Officials of the Military Ministry of the 5th and 8th grades. 1863

In the resulting system of veneration, titles became important. That is, forms of appeal to a person of a particular rank.

In the first third of the 18th century, three general titles were most commonly used: Your Excellency(for the ranks of the higher classes), Your Excellency(for senators) and your honor(for other ranks and nobles). By the end of the century there were already five such titles: I and II classes - your excellency;III and IV classes - Your Excellency;V Class - your nobility;VI - VIII classes - your honor;IX - XIV classes - your honor.

historical mosaic

Adjutant General Prince V. A. Dolgorukov.

The Moscow Governor-General, Adjutant General Prince V. A. Dolgorukov, strictly monitored the observance of his official seniority.

One day in 1879, he refused to attend a dinner at the Exchange Committee of the merchant society, "so as not to be the second person" among those present. It's just that Minister of Finance Greig and Chief Procurator of the Synod¹ Pobedonostsev had already been invited to dinner.

The following year, at a dinner at Prince A.P. Oldenburgsky, V.A. Dolgorukov expressed displeasure at the fact that he was put on the left hand of the hostess. The prince believed that he had been promoted to the rank earlier than the senator and real secret adviser M.P. Shcherbinin, who was in the same rank, but planted on the right hand of Princess Eugenia Maximilianovna of Oldenburg. The princess had to intervene and say that she "she herself appointed places according to the lists of seniority."

GO TO THE CLASSICS

Titles, uniforms and orders - a lot is said about this in A. S. Griboedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" (1824). Attitude towards them allows the author to show the worldview of the characters and serves as a criterion for their evaluation. Refusal to "search" for ranks and a critical attitude towards them are perceived by most characters as unreasonableness and a sign of freethinking.

Princess Tugoukhovskaya speaks with horror about her nephew Fyodor:

Chinov doesn't want to know!

Molchalin, trying to find out the cause of Chatsky's ironic irritability, asks him:

You were not given ranks, failure in the service?

And hears in response:

Ranks are given by people,

And people can be deceived.

He with naive cynicism explains the path to the rank:

I am quite happy in my comrades;

Vacancies are just open;

Then the elders will be turned off by others,

Others, you see, are killed.

Answering Famusov’s question whether his cousin “has an order in his buttonhole”, Skalozub explains that his brother and he received orders on the spot:

He was given with a bow, around my neck.

When meeting with an old friend, Chatsky asks him a question: “Are you a chief or headquarters?”

Chatsky's monologues are devoted to the denunciation of the cult of the uniform:

And in wives, daughters - the same passion for the uniform!

Have I renounced tenderness to him long ago?

In salon conversations, golden sewing of uniforms, “pimples², epaulettes, buttonholes” on them, narrow “waistlines” of uniforms are mentioned.

Recall another remark of Famusov:

The deceased was a respectable chamberlain,

With the key, and he managed to deliver the key to his son.

But what do all these concepts mean: Privy Councilor, Ober-Schenk, Adjutant General, Excellency, Count, white uniform and uniform embroidery, piping and diamond signs? More on this below.

historical mosaic

Kaiser Wilhelm II

At the beginning of the 20th century, Russia and Germany entered into a trade agreement. In connection with such major international events, gifts or awards should have been exchanged. At the Russian court, they knew that the German Kaiser Wilhelm II most of all loves all kinds of forms, orders and insignia. But how to reward Wilhelm? The situation was resolved by the German ambassador. He hinted to the Minister of Finance of the Russian government, S. Yu. Witte, that Wilhelm II would like to receive the uniform of a Russian admiral. The Kaiser's wish was granted.

WHO IS THE NOBLE?

The code of laws of the Russian Empire defined nobles or “nobles” as follows: “Noble means all those who are born from noble ancestors or have been granted this dignity by monarchs.”

However, by the time the “Table of Ranks” was introduced, it turned out that “some of them call themselves nobles,” and they are not truly nobles, while others arbitrarily adopted the coat of arms, which their ancestors did not have. Therefore, Peter I sternly warned: “it belongs to no one, except us and other crowned heads, who should be welcomed to the nobility with the coat of arms and seal.”

So, simply put, a nobleman is a landowner. That is, the owner of land and serfs. And for the right to own lands and receive income from them, the nobleman was obliged to serve the tsar and the fatherland.

In the time of Peter the Great, nobles were forced to serve for life. Peter III freed the nobles from compulsory service³ in 1762. At the same time, they now tried to lure the nobles into service with ranks, orders, and similar awards.

The title of nobleman could be earned, although the nobility received for service was considered second-class in society. Personal (not hereditary) nobles constituted a special group. They had no right to own serfs. Personal nobility extended only to the wife. Children of personal nobles enjoyed the right " chief officer's children". And since 1832 - by law hereditary honorary citizens.

The hereditary nobility generated attention to the origin, to the history of a kind in generations and the role in the history of the country, to the merits of its outstanding representatives. This title was issued in the form of pedigrees, family coat of arms, portraits of ancestors. All together evoked a sense of personal dignity and pride in their ancestors, made them take care of preserving a good name.

In 1861, the number of hereditary noble families in Russia was 150 thousand.

All the same nobles (together with their families) in 1858 in Russia, there were about a million people.

The noble origin of a hereditary nobleman was also expressed in the title common to all nobles - your nobility. In addition, nobility was also expressed in the right to wear a sword. When referring to a nobleman, the title was often replaced by the word " mister"(that is, the owner, owner). And serfs and servants also used the word " master', derived from ' boyar».

It is worth noting that in pre-revolutionary Russia, titles not established by law were also used in everyday life, such as "your degree", "your grace", "your honor" etc. Most often this was addressed to merchants if they did not have official titles.

"SPEAKING SURNAMES"

It was not customary to use the title "nobleman" in Russia. There were no special prefix particles for noble surnames, like “von” for the Germans, “don” for the Spaniards or “de” for the French. And yet, it was the surname, name and patronymic of a person that sometimes contained an indication of belonging to the nobility.

Charles Lebrun . Portrait of Ya. F. Dolgorukov, painted in 1687 during his visit to Paris.

The patronymic itself, which arose in Russia in the 16th century, was perceived as a reward. Not everyone could use it. The sovereign himself indicated who to write with “-vich”. Even Peter I allowed in 1697 to write with "-vich" to Prince Yakov Fedorovich Dolgorukov, and in 1700 - to the "eminent person" Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov. Under Catherine I, a list of the few persons who were supposed to be named with a patronymic was compiled in government documents.

"Eminent Man" Grigory Dmitrievich Stroganov

Surnames also appeared in Russia not immediately and not for everyone. In the XIV - XV centuries with the princes. And by the beginning of the 18th century, all the nobles already had surnames. They were formed most often on behalf of the father, from where the name of the possessions came from.

In general, there are quite a few ways to form noble families. A small group consisted of the names of ancient princely families, descended from Rurik. By the end of the 19th century, only five of them survived: Mosalsky, Yeletsky, Zvenigorodsky, Rostov (usually had double surnames) and Vyazemsky.

The surnames of Baryatinsky, Beloselsky, Volkonsky, Obolensky, Prozorovsky and some others came from the names of the estates.

Often surnames came from the nickname of a member of the family. He got a nickname for something that stood out.

It must be borne in mind that the surnames were not introduced by any law, but were established quite randomly. At the same time, there were some doubts on which surname to stop. And then there were doubles. For an example, turn to the names of the famous boyars of the Romanovs, to a native of this family, Patriarch Filaret. His grandfather was called Zakharyin-Yuriev after the names of his grandfather and father. The double surnames of the Bobrishchevs-Pushkins, Musins-Pushkins, Vorontsovs-Velyaminovs, Kvashnins-Samarins and others were preserved in the offspring. It is impossible not to mention such a rare formation as the Drutsky-Sokolinsky-Gurko-Romeiko.

There were other reasons for the doubling of surnames. In 1697, the Dmitriev nobles asked, in order to distinguish them “from many different ranks of small-born” with the same surname, to allow them to add the surname of a relative Mamonov and be called Dmitriev-Mamonov.

And under Paul I, the custom of transferring surnames that had been cut off along the male line to another family along the female line was established. So, in 1801, the name of Field Marshal Prince N.V. Repnin was transferred to his grandson - the son of a daughter who married one of the Volkonsky princes.

Many noble families were of non-Russian origin. Some were descended from Tatar families: Yusupovs, Urusovs, Karamzins. Some were of Western origin. The Englishman Hamilton, who arrived in Russia, was first called Gamantov, then Gamatov, and finally Khomutov. The German surname Levenshtein became Levshin.

HONORARY SURNAME

A. D. Menshikov

There were also special honorary names - titles. Receiving it, the recipient most often complained about the generic title. The custom of giving military leaders honorary titles after the names of the places where they won victories was borrowed from Ancient Rome. As early as the beginning of the 18th century, A. D. Menshikov received the first such name - the title of the Most Serene Prince of Izhora.

court ranks

Length of service until the next rank, the next civil rank

• Chancellor (Secretary of State)
• Active Privy Councilor 1st Class

• Field Marshal General
• Admiral General in the Navy

Not

• Active Privy Councilor
• Vice Chancellor

• General of Infantry (until 1763, from 1796)
• General of the cavalry (until 1763, from 1796)
• Feldzeugmeister General in Artillery (until 1763)
• General-anshef (1763-1796)
• General of artillery (since 1796)
• General Engineer (since 1796)
• General-plenipotentiary-kriegs-commissar (1711-1720)
• Admiral

• Chief Chamberlain
• Chief Marshal
• Master of the Horse
• Chief Jägermeister
• chief chamberlain
• ober-schenk
• Master of Ceremonies (since 1844)
• Ober-Vorschneider (since 1856)

• Privy Councilor (since 1724)

• Lieutenant General (until 1741, after 1796)
• Lieutenant General (1741-1796)
• Vice Admiral
• General-Kriegskommissar for Supply (until 1868)

• Knight Marshal
• Chamberlain
• Ringmaster
• Jägermeister
• Master of Ceremonies (since 1800)
• Ober-Vorschneider

• Privy Councilor (1722-1724)
• Active State Councilor (since 1724)

• Major General
• lieutenant colonel of the guard (1748-1798)
• General of Fortification (1741-1796)
• Schautbenacht in the Navy (1722-1740)
• Rear Admiral in the Navy (since 1740)
• Ober-Shter-Kriegskommissar for Supply (until 1868)

• Chamberlain (since 1737)

• State Councillor

• Brigadier (1722-1796)
• Captain-commander (1707-1732, 1751-1764, 1798-1827)
• Prime Major of the Guard (1748-1798)
• Sterkriegskommissar for supplies (until 1868)

• Master of Ceremonies (since 1800)
• Chamber Juncker (until 1809)

• Collegiate Counselor
• military adviser

• Colonel in the infantry
• Captain 1st rank in the fleet
• Second Major of the Guard (1748-1798)
• colonel of the guard (since 1798)
• Ober-Kriegskommissar for Supply (until 1868)

• Chamber Fourier (until 1884)
• Chamberlain (until 1737)

4 years ↗ State Councillor

• Court Advisor

• Lieutenant Colonel in the Infantry
• Military foreman of the Cossacks (since 1884)
• Captain 2nd rank in the fleet
• captain of the guard
• captain of the guard
• Kriegskommissar for Supply (until 1868)

Not

4 years ↗ Collegiate Counselor

VIII

• Collegiate Assessor

• Premier Major and Second Major (1731-1798)
• Major in the infantry (1798-1884)
• Captain in the infantry (from 1884-1917)
• Captain in the cavalry (from 1884-1917)
• Military foreman of the Cossacks (1796-1884)
• Yesaul at the Cossacks (since 1884)
• Captain of the 3rd rank in the Navy (1722-1764)
• Lieutenant Commander in the Navy (1907-1911)
• Senior Lieutenant in the Navy (1912-1917)
• staff captain of the guard (since 1798)

• Titular Chamberlain

4 years ↗ Court Advisor

• Titular Advisor

• Captain in the infantry (1722-1884)
• Staff captain in the infantry (from 1884-1917)
• Lieutenant of the Guard (since 1730)
• Captain in the cavalry (1798-1884)
• Staff captain in the cavalry (since 1884)
• Yesaul at the Cossacks (1798-1884)
• Podesaul at the Cossacks (since 1884)
• Captain Lieutenant in the Navy (1764-1798)
• Lieutenant Commander in the Navy (1798-1885)
• Lieutenant in the Navy (1885-1906, since 1912)
• Senior Lieutenant in the Navy (1907-1911)

• Chamber Juncker (after 1809)
• gof-furier

3 years ↗ Collegiate Assessor

• Collegiate Secretary

• Captain-lieutenant in the infantry (1730-1797)
• Staff captain in the infantry (1797-1884)
• Second captain in the cavalry (until 1797)
• Staff captain in the cavalry (1797-1884)
• Zeichwarter in the artillery (until 1884)
• Lieutenant (since 1884)
• Lieutenant of the Guard (since 1730)
• Podesaul at the Cossacks (until 1884)
• Centurion of the Cossacks (since 1884)
• Lieutenant in the Navy (1722-1885)
• Midshipman in the Navy (since 1884)

Not

3 years ↗ Titular Advisor

• Ship secretary (until 1834)

• Ship secretary in the fleet (until 1764)

Not

• Provincial Secretary

• Lieutenant (1730-1884)
• Second lieutenant in the infantry (from 1884-1917)
• Cornet in the cavalry (from 1884-1917)
• Ensign of the Guard (1730-1884)
• Centurion of the Cossacks (until 1884)
• Cornet with the Cossacks (since 1884)
• Non-commissioned lieutenant in the navy (1722-1732)
• Midshipman in the Navy (1796-1884)

• Valet
• Mundshank
• Tafeldecker
• Confectioner

3 years ↗ Collegiate Secretary

XIII

• Cabinet registrar
• Provincial Secretary
• Senate Registrar (1764–1834)
• Synod registrar (since 1764)

• Second lieutenant in the infantry (1730-1884)
• Ensign in the infantry (from 1884-1917, only in wartime)
• Second lieutenant in the artillery (1722-1796)
• Midshipman in the Navy (1860-1882)

Not

• Collegiate Registrar
• Collegiate junker (collegium junker) (1720-1822)

• Fendrik in the infantry (1722-1730)
• Ensign in the infantry (1730-1884)
• Cornet in the cavalry (1731-1884)
• Junker bayonet in artillery (1722-1796)
• Cornet with the Cossacks (until 1884)
• Midshipman in the Navy (1732-1796)

Not

3 years ↗ Provincial Secretary

Statutory address according to the class
I-II	III-IV		VI - VIII	IX-XIV
Your Excellency	Your Excellency	Your honor	your honor	your honor

Military ranks above the table of ranks - Generalissimo

The report card provided for three main types of service: military, civilian and court. Each was divided into 14 classes. Moving from class to class, starting from the bottom 14th, the employee made a career. Each class had to serve a certain number of years. But for special merits, the term was reduced. There were more positions in the civil service, and therefore the upward movement was faster.

In the 18th century, everyone who already had the lowest class rank, received and personal nobility. And the nobleman had a number of privileges. However, in military service hereditary nobility gave 14th grade, and in civilian life - only 8th. However, since the beginning of the 19th century, more and more non-nobles went to public service. And therefore, since 1845, in the civil service, hereditary nobility was received already from the fifth grade, and in the military - in the eighth.

Having established a clear system of ranks, the "Table of Ranks" followed the strict observance of the principle of seniority and rank. Among the holders of one rank, the one who served in the military service, or the one who had previously been granted this rank, was considered senior. Compliance with the principle of seniority was considered mandatory in all ceremonies: at court, during ceremonial dinners, at marriages, baptisms, burials, and even in churches during worship. There was a cruel rule: "Respect the rank of rank." And this principle extended to the wives and daughters of officials.

Generality:
General chase and:

-Field Marshal General* - crossed wands.
-general of infantry, cavalry, etc.(the so-called "full general") - without asterisks,
- lieutenant general- 3 stars
- major general- 2 stars

Headquarters officers:
Two gaps and:


-colonel- without asterisks.
- lieutenant colonel(since 1884, the Cossacks have a military foreman) - 3 stars
-major** (until 1884 the Cossacks had a military foreman) - 2 stars

Ober-officers:
One light and:


-captain(captain, captain) - without stars.
- staff captain(headquarters captain, podesaul) - 4 stars
-lieutenant(sotnik) - 3 stars
- second lieutenant(cornet, cornet) - 2 stars
- Ensign*** - 1 star

Lower ranks


-zauryad-ensign- 1 galloon stripe along the length of the shoulder strap with the 1st star on the stripe
- Ensign- 1 galloon stripe in the length of the epaulette
- sergeant major(wahmistr) - 1 wide transverse stripe
-st. non-commissioned officer(st. fireworks, st. constable) - 3 narrow cross stripes
- ml. non-commissioned officer(ml. fireworks, ml. sergeant) - 2 narrow cross stripes
- corporal(bombardier, orderly) - 1 narrow transverse stripe
-private(gunner, cossack) - without stripes

*In 1912, the last Field Marshal Dmitry Aleksevich Milyutin, who held the post of Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not awarded to anyone else, but nominally this rank was preserved.
** The rank of major was abolished in 1884 and was no longer restored.
*** From 1884, the rank of warrant officer was left only for wartime (it is only assigned during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either dismissal or they should be assigned the rank of second lieutenant).
P.S. Ciphers and monograms on shoulder straps are not conditionally placed.
Very often one hears the question "why does the junior rank in the category of staff officers and generals begin with two stars, and not with one like the chief officers?" When, in 1827, stars on epaulettes appeared in the Russian army as insignia, the major general received two stars on the epaulette at once.
There is a version that one star was supposed to be a foreman - this rank had not been assigned since the time of Paul I, but by 1827 they still existed
retired brigadiers who had the right to wear uniforms. True, epaulettes were not supposed to be retired military men. And it is unlikely that many of them survived until 1827 (passed
for about 30 years since the abolition of the brigadier rank). Most likely, the two general's stars were simply copied from the epaulette of a French brigadier general. There is nothing strange in this, because the epaulettes themselves came to Russia from France. Most likely, there was never a single general's star in the Russian imperial army. This version seems more plausible.

As for the major, he received two stars by analogy with the two stars of the Russian major general of that time.

The only exception was the insignia in the hussar regiments in the front and ordinary (everyday) form, in which shoulder cords were worn instead of shoulder straps.
Shoulder cords.
Instead of an epaulette of a cavalry type, the hussars on dolmans and mentics have
hussar shoulder cords. For all officers, the same from a gold or silver double soutache cord of the same color as the cords on the dolman for the lower ranks, shoulder cords from a double soutache cord in color -
orange for regiments having the color of the instrument metal - gold or white for regiments having the color of the instrument metal - silver.
These shoulder cords form a ring at the sleeve, and a loop at the collar, fastened with a uniform button sewn half an inch from the collar seam.
To distinguish the ranks, gombochki are put on the cords (a ring from the same cold cord covering the shoulder cord):
-y corporal- one, of the same color with a cord;
-y non-commissioned officers tricolor gombochkas (white with St. George's thread), in number, like stripes on shoulder straps;
-y sergeant major- gold or silver (as for officers) on an orange or white cord (as for lower ranks);
-y ensign- a shoulder cord of a smooth officer with a gombochka of a sergeant-major;
officers on officer cords have gombos with stars (metal, as on shoulder straps) - in accordance with the rank.

Volunteers wear twisted cords of Romanov colors (white-black-yellow) around the cords.

The shoulder cords of the ober and headquarters officers do not differ in any way.
Headquarters officers and generals have the following differences in uniform: on the collar of a dolman, generals have a wide or gold galloon up to 1 1/8 inches wide, and staff officers have a gold or silver galloon 5/8 inches wide, which has the full length "
hussar zigzags", and for chief officers, the collar is sheathed with only one cord or filigree.
In the 2nd and 5th regiments of the chief officers along the upper edge of the collar, there is also galloon, but 5/16 inches wide.
In addition, on the cuffs of the generals there is galloon, the same as the one on the collar. The stripe of galloon comes from the cut of the sleeve with two ends, in front it converges over the toe.
For staff officers, the galloon is also the same as the one on the collar. The length of the entire patch is up to 5 inches.
And the chief officers are not supposed to galloon.

Below are pictures of the shoulder cords

1. Officers and generals

2. Lower officials

The shoulder cords of the chief, staff officers and generals did not differ in any way from each other. For example, it was possible to distinguish a cornet from a major general only by the appearance and width of the braid on the cuffs and, in some regiments, on the collar.
Twisted cords relied only on adjutants and aide-de-camp!

Shoulder cords of the adjutant wing (left) and adjutant (right)

Officer's epaulettes: lieutenant colonel of the air squadron of the 19th army corps and staff captain of the 3rd field air squadron. In the center are shoulder boards of the cadets of the Nikolaev Engineering School. On the right is the epaulette of a captain (most likely a dragoon or lancer regiment)

The Russian army in its modern sense began to be created by Emperor Peter I at the end of the 18th century. The system of military ranks of the Russian army took shape partly under the influence of European systems, partly under the influence of the historically established purely Russian system of ranks. However, at that time there were no military ranks in the sense in which we are accustomed to understand. There were specific military units, there were also quite specific positions and, accordingly, their names. company commander. By the way, in the civil fleet even now, the person in charge of the ship's crew is called the "captain", the person in charge of the seaport is called the "port captain". In the 18th century, many words existed in a slightly different sense than they do now.
So "General" meant - "chief", and not just "highest military leader";
"Major"- "senior" (senior among regimental officers);
"Lieutenant"- "assistant"
"Outbuilding"- "younger".

"Table of ranks of all ranks of military, civilian and courtiers, in which class the ranks are acquired" was put into effect by the Decree of Emperor Peter I on January 24, 1722 and lasted until December 16, 1917. The word "officer" came into Russian from German. But in German, as in English, the word has a much broader meaning. In relation to the army, this term means all military leaders in general. In a narrower translation, it means - "employee", "clerk", "employee". Therefore, it is quite natural - "non-commissioned officers" - junior commanders, "chief officers" - senior commanders, "headquarters officers" - staff members, "generals" - the main ones. Non-commissioned officer ranks also in those days were not ranks, but were positions. Ordinary soldiers were then named according to their military specialties - musketeer, pikeman, dragoon, etc. There was no name "private", and "soldier", as Peter I wrote, means all military personnel ".. from the highest general to the last musketeer, cavalry or on foot ..." Therefore, soldier and non-commissioned officer ranks were not included in the Table. The well-known names "second lieutenant", "lieutenant" existed in the list of ranks of the Russian army long before the formation of the regular army by Peter I to designate military personnel who are assistants to the captain, that is, the company commander; and continued to be used within the framework of the Table as Russian-language synonyms for the positions "non-commissioned lieutenant" and "lieutenant", that is, "assistant" and "assistant". Well, or if you want - "assistant officer for assignments" and "officer for assignments." The name "ensign" as more understandable (wearing a banner, ensign), quickly replaced the obscure "fendrik", which meant "candidate for an officer's position. Over time, there was a process of separation of the concepts of "position" and "rank". After the beginning of the 19th century, these concepts were already separated quite clearly. With the development of means of warfare, the advent of technology, when the army became large enough and when it was necessary to compare the official position of a fairly large set of job titles. It was here that the concept of "rank" often began to obscure, divert the concept " position".

However, in the modern army, the position, so to speak, is more important than the rank. According to the charter, seniority is determined by position, and only with equal positions is the one with a higher rank considered older.

According to the "Table of Ranks", the following ranks were introduced: civil, military infantry and cavalry, military artillery and engineering troops, military guards, military fleets.

In the period from 1722-1731, in relation to the army, the system of military ranks looked like this (the corresponding position in brackets)

Lower ranks (ordinary)

By specialty (grenadier. Fuseler ...)

non-commissioned officers

Corporal(part-commander)

Fourier(deputy platoon commander)

Captainarmus

Ensign(foreman of a company, battalion)

Sergeant

Feldwebel

Ensign(Fendrik), junker bayonet (art) (platoon leader)

Second Lieutenant

lieutenant(deputy company commander)

lieutenant captain(company commander)

Captain

Major(deputy battalion commander)

Lieutenant colonel(battalion commander)

Colonel(commander of the regiment)

Brigadier(brigade leader)

generals

Major General(division commander)

lieutenant general(corps commander)

General-anshef (General Feldzekhmeister)- (commander of the army)

Field Marshal General(commander-in-chief, honorary title)

In the Life Guards, the ranks were two classes higher than in the army. In the army artillery and engineering troops, the ranks are one class higher than in the infantry and cavalry. During the period 1731-1765 the concepts of "rank" and "position" are beginning to separate. So in the state of the field infantry regiment of 1732, when indicating the staff ranks, it is already written not just the rank of "quartermaster", but the position indicating the rank: "quartermaster (of the lieutenant rank)". With regard to officers of the company level, the separation of the concepts of "position" and "rank" is not yet observed. In the army "fendrick" is replaced by " ensign", in the cavalry - "cornet". Ranks are being introduced "Second Major" and "Prime Major" During the reign of Empress Catherine II (1765-1798) ranks are introduced in the army infantry and cavalry junior and senior sergeant, sergeant major disappears. Since 1796 in the Cossack units, the names of the ranks are the same as the ranks of the army cavalry and are equated to them, although the Cossack units continue to be listed as irregular cavalry (not part of the army). There is no rank of second lieutenant in the cavalry, and captain corresponds to the captain. During the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) the concepts of "rank" and "position" in this period are already separated quite clearly. The ranks in the infantry and artillery are compared. Paul I did a lot of useful things to strengthen the army and discipline in it. He forbade the registration of minor noble children in the regiments. All recorded in the regiments were required to serve really. He introduced disciplinary and criminal responsibility of officers for soldiers (preservation of life and health, training, clothing, living conditions) forbade the use of soldiers as labor force on the estates of officers and generals; introduced the awarding of soldiers with insignia of the orders of St. Anne and the Maltese Cross; introduced an advantage in promotion in the ranks of officers who graduated from military educational institutions; ordered to be promoted in ranks only on business qualities and ability to command; introduced holidays for soldiers; limited the duration of officers' vacations to one month a year; dismissed from the army a large number of generals who did not meet the requirements of military service (old age, illiteracy, disability, absence from service for a long time, etc.). Ranks are introduced in the lower ranks ordinary junior and senior salary. In the cavalry sergeant major(company foreman) For Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825) since 1802, all non-commissioned officers of the nobility are called "junker". Since 1811, the rank of "major" was abolished in the artillery and engineering troops and the rank of "ensign" was returned. During the reign of Emperors Nicholas I (1825-1855) , who did a lot to streamline the army, Alexander II (1855-1881) and the beginning of the reign of Emperor Alexander III (1881-1894) Since 1828, army Cossacks have been given ranks other than army cavalry (In the Life Guards Cossack and Life Guards Ataman regiments, the ranks are like those of the entire guards cavalry). The Cossack units themselves are transferred from the category of irregular cavalry to the army. The concepts of "rank" and "position" in this period are already completely separated. Under Nicholas I, the discord in the naming of non-commissioned officers disappears. Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer has been left only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either dismissal or they should be assigned the rank of second lieutenant). The rank of cornet in the cavalry is retained as the first officer rank. He is a class below the infantry lieutenant, but in the cavalry there is no rank of second lieutenant. This equalizes the ranks of infantry and cavalry. In the Cossack units, the classes of officers are equated with the cavalry, but have their own names. In this regard, the rank of military foreman, previously equal to major, now becomes equal to lieutenant colonel

"In 1912, the last General Field Marshal Milyutin Dmitry Alekseevich, who served as Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not assigned to anyone else, but nominally this rank was preserved"

In 1910, the rank of Russian Field Marshal was awarded to the King of Montenegro, Nicholas I, and in 1912, to the King of Romania, Carol I.

P.S. After the October Revolution of 1917, by the Decree of the Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars (Bolshevik government) of December 16, 1917, all military ranks were abolished ...

The officer epaulettes of the tsarist army were arranged completely differently than modern ones. First of all, the gaps were not part of the galloon, as we have been doing since 1943. In the engineering troops, two harness galloons or one harness and two headquarters officer galloons were simply sewn onto the shoulder strap. For each type of troops, the type of galloon was determined specifically. For example, in the hussar regiments on officer shoulder straps, a galloon of the "hussar zig-zag" type was used. On the shoulder straps of military officials, a "civilian" galloon was used. Thus, the gaps of officer epaulettes were always the same color as the field of soldier epaulettes. If shoulder straps in this part did not have a colored edging (edging), as, say, it was in the engineering troops, then the edgings had the same color as the gaps. But if in part the epaulettes had a colored edging, then it was visible around the officer's epaulette. A silver-colored epaulette button without sides with an extruded double-headed eagle sitting on crossed axes. and letters, or silver monograms (to whom it is necessary). At the same time, it was widespread to wear gilded forged metal stars, which were supposed to be worn only on epaulettes.

The placement of the stars was not rigidly fixed and was determined by the size of the encryption. Two stars were supposed to be placed around the encryption, and if it filled the entire width of the shoulder strap, then above it. The third asterisk had to be placed so as to form an equilateral triangle with the two lower ones, and the fourth asterisk was slightly higher. If there is one asterisk on the chase (for the ensign), then it was placed where the third asterisk is usually attached. Special signs were also gilded metal patches, although it was not uncommon to find them embroidered with gold thread. The exception was the special signs of aviation, which were oxidized and had the color of silver with a patina.

1. Epaulette staff captain 20 engineer battalion

2. Epaulette for lower ranks Lancers 2nd Leib Ulansky Courland Regiment 1910

3. Epaulette full general from the cavalry suite His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II. The silver device of the epaulette testifies to the high military rank of the owner (only the marshal was higher)

About the stars on uniform

For the first time, forged five-pointed stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers and generals in January 1827 (during the time of Pushkin). Ensigns and cornets began to wear one golden star, two - lieutenants and major generals, three - lieutenants and lieutenant generals. four - staff captains and staff captains.

A with April 1854 Russian officers began to wear embroidered stars on the newly established shoulder straps. For the same purpose, diamonds were used in the German army, knots in the British, and six-pointed stars in the Austrian.

Although the designation of a military rank on shoulder straps is a characteristic feature of the Russian army and the German one.

Among the Austrians and the British, shoulder straps had a purely functional role: they were sewn from the same material as the tunic so that the shoulder straps would not slip. And the rank was indicated on the sleeve. The five-pointed star, the pentagram is a universal symbol of protection, security, one of the oldest. In ancient Greece, it could be found on coins, on the doors of houses, stables and even on cradles. Among the Druids of Gaul, Britain, Ireland, the five-pointed star (druidic cross) was a symbol of protection from external evil forces. And until now it can be seen on the window panes of medieval Gothic buildings. The French Revolution revived the five-pointed stars as a symbol of the ancient god of war Mars. They denoted the rank of the commanders of the French army - on hats, epaulettes, scarves, on the tails of the uniform.

The military reforms of Nicholas I copied the appearance of the French army - this is how the stars "rolled down" from the French sky to the Russian one.

As for the British army, even during the Anglo-Boer War, stars began to migrate to shoulder straps. This is about officers. For the lower ranks and warrant officers, the insignia remained on the sleeves.
In the Russian, German, Danish, Greek, Romanian, Bulgarian, American, Swedish and Turkish armies, shoulder straps were insignia. In the Russian army, shoulder straps were for both lower ranks and officers. Also in the Bulgarian and Romanian armies, as well as in the Swedish. In the French, Spanish and Italian armies, insignia were placed on the sleeves. In the Greek army, the officers on shoulder straps, on the sleeves of the lower ranks. In the Austro-Hungarian army, the insignia of officers and lower ranks were on the collar, those were lapel. In the German army, only officers had insignia on shoulder straps, while the lower ranks differed from each other by the galloon on the cuffs and collar, as well as the uniform button on the collar. The exception was the so-called Kolonial truppe, where as additional (and in a number of colonies the main) insignia of the lower ranks were chevrons made of silver galloon sewn on the left sleeve of a-la gefreiters of 30-45 years.

It is interesting to note that with service and field uniforms in peacetime, that is, with a tunic of the 1907 model, officers of the hussar regiments wore epaulettes that also differed somewhat from the epaulettes of the rest of the Russian army. For hussar shoulder straps, galloon with the so-called "hussar zigzag" was used
The only unit where epaulets with the same zigzag were worn, except for the hussar regiments, was the 4th battalion (from 1910 a regiment) of the riflemen of the Imperial family. Here is a sample: the epaulette of the captain of the 9th Kiev Hussars.

Unlike the German hussars, who wore uniforms of the same tailoring, differing only in the color of the fabric. With the introduction of khaki shoulder straps, the zigzags also disappeared, the encryption on the shoulder straps indicated belonging to the hussars. For example, "6 G", that is, the 6th Hussar.
In general, the field uniform of the hussars was of the dragoon type, those combined arms. The only difference indicating belonging to the hussars was indicated by boots with a rosette in front. However, the hussar regiments were allowed to wear chakchirs with field uniforms, but not all regiments, but only the 5th and 11th. The wearing of chakchira by the rest of the regiments was a kind of "non-statutory". But during the war, this happened, as well as the wearing by some officers of a saber, instead of the standard Dracoon saber, which was supposed to be with field equipment.

The photograph shows the captain of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment K.K. von Rosenshild-Paulin (sitting) and Junker of the Nikolaev Cavalry School K.N. von Rosenshield-Paulin (also later an officer of the Izyum regiment). Captain in summer full dress or dress uniform, i.e. in a tunic of the 1907 model, with galloon epaulettes and the number 11 (note that on the officer epaulettes of the peacetime cavalry regiments, there are only numbers, without the letters "G", "D" or "U"), and blue chakchirs worn by officers of this regiment in all forms of clothing.
Regarding "non-statutory", during the years of the World War, apparently, the wearing of galloon epaulettes of peacetime by hussar officers was also encountered.

on the galloon officer shoulder straps of the cavalry regiments, only numbers were affixed, and there were no letters. which is confirmed by photographs.

Zauryad Ensign- from 1907 to 1917 in the Russian army, the highest military rank for non-commissioned officers. The insignia for ordinary ensigns were ensign shoulder straps with a large (larger than officer's) asterisk in the upper third of the shoulder strap on the line of symmetry. The rank was assigned to the most experienced non-commissioned officers, with the outbreak of the First World War, it began to be assigned to ensigns as an encouragement, often immediately before the first senior officer rank (ensign or cornet) was awarded.

From Brockhaus and Efron:
Zauryad Ensign, military During mobilization, with a lack of persons who meet the conditions for promotion to an officer's rank, some. non-commissioned officers are awarded the rank of Z. Ensign; correcting the duties of a junior. officers, Z. great. limited in the rights of movement in the service.

Interesting history of ensign. In the period 1880-1903. this rank was assigned to graduates of cadet schools (not to be confused with military schools). In the cavalry, he corresponded to the rank of standard junker, in the Cossack troops - to the cadet. Those. it turned out that it was a kind of intermediate rank between the lower ranks and officers. Ensigns who graduated from the Junkers School in the 1st category were promoted to officers not earlier than September of the graduation year, but outside the vacancies. Those who graduated from the 2nd category were promoted to officers not earlier than the beginning of the next year, but only for vacancies, and it turned out that some were waiting for production for several years. According to the order of the BB No. 197 for 1901, with the production in 1903 of the last ensigns, standard junkers and cadets, these ranks were canceled. This was due to the beginning of the transformation of cadet schools into military ones.
Since 1906, the rank of ensign in the infantry and cavalry and cadet in the Cossack troops began to be assigned to overtime non-commissioned officers who graduated from a special school. Thus, this title became the maximum for the lower ranks.

Ensign, standard junker and cadet, 1886:

The epaulette of the staff captain of the Cavalry Guards Regiment and the epaulettes of the staff captain of the Life Guards of the Moscow Regiment.

The first shoulder strap is declared as the shoulder strap of an officer (captain) of the 17th Nizhny Novgorod Dragoon Regiment. But Nizhny Novgorod residents should have a dark green piping along the edge of the shoulder strap, and the monogram should be of an applied color. And the second shoulder strap is presented as the shoulder strap of a second lieutenant of the guards artillery (with such a monogram in the guards artillery there were shoulder straps of officers of only two batteries: the 1st battery of the Life Guards of the 2nd Artillery Brigade and the 2nd battery of the Guards Horse Artillery), but the shoulder strap button should not whether to have in this case an eagle with cannons.

Major(Spanish mayor - more, stronger, more significant) - the first rank of senior officers.
The title originated in the 16th century. The major was responsible for guarding and feeding the regiment. When the regiments were divided into battalions, the battalion commander, as a rule, became a major.
In the Russian army, the rank of major was introduced by Peter I in 1698, and abolished in 1884.
Prime Major - a staff officer rank in the Russian imperial army of the 18th century. He belonged to the VIII class of the "Table of Ranks".
According to the charter of 1716, the majors were divided into prime majors and second majors.
The Prime Major was in charge of the combat and inspector units in the regiment. He commanded the 1st battalion, and in the absence of the regimental commander - the regiment.
The division into prime and second majors was abolished in 1797."

"It appeared in Russia as a rank and position (deputy regiment commander) in the streltsy army at the end of the 15th - early 16th centuries. In the streltsy regiments, as a rule, lieutenant colonels (often of "mean" origin) performed all administrative functions for the head of the streltsy, appointed from among the nobles or boyars In the XVII century and the beginning of the XVIII century, the rank (rank) and position was referred to as a lieutenant colonel due to the fact that the lieutenant colonel usually, in addition to his other duties, commanded the second “half” of the regiment - the back rows in formation and the reserve (before the introduction of the battalion formation of regular soldier regiments) From the moment the Table of Ranks was introduced until its abolition in 1917, the rank (rank) of lieutenant colonel belonged to the VII class of the Table of Ranks and gave the right to hereditary nobility until 1856. In 1884, after the abolition of the rank of major in the Russian army, all majors (with the exception of the dismissed or those who have stained themselves with unseemly misconduct) are promoted to lieutenant colonels.

INSIGNIA OF CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE MILITARY MINISTRY (here are military topographers)

Ranks of the Imperial Military Medical Academy

Chevrons of combatant lower ranks of extra-long service according to "Regulations on the lower ranks of the non-commissioned officer rank, remaining voluntarily in extra-long active service" dated 1890.

From left to right: Up to 2 years, Over 2 to 4 years, Over 4 to 6 years, Over 6 years

To be precise, the article, from which these drawings are borrowed, says the following: "... the awarding of chevrons to super-enlisted lower ranks holding the positions of sergeant majors (wahmisters) and platoon non-commissioned officers (fireworks) of combatant companies, squadrons, batteries was carried out:
- Upon admission to long-term service - a silver narrow chevron
- At the end of the second year of long-term service - a silver wide chevron
- At the end of the fourth year of long-term service - a gold narrow chevron
- At the end of the sixth year of long-term service - a gold wide chevron"

In army infantry regiments to designate the ranks of corporal, ml. and senior non-commissioned officers, an army white braid was used.

1. The rank of WRITTEN, since 1991, exists in the army only in wartime.
With the beginning of the Great War, ensigns graduate from military schools and ensign schools.
2. The rank of WARNING OFFICER of the reserve, in peacetime, on the shoulder straps of an ensign, wears a galloon patch against the device at the lower rib.
3. The rank of WRITTEN OFFICER, in this rank in wartime, when military units are mobilized with a shortage of junior officers, the lower ranks are renamed from non-commissioned officers with an educational qualification, or from sergeants without
educational qualification. From 1891 to 1907, warrant officers on the shoulder straps of an ensign also wear rank stripes, from which they were renamed.
4. Title ZAURYAD-WRITTEN OFFICER (since 1907). Shoulder straps of a lieutenant with an officer's star and a transverse stripe according to the position. Chevron sleeve 5/8 inches, angle up. Shoulder straps of an officer's standard were retained only by those who were renamed Z-Pr. during the Russo-Japanese War and remained in the army, for example, as a sergeant major.
5. The title of WRITTEN OFFICER-ZURYAD of the State Militia Squad. Non-commissioned officers of the reserve were renamed into this rank, or, in the presence of an educational qualification, who served for at least 2 months as a non-commissioned officer of the State Militia Squad and was appointed junior officer of the squad. Ensigns-zauryad wore epaulettes of an active duty ensign with a galloon stripe of instrument color sewn into the lower part of the epaulettes.

Cossack ranks and titles

On the lowest rung of the service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an ordinary infantry. This was followed by an orderly, who had one badge and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry. The next rung of the career ladder is the junior officer and the senior officer, corresponding to the junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer and with the number of badges characteristic of modern sergeants. This was followed by the rank of sergeant major, who was not only in the Cossacks, but also in the non-commissioned officers of the cavalry and horse artillery.

In the Russian army and gendarmerie, the sergeant-major was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant major corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry. According to the regulation of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was the cadet, an intermediate rank between a lieutenant and ensign in the infantry, which was also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, in addition to the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers. The next degree in the chief officer ranks is cornet, corresponding to a second lieutenant in the infantry and a cornet in the regular cavalry.

According to his official position, he corresponded to a junior lieutenant in the modern army, but wore shoulder straps with a blue gap on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Cossacks) with two stars. In the old army, compared to the Soviet one, the number of stars was one more. Next came the centurion - the chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore epaulettes of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. A higher step - podesaul.

This rank was introduced in 1884. In the regular troops, it corresponded to the rank of staff captain and staff captain.

The podesaul was an assistant or deputy to the Yesaul and in his absence he commanded a Cossack hundred.
Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars.
According to his official position, he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. And the highest rank of chief officer rank is Yesaul. It is worth talking about this rank especially, since in a purely historical sense, the people who wore it held positions in both civil and military departments. In various Cossack troops, this position included various official prerogatives.

The word comes from the Turkic "yasaul" - chief.
In the Cossack troops it was first mentioned in 1576 and was used in the Ukrainian Cossack army.

Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundreds, stanitsa, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general captains performed inspection functions, in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of a hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks. Troop captains were chosen on the Military Circle (in the Don and most others, two per Army, in the Volga and Orenburg - one each). Dealt with administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman. Regimental captains (originally two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers, were the closest assistants to the regiment commander.

Hundreds of Yesauls (one per hundred) commanded hundreds. This link did not take root in the Don Cossacks after the first centuries of the existence of the Cossacks.

The stanitsa Yesauls were typical only for the Don Cossacks. They were selected at stanitsa gatherings and were assistants to stanitsa atamans. They performed the functions of assistants to the marching chieftain, in the 16th-17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army, later they were executors of the orders of the marching chieftain. The artillery captain (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his instructions.

Only the military captain was preserved under the military ataman of the Don Cossack army. In 1798 - 1800. the rank of captain was equated to the rank of captain in the cavalry. Yesaul, as a rule, commanded a Cossack hundred. Corresponded to the official position of the modern captain. He wore epaulettes with a blue gap on a silver field without stars. Next come the headquarters officer ranks. In fact, after the reform of Alexander III in 1884, the rank of Yesaul entered this rank, in connection with which the major link was removed from the headquarters officer ranks, as a result of which the soldier from the captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel. The name of this rank comes from the ancient name of the executive authority of the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, spread to persons who commanded certain branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, the military foreman was equated with a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, with a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.

Well, then comes the colonel, shoulder straps are the same as those of the military foreman, but without stars. Starting from this rank, the service ladder is unified with the general army, since the purely Cossack names of the ranks disappear. The official position of a Cossack general fully corresponds to the general ranks of the Russian Army.

Created by PeterI The "Table of Ranks" became a kind of "social lift" that allowed representatives of almost any estates and social groups to get into the elite of Russian society.

Peter the Great. Fragment of the painting "Poltava battle". Hood. L. Caravak. 1718 / RIA Novosti

Peter I introduced the "Table of Ranks for all ranks, military, civilian and courtiers ..." exactly 295 years ago - on January 24 (February 4, according to a new style), 1722. This document, which streamlined the hierarchy of military, civil and court employees, became the basis for the civil service system for almost two centuries. The "Table of Ranks" left a deep imprint on the entire social life of imperial Russia, which was reflected not only in official acts, but also in works of fiction.

The brainchild of an empire

Concluding the Northern War, Peter the Great devoted more and more time to the construction of a new "regular state". October 22, 1721 Russia became an empire. Among the activities that laid down the principles of the new state mechanism was the preparation of the Table of Ranks. It was supposed to consolidate the position according to which the indicator of merit is not the origin, but only the actual performance of the service. The objectives of the document were also the establishment of a hierarchy of positions and the strengthening of subordination and discipline both within the departments and in the relationship between them.

By the time the Table of Ranks appeared, most of the ranks of the military and naval service already existed in practice, were actively used, and were reflected in the Military Regulations of 1716 and the Naval Regulations of 1720. The development of a system of civil service ranks, on the contrary, was in its infancy. In preparing the "Table", which began in 1719, they relied on the experience of European countries that already had similar official hierarchies used in the civil service. The practice established in Denmark and Prussia had a special influence on the compilers of the "Table".

The "Table" provided for three main types of public service: military, civil (civilian, that is, civil) and court. At the same time, the system of ranks was separately determined for those who served in the ground forces, guards, artillery and navy. For each type of service, 14 classes (ranks) with their own names were established. In a number of cases, class names reproduced the names of specific positions (especially in relation to civil service ranks). Bearers of the same rank in different branches of the civil service were equal to each other. "Table" was repeatedly edited, the names of ranks were simplified over time.

It is important to note that the holders of tribal titles (princes, counts, barons), like ordinary nobles, did not have any special ways to obtain the ranks provided for by the "Table". In order to acquire a class rank and enter the social hierarchy, representatives of the nobility, even well-born, had to enter the service. The transfer from class to class was supposed to be either systematic, according to length of service (as a rule, at least three years in one rank), or more rapid due to special merits.

Thus, the "Table of Ranks" became a kind of "social lift" that allowed representatives of almost any class and social group to get into the elite of Russian society, with the exception, of course, of serfs. At the same time, the achievement of certain steps indicated in it gave the right to personal or hereditary nobility. Under Peter I, anyone who received the first officer rank in the army or navy became a hereditary nobleman, and in the civil service this right was awarded upon reaching the rank of VIII class. Later, this bar was shifted several times.

Very indicative are the figures cited by the well-known specialist in the social history of Russia, Professor Boris Mironov. Among civil officials who had class ranks, already in the middle of the 19th century there were only 44% of people from hereditary nobles, and by the end of the century - even 31%. In the composition of the officer corps, the share of born hereditary nobles gradually also inexorably declined: if in the 1750s it was 83%, then in 1844 - 73.5%, in 1895 - 51%, and in 1912 - 37% .

"It all depends on the rank"

Striving to give everything "regularity", Peter the Great did not fail to note at the end of the "Table" that not only in the sphere of official relations, but also in the field of other social and even domestic issues, much depends on a person's place in the established hierarchy. “Because, the nobility and dignity of the rank of a person is often diminished when the dress and other deeds do not match, as, on the contrary, many are discharged when they act in a dress above their rank and estate. For this reason, we graciously remind you that each such outfit, crew and livery should have, as the rank and character require it. According to this, everyone has to act and beware of the announced fines and greater punishment, ”read the Report Card.

Official. From the book “Uniforms most graciously granted ... by CatherineIIto all provinces and governorships of the Russian Empire, published in St. Petersburg in 1784

TO ACQUIRE A CLASSIC RANK AND ENTER THE SOCIAL HIERARCHY, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NOBILITY, EVEN GENEROUS, HAVE TO ENTER THE SERVICE

Another manifestation of servility was the formation of a system of common title formulas. She developed gradually. At first, after the introduction of the "Table", the titles "your excellency" (for representatives of the generals, ranks of several first classes), "your excellency" (for senators) and "your honor" (for other ranks) were used. But then in the 18th century, five main title formulations were defined: “Your Excellency” (for ranks of I and II classes), “Your Excellency” (for ranks of III and IV classes), “your highness” (for ranks of V class), “your nobility" (for ranks VI-VIII classes) and "your honor" (for ranks IX-XIV classes). They became common and were used both in official documents, where the general formula of title in accordance with the rank preceded the title of the position, and in personal correspondence.

In the XVIII century, the position of a person in the service environment was clearly marked by his rank. Moreover, this criterion not only determined the place in the official hierarchy, but also had a direct bearing on the purely domestic aspects of life. "According to the ranks" they gave horses at postal stations, served dishes at dinner parties. Researchers of social psychology argue that in the minds of many representatives of the nobility, “the bureaucratic hierarchy coincided with the scale of moral and ethical assessments of the individual,” determining a lot in the sphere of interpersonal relations.

So, in one of the letters, the great Russian commander Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov stated: “God grant us subordination, the mother of discipline, she is the mother of victory! 1st. The ranks must be respected." The pathos of the famous military leader can be justified by the traditional desire for the army to fulfill any orders of the authorities.

And here is the empress Catherine II quite consciously put the principle of official subordination at the forefront of all relationships within the state apparatus. Here is a very revealing story that happened to the famous poet Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin, quite successfully making a bureaucratic career. In the 1780s he was governor first in Petrozavodsk and then in Tambov. However, his relationship with his immediate superiors - the governor-general - did not develop. It came to an open conflict, sorted out in the Senate. The poet was acquitted of the charges. But on August 1, 1789, he had a long conversation with Catherine. We know about its content from the notes of the State Secretary of the Empress Alexander Vasilyevich Khrapovitsky: “I told him that the rank honors the rank ... In the third place I could not get along; one must look for the cause within oneself. He got excited and with me. Let him write poetry. Later, Catherine made the poet her secretary of state, already under Alexandra I he became a minister. And at the same time, using the example of the “Derzhavin case”, the empress briefly and succinctly formulated the basic principle of the functioning of the Russian bureaucracy: subordination “by rank” is more important than the essence of the issue.

It is not surprising that one European traveler who visited Russia during Paul I, argued: “It all depends on the rank ... They don’t ask what such and such knows, what he did or can do, and what his rank is.”

Thick and thin

In order to understand that the “power of the rank” remained relevant even at the end of the 19th century, it is enough to recall the story Anton Pavlovich Chekhov"Thick and thin". It was first published in the journal Shards in 1883, and received its final revision in 1886 when it was included in the collection Motley Stories.

The plot is based on a simple case at the station: a meeting of two classmates who have not seen each other for many years. They joyfully get to know each other and lively exchange memories of the gymnasium years and news about current life circumstances. And suddenly it turns out that the fat one "has already reached the secret level." In the blink of an eye, a striking metamorphosis takes place with his friend: “Subtle suddenly turned pale, turned to stone, but soon his face twisted in all directions with the widest smile; it seemed as if sparks were falling from his face and eyes. He himself shrank, hunched over, narrowed ... ”A childhood friend could no longer squeeze out anything but official phrases. Tolstoy asked his friend to leave the inappropriate servility, but where is it! ..

“Excuse me… What are you…” the thin man giggled, cringing even more. “Your Excellency’s gracious attention… it seems to be life-giving moisture…”

Illustration for the story by A.P. Chekhov "Thick and Thin" Hood. S.A. Alimov

It must be said that the established system of ranks and veneration of rank, ridiculed by Chekhov, also raised questions among the highest bureaucracy. During the second half of the 19th century, several attempts were made to abolish or radically reform the system of chinoproizvodstva. So, in the same 1883, a Special Meeting was created, headed by the manager of the 1st Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery Sergei Alexandrovich Taneev. The main idea was to eliminate ranks and introduce a hierarchy of real positions. During the meeting, among other things, an anonymous note appeared, written by one of the high-ranking officials. It reads: “Our service can be characterized by the continuous pursuit of promotions, awards and pay increases. No one is satisfied with his official position, no matter how good it may be; no one wants to be left without the continuous receipt of new promotions and awards, demanding them for themselves as if something was due. There are many employees who receive every three years both the rank for long service and the order for distinction. Chinomania and crucifixion constitute a common chronic disease of all employees. They serve us for the most part cause, and in please to the nearest superiors, on whom the service career of their subordinates depends. The general and main goal of all employees, even the most incapable, is the rank of general, a sash over the shoulder and a large salary.

However, significant changes in the system of rank production, based on the "Table of Ranks", did not occur until the revolutionary events of 1917. One of the reasons for the preservation of the system was its traditional character, deeply embedded in the public consciousness. Very indicative here is another story by Chekhov - "Abolished!", Written in 1885 and for some time not allowed to print by censors. The plot arose as a result of a partial reform of military ranks in 1884, when the ranks of major were excluded (all majors who served were promoted to lieutenant colonel) and ensign (serving officers could pass the exam for the rank of second lieutenant or retire). The hero of the story, retired ensign Vyvertov, is having a hard time with what happened, as his idea of ​​his own place in the social hierarchy is crumbling. At the end of the story, he says to his wife: “I, Arina, will not leave this like that. Now I have decided on everything ... I deserve my rank, and no one has the full right to encroach on him. Here's what I thought: I'll write a petition to some high-ranking person and sign: ensign such and such ... ensign ... Do you understand? Out of spite! Ensign... Let it go! Out of spite!

"All civil ranks are abolished"

The dismantling of the system of chinoproizvodstvo and civil service, based on the "Table", began only after the February Revolution. This process took quite a long time. Order No. 1, adopted on March 1, 1917 by the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, reformed the system of relations in the army, declaring: "In the ranks and in the performance of official duties, soldiers must observe the strictest military discipline, but outside the service and in formation in their political, civil and private life soldiers can in no way be diminished in those rights which all citizens enjoy. In particular, going to the front and obligatory saluting outside the service are canceled.” “Equally, the title of officers is canceled: Your Excellency, Nobleness, etc., and is replaced by the appeal: Mr. General, Mr. Colonel, etc.,” the same order prescribed.

Then, on March 21, 1917, all court ranks and titles were abolished. But the liquidation of military and civilian officials was delayed. Only by August, the Ministry of Justice of the Provisional Government prepared a draft "On the abolition of civil ranks, orders and other insignia." Titles, if approved, would be canceled for all employees. It was assumed that the ranks and orders will remain only for the military. The division into classes, which would be determined by positions, should have remained in the civil service. However, this project was not accepted. Thus, the system laid down by the "Table of Ranks" continued to function in a somewhat truncated version under the Provisional Government.

After the October Revolution, the process went faster. On November 11, 1917, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars adopted a decree "On the destruction of estates and civil ranks." In his very first article, it was said: "All estates and class divisions of citizens that have existed in Russia until now, class privileges and restrictions, class organizations and institutions, as well as all civil ranks, are abolished." And the next article prescribed: “All ranks (nobleman, merchant, tradesman, peasant, etc.), titles (princely, county, etc.) and names of civil ranks (secret, state and other advisers) are destroyed and one common for everything is established of the population of Russia - the name of the citizens of the Russian Republic".

Meanwhile, the liquidation of officer ranks was again somewhat delayed. It was repeatedly declared in the documents of the Soviet government, however, it was finally approved only by the decree of the Council of People's Commissars "On the equalization of the rights of all military personnel" of December 16, 1917. It contained the following provisions:

1) All ranks and ranks in the army, from the corporal to the general, are abolished. The army of the Russian Republic now consists of free and equal citizens bearing the honorary title of soldier of the revolutionary army.

2) All advantages associated with previous ranks and ranks, as well as all external distinctions, are canceled.

3) All titles are cancelled.

4) All orders and other insignia are cancelled.

Thus ended the almost two hundred year history of the “Table of Ranks”, although for some time official documents still contained such signatures as “former colonel”, “former state councilor”, etc. It is unlikely that all of the persons who called themselves in this way , acted out of spite, like the hero of Chekhov's story "Abolished!". It was just a force of habit.

And the Soviet government, which eliminated the “Table of Ranks” system, soon created its own hierarchy of ranks, titles, awards, uniforms ... But this is a completely different story.

Alexander SAMARIN,
Doctor of Historical Sciences

Shepelev L.E. Official world of Russia. XVIII - early XX century. SPb., 1999
EROSHKIN N.P. History of state institutions of pre-revolutionary Russia. M., 2008

Military ranks are usually divided into military and naval. Today, the highest level in both cases is the Marshal of the Russian Federation. This title was awarded only once - in November 1997, to the then Minister of Defense Igor Sergeyev, and after his death in 2006, we have no marshals. Therefore, when they say marshal, only big names from the last century immediately pop up in the memory of Russians: Zhukov, Voroshilov, Tukhachevsky and other commanders of the Soviet era.

The largest number of ranks is with law enforcement officers. They have employees of the internal affairs bodies of the Russian Federation, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the State Fire Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation, the State Courier Service of the Russian Federation, and so on. Separate ranks are provided for employees of the customs service: from the ensign to the actual state adviser to the customs service of the Russian Federation. The latter has, for example, the head of the Federal Customs Service of Russia Andrei Belyaninov.

Special ranks are also assigned to employees of bodies for the control of the circulation of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances: from ensign to police general and so on. You can list indefinitely. No one is left without titles. So, for example, the president took care of the Cossacks. Above all stands the Cossack general. Behind him are a Cossack colonel, a military foreman, a captain, a captain, a centurion, a cornet and a coroner. The junior ranks include the sergeant-major, the junior sergeant-major, and the lower ranks include the senior, junior and just a constable, clerk, and, finally, the Cossack himself.

As under the king

Of course, officials are also not deprived of attention - they are assigned class ranks and diplomatic ranks. In order to occupy the highest positions of the civil service, an official needs to grow to the rank of an active state adviser of the 1st, 2nd or 3rd class. The step below is the state adviser of the Russian Federation of 1, 2 and 3 classes. Next come the advisers of the state civil service of the Russian Federation of three classes, referents and secretaries of the state civil service from the first to the third class.

The rank is assigned to an employee after the successful completion of the test, and if the test was not established, then not earlier than three months after his appointment to the post. An employee receives the next rank after the expiration of the period established for civil service in the previous class rank. The system is the same as in the army. For example, in the rank of secretary of the state civil service of the Russian Federation of 3rd and 2nd classes, a referent of the state civil service of the Russian Federation of 3rd and 2nd classes must be worked for at least one year. Class 3 and 2 civil service adviser of the Russian Federation must work for at least two years in order to advance further. For a number of ranks (for example, adviser to the state civil service of the Russian Federation, 1st class), no deadlines are set - these ranks are awarded for special merits.

“As under a king,” you say, and you will be right. Apparently, we have not gone far from the imperial "vertical of power." According to the Table of Ranks of Tsarist Russia, the ranks were divided into three types: military, civil (civil) and court, and were divided into fourteen classes. The main difference from our time is that different appeals were provided for different ranks before the revolution. A high-ranking official, for example, a real Privy Councilor of the 1st class, should have been addressed only as “Your Excellency”, but to lower ranks, such as, for example, the provincial secretary, simply “Your Honor”. Now officials and walkers to them are spared this formality. Still, we live in a democratic country, and not in some kind of tsarist empire. However, back in 2000, at a reception in the Kremlin, the director tried to introduce the old order, referring to the newly elected president, Vladimir Putin, as “Your Excellency.” Didn't stick...

Cool bonus

It should be noted that for any rank - both in the army and in the "citizen" - a monthly salary is due, the so-called salary for the class rank. For example, a valid state adviser of the Russian Federation of the 1st class receives an additional 1,850 rubles per month in addition to his salary. The secretary of the state civil service of the Russian Federation of the 3rd class gets the least - only 450 rubles.

The rank does not shine for those who have disciplinary sanctions, as well as for employees in respect of whom an internal audit is being carried out or a criminal case has been initiated. An official who has committed a grave or especially grave crime may be deprived of his rank. But this is rare. And so the title is retained by the employee both upon dismissal and upon dismissal from the civil service, including in connection with retirement. When re-entering the civil service, the rank is retained, and the position that the official can count on will depend on it.

Most titled

In addition to the resurfaced tsarist Table of Ranks, the rudiments of the Soviet era have also been preserved in the new Russia. For example, we also have honorary titles of the Russian Federation. Among them: honored innovator, builder, arborist, trade worker, inventor, livestock specialist and so on. Plus folk artist, painter, architect and teacher. Holders of such titles have a silver breastplate in the form of an oval wreath.

But here, too, there are rules. So, for example, you can be honored to be called "People's Artist of the Russian Federation" no earlier than five years after the award of the honorary title "Honored Artist of the Russian Federation" or "Honored Artist of the Russian Federation". Only a specialist who has worked in this field for at least 10 years can become an honored veterinarian, and a livestock specialist must work for at least 15 years to become an honored veterinarian. Among the deputies there are many figures with high ranks, but the most honored, of course, is Iosif Kobzon. He is even listed in the Russian Book of Records as the country's most titled artist. In total, the singer has 294 awards and titles.

“The official must know whom he can send…”

Why does an official need a title? Olga Kryshtanovskaya, head of the Center for the Study of the Elite at the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, believes that this is a “childish question.” “The ranks give a lot,” she explains to “NI”. - In every profession there are certain steps, including here. You don’t wonder why there are ranks in the army?

But, if you look closely, everything turns out to be more complicated. The fact is, says political scientist Dmitry Oreshkin, that status is very important for a person in our country. Chin is the degree of proximity to certain levels of power. “This, of course, symbolically raises a person’s self-esteem and stimulates him to further career growth,” he told NI. Plus, there is a very rigid material vertical. “A person of a certain status is entitled to a black Volga and a fawn hat, and a person of a higher status is entitled to an Audi and an apartment of up to 100 square meters. meters and so on,” the expert says. In addition, a high rank obliges: the state adviser of the Russian Federation of the 1st class will not work as a secretary - in the event of a job change, he will be selected for a position corresponding to his status. “The nomenklatura doesn't go down, it doesn't even go sideways, it only goes up, sometimes, though, at an angle,” says Mr. Oreshkin. - In fact, the symbolism means a lot. If a person is suddenly given a business class ticket for some other flight instead of a ticket for the plane in which the prime minister is flying, then, speaking in terms of bureaucratic status, he is significantly reduced.

President of the Institute for Strategic Assessments and Analysis Alexander Konovalov recalls a case from life. “I once talked with one of my acquaintances when they took away his personal one, and he was very worried about this,” he told NI. I asked him: “What are you so worried about? You have your own car." And then he literally said with tears in his eyes: “Have you ever traveled in a car equipped with the Kavkaz communication system?” We are not given to understand their deep feelings.

An official, Mr. Konovalov believes, must know "whom he can send and who can send him." “Remember Chekhov's story “Thick and thin”, when two classmates from the gymnasium meet, the expert continued. - In the bureaucratic world, the mentality has not changed. It is very important for officials to know who to swear allegiance to, whom to inform on whom, and, in general, there are a lot of things that they cannot live without. This is their environment of existence, and there must be a coordinate system in it. And how without it, they will not understand who is more important, and so on. And chaos and disorder will begin in the bureaucratic world.