet ranks do not parse; To a fool, that to a great rank, space is everywhere; As many as two ranks: a fool and a fool; And he would have been in the ranks, but it's a pity, his pockets are empty.

The formulas of dedications, appeals and signatures of the author himself, which were cultivated in the 18th century, are also indicative. For example, the work of M.V. Lomonosov "Russian Grammar" (1755) begins with a dedication:

To His Most Serene Sovereign, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, Duke of Holstein-Schleswig, Storman and Dietmar, Count of Oldenburg and Dolmangor and others, most gracious Sovereign ...

Then comes the call:

Most Serene Sovereign, Grand Duke, Most Gracious Sovereign!

And the signature:

Your Imperial Majesty, the most humble servant of Mikhail Lomonosov.

The social stratification of society, the inequality that existed in Russia for several centuries, was reflected in the system of official appeals.

First, there was the document "Table of Ranks", published in 1717-1721, which was then republished in a slightly modified form. It listed the military (army and navy), civil and court ranks. Each category of ranks was divided into 14 classes. So, to the 3rd class belonged lieutenant general, lieutenant general; vice admiral; secret adviser; the marshal, the master of ceremonies, the master of the chasseur, the chamberlain, the chief ceremonial master; to the 6th grade - colonel; captain of the 1st rank; collegiate adviser; cameras-furier; to the 12th grade - cornet, cornet; midshipman; provincial secretary.

In addition to the named ranks, which determined the system of appeals, there were your excellency, your excellency, your excellency, your highness, your majesty, most merciful (gracious) sovereign, sovereign and etc.

Secondly, the monarchical system in Russia until the 20th century preserved the division of people into estates. Class-organized society was characterized by a hierarchy of rights and duties, class inequality and privileges. Estates were distinguished: nobles, clergy, raznochintsy, merchants, philistines, peasants. Hence the appeals sir, madam in relation to people of privileged social groups; sir, sir - for the middle class or barin, lady for both, and the lack of a single appeal to representatives of the lower class. Here is what Lev Uspensky writes about this:

My father was a major official and engineer. His views were very radical, and by origin he was "from the third estate" - a commoner. But, even if a fantasy came to his mind to turn on the street: “Hey, sir, to Vyborgskaya!” or: “Mr. driver, are you free?” he would not rejoice. The driver, most likely, would have mistaken him for a spree type, or he would have simply been angry: “It’s a sin for you, gentleman, to break down over a simple person! Well, what kind of "sir" am I to you? You would be ashamed!" (Koms. Pr. 11/18/77).

In the languages ​​of other civilized countries, unlike Russian, there were appeals that were used both in relation to a person occupying a high position in society, and to an ordinary citizen: mr, mrs, miss(England, USA), senor, senora, senorita(Spain), signor, signora, signorina(Italy), sir, sir(Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia).

“In France,” writes L. Uspensky, “even the concierge at the entrance to the house calls the landlady “madame”; but the mistress, albeit without any respect, will turn to her employee in the same way: “Bonjour, Madame I see!”. A millionaire who accidentally got into a taxi will call the driver "monsieur", and the taxi driver will say to him, opening the door: "Sil vu ple, monsieur!" - "Please, sir!" There and this is the norm” (ibid.).

After the October Revolution, all the old ranks and titles were abolished by a special decree. Universal equality is proclaimed. Appeals lord - madam, gentleman - mistress, sir - madam, gracious sovereign (sovereign) gradually disappear. Only diplomatic language preserves the formulas of international courtesy. So, the heads of monarchical states are addressed: Your Majesty, Your Excellency; foreign diplomats continue to be called sir - madam.

Instead of all appeals that existed in Russia, starting from 1917–1918, appeals citizen and comrade. The history of these words is remarkable and instructive.

Word citizen recorded in the monuments of the XI century. It came to the Old Russian language from the Old Slavonic language and served as a phonetic version of the word city ​​dweller. Both of them meant "resident of the city (city)". In this meaning citizen found in texts dating back to the 19th century. So A.S. Pushkin has the lines:

Not a demon - not even a gypsy,
But just a citizen of the capital.

In the XVIII century, this word acquires the meaning of "a full member of society, the state."

The most boring title was of course the emperor.

Who was called "the sovereign"?

Word sovereign in Russia in the old days they used it indifferently, instead of a gentleman, a gentleman, a landowner, a nobleman. In the 19th century, the Most Gracious Sovereign addressed the tsar, the Most Gracious Sovereign addressed the great princes, and the Gracious Sovereign (when referring to the highest), my Gracious Sovereign (to an equal), my Sovereign (to the lowest) addressed to all private individuals. The words sudar (also with an emphasis on the second syllable), sudarik (friendly) were used mainly in oral speech.

When addressing men and women at the same time, "Ladies and gentlemen!" is often said. This is an unsuccessful tracing paper from the English language (Ladies and Gentlemen). Russian word gentlemen correlates equally with singular forms mister and mistress, and "lady" is included in the number of "gentlemen".

After the October Revolution, “sir”, “madame”, “master”, “mistress” were replaced by the word "comrade". It removed differences by gender (as they addressed both a man and a woman) and by social status (since a person with a low status could not be addressed as “sir”, “madame”). The word comrade with the surname before the revolution indicated membership in a revolutionary political party, including the communists.

The words "citizen" / "citizen" were intended for those who were not yet seen as "comrades", and to this day are associated with reporting from the courtroom, and not with the French Revolution, which introduced them into the practice of speech. Well, after perestroika, some "comrades" became "masters", and the appeal remained only in the communist environment.

sources

http://www.gramota.ru/

Emysheva E.M., Mosyagina O.V. — History of etiquette. Court etiquette in Russia in the 18th century.

And I'll remind you who they are The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -