Table of ranks general characteristics. "Table of Ranks": general characteristics

Introduction

The “Table of Ranks” is not just a historical document that was once issued in Russia and served as the basis for the classification and regulation of civil servants, but also the basis for the further development of the most important idea about the rational regulation of the state administrative apparatus.

“Table of Ranks” - the law on the procedure for civil service in the Russian Empire, the ratio of ranks by seniority, the sequence of ranks. Its study is invaluable for understanding the evolution of the civil service. In particular, the appearance of the “Table of Ranks” became an important milestone in the development of the civil service in Russia, since the harmful system of localism was finally abolished and access to high positions for people of humble origin was opened.

The importance of studying the “Table of Ranks” and its role in the Russian Empire is emphasized by the fact that, although it was reformed several times in the light of new trends of the time, it nevertheless existed until 1917.

The purpose of this work is to study the “Table of Ranks” adopted by Peter I.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

identify the prerequisites for the creation of the “Table of Ranks”;

study the history of creation;

consider its features.

1. Prerequisites for the adoption of the “Table of Ranks”

At the beginning of his reign, Peter I was faced with a slow, indecisive bureaucracy - the boyar duma and orders. The activities of the orders and the boyar duma were confusing and ineffective for the productive management of the country. There was a fierce struggle for power between the old, well-born boyars and the serving people - the nobles. There were continuous uprisings of peasants and urban lower classes in the country, who fought both against the nobles and against the boyars, because they were all feudal lords - serf owners. This state of affairs led to the need to strengthen and strengthen the autocratic apparatus in the center and locally, centralize management, and build a coherent and flexible system of administrative apparatus, strictly controlled by the highest authorities. It was also necessary to create a combat-ready regular military force to pursue a more aggressive foreign policy and suppress the increasing frequency of popular movements. It was necessary to consolidate the dominant position of the nobility by legal acts and provide it with a central, leading place in state life.

To accomplish the above tasks, Peter I carried out many state administrative reforms (Figure 1).

Figure 1 - State administrative reforms of Peter I

The most important result and, at the same time, the legislative consolidation of all of Peter’s reform activities in the field of civil, military and judicial administration was the famous “Table of Ranks” (1722).

Thus, the reasons for the publication of the “Table of Ranks” were based on socio-political needs. On the one hand, it was influenced by the complication of the social structure of society, and therefore already at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. it was necessary to separate the civil service into an independent sphere of activity to ensure its relative independence, and at the same time - the creation of a special, professionally, socially and corporately designated group of civil servants. On the other hand, the strengthening of state-legal principles in the activities of state power (when the legal instruments of its policy acquired system-forming importance in the creation of state administrative structures) and the increasing role of laws as acts of formalizing the political will of the monarch and the main source of law, which had to be carried out by all subjects independently on position in the class and service hierarchy.

2. History of the creation of the “Table of Ranks”

The history of the development of this important document reflects the experience of the legislative activities of Peter I and his immediate circle.

The development of the Table lasted about three years - from the end of September 1719. Until Peter I approved the final edition on January 24, 1722, S.M. Troitsky, who studied in detail the history of the preparation of this document, identified four stages of work on it:

Preparation of the first edition of the Table of Contents at the Collegium of Foreign Affairs of A.I. Osterman (late September 1719 - October 1720).

Creation of the second edition of the project by Peter I (January 1721).

Discussion of the second edition of the “Table of Ranks” in the Senate, Military and Admiralty Collegiums (February - October 1721).

Completion of the final edition of the Table of Ranks by the Senate (January 1722).

It is believed that the main developer of the Table was A.I. Osterman.

The sources of the Table were information about ranks in Austria, England, Venice, Denmark, Spain, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Prussia, France and Sweden. At the same time, special attention was paid to the relationship between the ranks of the military, court and civil services.

The greatest influence on the preparation of the Table of Ranks was exerted by the legislation of Prussia, Denmark and Sweden. The reason for this was the closeness of the political and socio-economic development of Russia and the Scandinavian states. The system of Swedish ranks was contained in the charters of King Charles XII in 1696 and 1705. These documents contained a list of military, naval and civilian ranks, containing 40 ranks. Behind the list were 5 articles that set out the basic principles of rank production. Only the king had the right to issue a patent for a rank.

The Danish system of ranks was consolidated by the regulations of King Christian V in 1699 and his son Frederick IV in 1717. The 103 ranks of the Danish kingdom were divided into 9 classes (degrees) of palace, military and state administration. An interesting difference from other European documents was that these regulations listed women's ranks. The five articles that followed the list of ranks and ranks contained a fundamentally important resolution of hereditary nobility for persons who had risen to the position of the three highest degrees.

Thus, it is clear that the Swedish charters and Danish regulations had a similar text structure: first a systematized list of ranks, then articles establishing the fundamental norms of rank production in the state. The structure of the “Table of Ranks” project was similar.

From the “Royal Prussian Institution on the Degree” of 1705 A.I. Osterman borrowed the name of the court officials, since the life of the royal court was also Europeanized.

In addition to foreign sources, already adopted Russian laws were also taken into account when preparing the new law. By the time the draft Table of Contents was drafted, the nomenclature of Russian civil ranks had already basically been established. The Decree to the Senate of December 11, 1717 “On the staff of colleges and the time of their opening” contained a “Register of people in colleges”, which named the positions of presidents, vice-presidents, advisers, assessors, secretaries, notaries, actuaries, registrars, rent masters, translators. The “Instructions or Orders to Governors” in January 1719 contained a detailed list of positions in the provincial administration. The General Regulations listed not only the staff of clerical employees, but also defined their job responsibilities. Thus, over 90% of the titles of public administration positions included in the project were already designated in official documents.

The project compiled by A.I. Osterman, included two parts: “Announcement of ranks” and an explanation of it from 14 articles. The author did not include military and naval ranks in the project. In total, the appointments of 147 positions of the court (44) and civil (103) states were included. It is important to note that among the civilian staff, positions in the lower and middle ranks of bureaucracy predominated (80 out of 103). The “Announcement” listed in detail the positions of secretaries, actuaries, archivists, translators, notaries, chamberlains, clerks, copyists, and sergeants.

The articles largely repeated the content of Swedish, Danish and Prussian sources, but were clarified and edited.

Peter I himself took an active part in the preparation of the Table. As a result of the tsar’s work in January - February 1721, a new edition arose, which differed significantly from the original draft. First of all, this was due to the need to introduce army and naval ranks into the Table. Peter did not agree that the project put the court staff in the first place, which belittled the civil service. Having included military ranks in the Table, Peter I made civil and court ranks dependent on their system

Some changes and additions were made to the articles. The most significant addition was the increase in the number of ranks giving the right to hereditary nobility. He extended it to 7th and 8th grade officials. Peter sought to attract young people to public service and make it prestigious. This decision opened up the possibility of entry into the privileged class for people from lower social strata.

In addition, Peter I introduces a new article confirming the personal Decree of January 16, 1721 on obtaining hereditary nobility for persons who have risen to the first rank of chief officer. This secured the priority of military service over civilian service. In the army, hereditary nobility was received from the 14th rank, and in civilian institutions - from the 8th. Officials in grades 14 to 9 received personal nobility.

The work was completed at the beginning of 1721. On February 1, Peter signed this act, but, attaching great importance to it, he ordered: “This should not be published or printed until September, in order to still look around, if anything should be changed, added or subtracted, about which it is necessary.” in the Senate, during this adjournment, think: should all ranks be like this or which ones should be changed and how? And make your opinion by September, and especially about those ranks, civilian and domestic, who are from the rank of major general and below.” Opinions on the Table of Contents were requested not only from the Senate, but also from the Military and Admiralty Collegiums.

In parallel with the discussion in the Senate and collegiums, Peter I continued to work on the project and prepared several versions of an extremely important article of the law establishing the procedure for ranking nobles in the civil service depending on length of service and education. It logically continued the norms introduced by the General Regulations in the article “On young people for training in the office.” The idea that it was impossible to master the intricacies of management skills without going through office training was clearly evident here. Training in clerical work and subsequent work in government institutions were declared worthy even for representatives of noble noble families. The need to attract qualified personnel to the civil service required the creation of new incentives. This was the reason for preparing an article on the organization of training of nobles for public service in civil institutions.

After making the necessary changes, taking into account the opinions of the Senate and the collegiums, in January 1722 the project was submitted for final discussion to the Senate. Peter actively participated in the discussion. It is likely that he is the author of the final title of the law, which is quite lengthy, but maximally reflects its essence: “The table of ranks of all ranks, military, civil and courtiers, who are in which rank class, they have the seniority of entry into the rank among themselves, however military ones are higher than others, even if someone in that class was older.”

So, the publication of the “Table of Ranks” was the result of intense, more than two years of legislative work. It was carried out under the leadership and with the direct participation of Peter I. The most significant figures influencing the domestic and foreign policy of the country were involved.

3. Description of the “Table of Ranks”

The law of February 4 (January 24), 1722, consisted of a schedule of new ranks in 14 classes or ranks and 19 explanatory paragraphs to this schedule. Newly introduced military ranks (in turn subdivided into land, guards, navy), civil and court ranks were separately assigned to each class.

The princes of the imperial blood have, in all cases, the presidency over all the princes and “high servants of the Russian state.” With this exception, the social position of employees is determined by rank, not breed.

For demanding honors and places above rank at public celebrations and official meetings, a fine equal to two months' salary of the person being fined is imposed; one third of the fine money goes to the informer, the rest goes to the maintenance of hospitals. The same fine applies for giving up your seat to a person of lower rank.

Persons who have been in foreign service can receive the corresponding rank only if they are confirmed to have “the character that they received in foreign service.” The sons of titled persons and generally the most distinguished nobles, although, unlike others, have free access to court assemblies, they do not receive any rank until “they show no service to the fatherland and receive character for it.” Civil ranks, like military ones, are given based on length of service or special “notable” service merits.

Each must have a crew and livery appropriate to his rank.

Public punishment in the square, as well as torture, entail the loss of rank, which can be returned only for special merits, by a personal decree publicly announced.

Married wives “are ranked according to the ranks of their husbands” and are subject to the same penalties for offenses against their rank.

Girls are considered several ranks lower than their fathers.

All who have received the first 8 ranks in the civil or court department are hereditarily ranked among the best senior nobility, “even if they were of low breed”; in military service, hereditary nobility is acquired by receiving the first rank of chief officer, and the rank of nobility applies only to children born after the father has received this rank; If, after receiving the rank, he has no children, he can ask for the grant of nobility to one of his premature children.

The ranks were divided into chief officers (up to class IX, that is, captain/titular adviser inclusive), staff officers and generals; The ranks of the highest generals (the first two classes) were especially distinguished. They were entitled to the appropriate address: “Your Honor” for chief officers, “Your Excellency” for staff officers, “Your Excellency” for generals and “Your Excellency” for the first two classes. V class ranks ( foreman /state councilor ) stood apart, not classified as either an officer or a general, and they were entitled to the address “Your Highness.”

Military ranks were declared superior to their corresponding civil and even court ranks. Such seniority gave advantages to military ranks in the main thing - the transition to the upper nobility. Already 14th the "Table" class (Fendrik, from 1730 - ensign) gave the right to hereditary nobility (in the civil service, hereditary nobility was acquired by the rank 8th class - collegiate assessor, and the rank of collegiate registrar - 14th class - gave the right only to personal nobility).

The place of rank in the service hierarchy was associated with the receipt (or non-receipt) of many real privileges. According to rank, for example, horses were provided at post stations.

When receiving horses at the stations, there was a strict procedure: couriers with urgent government packages were allowed to go ahead, without a queue, and the rest were given horses according to rank: persons of classes I-III could take up to twelve horses, from class IV - up to eight, and so on, up to to poor officials of classes VI-IX, who had to be content with one carriage with two horses.

According to ranks in the 18th century, servants carried dishes at dinner parties, and guests sitting at the “lower” end of the table often contemplated only empty plates.

The external element that united all types of service was a uniform and an overcoat (in winter). At the same time, officials of different departments could be distinguished by buttons, and even “from the inside out”: dignitaries of the first five classes had a colored lining of their overcoats, the color of which depended on the department: in the telegraph office - yellow, in the Putin department - green, in internal affairs - red, etc. d. There were seven options for uniforms - summer, travel, everyday, special, ordinary, festive and ceremonial - and a detailed schedule of what should be worn on which days. Wearing uniforms was mandatory. In addition to the above, Peter I even established that the first five ranks should purchase material for a uniform at four rubles per arshin, the next three at three rubles, the rest at two rubles.

Let's present the “Table of Ranks” in Table 1.

Table 1 - “Table of ranks”

There were also the following military ranks and titles:

Military ranks above the table of ranks: generalissimo

Military ranks below the table of ranks:

Sub-ensign, sub-squire; harness-ensign (in the infantry), harness-junker (in artillery and light cavalry), fanen-junker (in dragoons), estandard-cadet (in heavy cavalry).

Sergeant major, sergeant, conductor.

Senior combat non-commissioned officer (until 1798 sergeant, boatswain).

Junior non-commissioned officer (until 1798 junior sergeant, corporal, boatswain).

The “Table of Ranks” is a kind of pyramid of ranks or, as it is also called, a “ladder of ranks.” We show this in Figure 2.

graphic analogy report card rank

Figure 2 - Graphic analogy of the “Table of Ranks”

From Figure 2 it is clear that the pyramid has 14 steps, numerically coinciding with fourteen levels of civil and military ranks. In general, the “ladder of ranks” reflects the idea of ​​subordination from a single “highest beginning” down to the 14th level. This corresponds to the levels - from the first highest - Chancellor (civilian position) or Field Marshal (military position) down to the 14th lowest level - Collegiate Registrar (civilian position) or Fendrick (military position). As the “number” of a position in the “Table of Ranks” increases, the number of holders of this position also increases.

4. Evolution of the “Table of Ranks”

Peter's descendants abandoned his plan. After the death of Peter I, the ancient families regained their lost positions; by the end of the reign of Peter II, nepotism flourished again.

Being a nobleman has become very profitable. In addition to status, the nobility provided many privileges. Ownership of estates and serfs (until 1861). Freedom from compulsory service (all-class military service was introduced in 1762-1874). Freedom from zemstvo duties (until the second half of the 19th century). The right to receive education in the Corps of Pages, the Imperial Alexander Lyceum, and the Imperial School of Law. The right to carry a sword. The title "Your Honor." The right to have a family coat of arms. From 1785 to 1863, nobles could not be subjected to corporal punishment.

The nobles received one benefit after another:

from 1731, landowners collected poll taxes from serfs;

Anna Ioannovna's manifesto from 1736 limited the service life of nobles to 25 years;

from 1746, Elizaveta Petrovna forbade everyone except nobles from buying peasants and land;

in 1754, the Noble Bank was established, which issued loans up to 10,000 rubles (huge money at that time) at 6 percent per annum;

On February 18, 1762, Peter III signed the Manifesto granting liberty and freedom to the Russian nobility - and freed them from compulsory service. Within 10 years after the Manifesto, 10,000 nobles retired from the army;

in 1775, Catherine the Great transferred local power to the nobility, introducing the position of district leader;

The “charter granted to the nobility” dated April 21, 1785 finally freed the nobles from compulsory service and formed local self-government of the nobility. The nobles became responsible for recruiting recruits and collecting taxes from the peasants. But, most importantly, local self-government was introduced, and it became class-based.

Therefore, being a nobleman was beneficial in all respects. By the end of the reign of Catherine the Great, the idea of ​​the “Table of Ranks” was reduced to nothing. The manifesto of June 11, 1845 introduced an amendment to the Table: only the 8th rank (major, which was very difficult to reach) could give a military man hereditary nobility.

The decree of December 9, 1856 made it virtually impossible to obtain hereditary nobility through personal achievements: now only those who reached the 6th class of military service (colonel, it was unrealistic for an ordinary person to become one) or to the 4th class of civilian (valid) became a hereditary nobleman. State Councilor: a non-nobleman could not become one). In 1917, the Table ceased to exist.

In 2003, the Federal Law “On the Civil Service System in the Russian Federation” was adopted. It also includes three types of “public service”: military, law enforcement, federal state civil.

In the modern Russian army there are also 14 ranks - the unspoken tradition of Peter the Great's Table of Ranks. In the Soviet army in 1943, shoulder straps and military ranks were introduced - there were also 14 of them.

In the law enforcement service (in its various departments) there are from 10 to 16 ranks.

There are 15 ranks in the federal state civil service (since 2005).

So in our time there is a Russian “Table of Ranks”, which inherited the form of the law of Peter the Great.

Conclusion

“Table of Ranks” is a special legal phenomenon in the history of Russia. When creating the document, the developers relied on Russian practice, petitions (requests and proposals from various bodies and persons) and foreign legislation. If the Code of Laws of 1497 and 1550 were a purely Russian creation, based on traditions coming from Russian Pravda and more ancient sources, the Table represents a document compiled on the basis of studying and borrowing the experience of legislation of European absolutist states. However, it was the analysis of the Russian experience in organizing the civil service that came first when drawing up the “Table of Ranks”.

The adoption of the “Table of Ranks” had the following consequences:

in the formation of the state apparatus, a bureaucratic principle was established, priority was given to professional qualities, personal loyalty, length of service, the incorporation of each official into a clear hierarchical structure of power and leadership in activities with the exact requirements of the law, regulations, instructions;

requirements for professionalism, specialization, and normativity have appeared in the work of government bodies; the principle of seniority took shape as the stage of an employee’s career;

military, civil and court services were distinguished, while everyone was obliged to serve the emperor, and even court service, caused solely by the needs of the emperor and members of his family, was considered as service to the Fatherland.;

training of personnel for the new state apparatus began to be carried out in special schools and academies in Russia and abroad, the degree of qualification of employees was determined not only by rank, but also by special education.

The formation of a unified public service contributed to the strengthening of the Russian state and became a condition and factor for its further existence, strengthening and development.

Thus, it is difficult to exaggerate the importance that the “Table of Ranks” had on the formation of civil governance as a whole. Currently, there are tariff schedules that, in their form and content of information, echo documents created almost three hundred years ago.

List of sources used

1. Administrative Reforms of Peter I: ote4estvo.ru

History of the development of civil service in Russia: panov.in

How Peter I screwed the boyars: pravda.ru

Krechetnikov A. “Verticals of power” - 290 years: bbc.co.uk

. “Table of Ranks” and its meaning: 0zd.ru

. “Table of Ranks” of Peter I: teachpro.ru

. “Table of Ranks” of Tsar Peter I in the matrix of the Universe: amenra.ru

04.02 - Peter I introduced the “Table of Ranks”: e-teatch.ru

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TITLES AND UNIFORMS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE.

"TABLE OF RANKS"

Let's try to understand what constituted the core of the entire Russian state in the 18th - early 20th centuries.

General, state councilor, chamberlain, count, aide-de-camp, state secretary, excellency and lordship - these are some of the titles, which were then in use. According to the title, a person also dressed in certain clothes - uniform. The title, along with other awards, was awarded for service to the sovereign.

Today it is difficult to understand what was the basis of all life in Russia. The system of titles, uniforms and orders that existed in the Russian Empire was abolished in 1917. Since then I have completely forgotten about it. And there are no special reference books on it. And without this knowledge, it is sometimes difficult to understand even many literary works of the past, not to mention historical works.

Here is what you can read in the diary of the Minister of Internal Affairs P. A. Valuev for 1865: “January 1. Morning in the palace. I saw Prince Gagarin with a portrait, Butkov with the diamond signs of St. Alexander, Milyutin in the uniform of a member of the State Council...” And here is a diary entry for 1867: “April 16. At night in the Winter Palace. Count Panin takes away the diamonds of St. Andrew as a farewell, and Zamyatin takes the diamonds of St. Alexander.” What are we talking about? Of course, about awards.

The system of titles, uniforms and orders in Russia began during the reign of Peter I. Peter sought to attract the nobility to the public service. And the main measure of each person’s merit was supposed to be service, and not “breed.”

Clarity and discipline were required from the civil service. The employee, for his part, received the opportunity for promotion depending on ability and merit. For this purpose, the “Table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks...” appeared in January 1722.

Calls according to class

Military ranks above the table of ranks

· Generalissimo

Military ranks below the table of ranks

· Sub-ensign, sub-sergeant; belt-ensign (in the infantry), belt-junker (in artillery and light cavalry), fanen-junker (in dragoons), estandard-cadet (in heavy cavalry), conductor in the fleet.

· Sergeant major, sergeant in the cavalry, boatswain in the navy, (until 1798 sergeant).

· Senior combat non-commissioned officer (until 1798 captain, fourth officer), boatswain.

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 in the lower 14th, the employee made a career. In each class it was necessary 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 a lower class rank, received and personal nobility. And the nobleman had a number of benefits. At the same time, in military service hereditary nobility gave 14th grade, and in civilian life - only 8th. However, already from the beginning of the 19th century, more and more non-nobles entered the public service. And therefore, since 1845, in the civil service, hereditary nobility was received already from the fifth grade, and in the military service - in the eighth.

Having established a clear system of ranks, the “Table of Ranks” ensured strict adherence to the principle of seniority and veneration.

Among the holders of one rank, the eldest was considered to be the one who served in military service, or the one who was previously granted a given rank. 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 divine services. There was a cruel rule: “Respect the rank of rank.” And this principle extended to the wives and daughters of officials.

Historical mosaic

Count M. N. Muravyov

In 1866, Count M.N. Muravyov headed the commission of inquiry into the case of the assassination attempt on Emperor Alexander II. The investigation was carried out vigorously. Having completed it, Muravyov asked the chief of the gendarme corps, Count P. A. Shuvalov, to report to the sovereign that he wanted to be appointed adjutant general. When the request was conveyed to the tsar, he exclaimed: “My adjutant general - no way!.. Give him St. Andrew’s diamond insignia...”.

Muravyov, dissatisfied and upset that he did not receive the desired reward, left for his estate, where he died suddenly. The Tsar's courier, who brought the diamonds, found the Count already dead.

NEW ORDER OF CIVIL SERVICE

Almost simultaneously (January 24), the famous decree was issued, concluding a table of ranks, which served as the basis for a new order of civil service. And here one could see the desire to put the supreme royal will above all rights and prejudices of the breed. Localism has long been destroyed; the promotion of individuals through the ranks remained at the discretion of the authorities. The new decree was a further development of this principle; Peter did not destroy the advantages of birth at all, but placed the dignity of public service above them. Merits rendered in public service gave the non-nobleman a hereditary title of nobility. Everyone who was considered a nobleman until that time was required to prove within a year and a half when and from whom the noble honor was granted to them; those who proved that their family had enjoyed the nobility for at least a hundred years received noble coats of arms. The master of arms had to keep lists of nobles, by name and rank, and add their children to these lists. Thus the beginning of genealogical books and heraldry was laid. The tsar granted himself the right to reward non-nobles for serving as nobility and to deprive them of it for a crime. According to the law of January 24, 1722, all public service was divided into military, civil and court service, and in each such category a ladder of 14 steps was established. Military service was divided into 4 departments: land - army, guards, artillery and naval. The highest rank or first class for the entire army, guard and artillery was Field Marshal, for the navy - Admiral General. The second class included, both in the army and in the guards service, full generals from the infantry and cavalry; in the artillery service - general field commander, in the naval service - admirals of other flags. In the third class, in the army, guard and artillery, there were lieutenant generals, the General Kriegskomissar and the Knights of St. Andrew, and in the naval class there were vice admirals. In the fourth, both in the army and in the artillery - major generals; and in the guards, this class begins the advantage over the army: the army major general was equal to the guards colonel, in the naval service the schoutbenachts and the oberzeigmeister. In the fifth - army brigadiers, Obersterkrieg Commissioner, General Priviant Master, in the artillery a colonel, in the guard a lieutenant colonel, and in the naval - captains, the commander of the port of Kronshlot and some economic positions. In the sixth: in the army - colonels, in the guard - majors, in artillery - lieutenant colonels, in the navy - captains of the 1st rank. In the seventh: in the army - lieutenant colonels, auditor generals and some other positions, in the guard - captains, in the artillery - majors, in the navy - captains of the 2nd rank. In the eighth: in the army - majors, general's adjutants; in the guard - lieutenant captains, in the artillery - engineer majors, in the naval - captains of the 3rd rank. In the ninth: in the army - captains, in the guard - lieutenants, in artillery and in the navy - captain-lieutenants. In the tenth: in the army - captain-lieutenants, in the guard - non-commissioned lieutenants, in the artillery and in the navy - lieutenants. There was no eleventh class, except for naval service - ship secretaries. Twelfth: in the army - lieutenants, in the guard - fendriks, in the artillery - non-commissioned lieutenants, in the naval - non-commissioned lieutenants and skippers of the 1st rank. Thirteenth: in the army - non-commissioned lieutenants, in the artillery - bayonets, in the guard and in the navy there was no this class. Finally, on the fourteenth: in the army - fendriks, in the artillery - engineer fendricks, in the navy - skippers of the 2nd rank and constables. In the civil service: 1st class there was only the chancellor, 2nd class - actual privy councilors, 3rd class - the prosecutor general, 4th class presidents of the boards and privy councilors. Then the remaining classes, with the exception of the 11th, which did not exist at all, expressed different positions of civil service activity, and in this regard, Peter’s report card had a slightly different meaning than the one that has survived to our time and is similar to the modern one only in terms of the positions assigned in their dignity on the ladder of classes. Court positions, starting from the 2nd class, to which the chief marshal belonged, also went up to 14 degrees, but, with the exception of the 10th and 13th, they expressed court duties, in other cases permanent, such as, for example, secret cabinet secretary, life medicus, in others - o related only to court ceremonies, for example, obershenk, chamberlains. "Rank" under Peter meant the right to a certain honor, and anyone who voluntarily took a place giving him the right to honor above his rank was subject to the deduction of two months' salary or the payment of a sum that was equal to the salary received by others equal to him in rank, persons. “This inspection of each rank is not required in such cases when some like good friends and neighbors come together or at public assemblies, but only in churches during the service of God, at courtyard ceremonies, at audiences of ambassadors, at ceremonial tables, at official congresses, at marriages , burials and the like." This is how the sovereign’s decree explained the meaning of ranks. And the female sex enjoyed a similar distinction in rank. Married women were considered in rank according to their husbands, and girls according to their fathers, but a relationship was established between married women and girls that gave preference to the former over the latter. For example, girls, daughters of fathers of the 1st rank, before their marriage, were considered superior to those married whose husbands were in the 5th rank, daughters of fathers of the 2nd rank were considered superior to the wives of officials of the 6th rank. The fiscals now have a new duty - to see that everyone is honored in accordance with their rank and does not assign the highest honor to themselves. In the civil service, hereditary nobility was given to the first 8 classes, and in the military service - to all (such as headquarters and chief) officer ranks. Each had to have his own attire, livery for servants and crew in accordance with his rank. “The nobility and dignity of a person is often diminished when the attire and other actions do not match.”

Kostomarov N.I. Russian history in the biographies of its main figures. - M., 1993; 2006. Second section: The dominance of the House of Romanov before the accession of Catherine II to the throne. Chapter 15. VI. Internal events after the Peace of Nystadt

SEPARATION OF POSITIONS WAS NECESSARY

Under Peter, development was given such strength that the division of positions became necessary, which was expressed in the Table of Ranks, where all positions, or ranks, were placed in a certain order, by class, and next to the positions, or ranks, of the military are civil and courtiers . In January 1722, two senators, Golovkin and Bruce, and two major generals, Matyushkin and Dmitriev-Mamonov, composed a Table of Ranks. In this table, under the rank of general from cavalry or infantry, we see the rank of actual privy councilor; and this was not a rank in our meaning of the word: actual Privy Councilors were in fact members of the Privy Council, which usually met to discuss important, mainly foreign affairs. Contemporaries say that when Peter wanted to elevate Count Bruce to actual privy councilor, the latter himself refused this honor, imagining that although he was a loyal subject, he was a non-believer. The paragraphs appended to the Table of Ranks stated: “The sons of the Russian state of princes, counts, barons, the noblest nobility, also servants (officials) of the noblest rank, although we allow for their noble breed or their fathers, in the public assembly of noble ranks, where the yard is located, free access to others of the lower rank and we willingly want to see them distinguished from others in every case in dignity, but for this purpose we do not allow anyone of any rank until they show us and the Fatherland any services and receive character for them . The descendants of servants of Russian origin or foreigners of the first 8 ranks are ranked among the best senior nobility, even if they were of low breed. Since the civil ranks were not previously disposed of, and for this reason, no one, or very little due order from below, earned his rank from the nobles, and the need, now necessary, requires the higher (state) ranks, for the sake of taking whoever is suitable, at least one and had no rank. But even though this rank will be insulting to military people who have received it for many years and with such cruel service, and they will see without merit an equal or higher, for the sake of whoever is elevated to that rank, then he will deserve the rank over the years, as it should.”

PRINCIPLES OF THE “TABLE OF RANKS”

One of the main organizational principles of the civil service was that a civil servant had to go through it from the bottom up in its entirety, starting with the service of the lowest class rank. This was dictated both by the need to fill all positions and to obtain the required experience (since the practice of service itself was the main school of professional training for bureaucrats).

In each class it was necessary to serve a certain minimum of years (in the lower classes usually 3-4 years). For special merits in the service, this period could be reduced. The transition to the next class was supposed to be filled by an open vacancy.

Shepelev L.E. Titles, uniforms, orders in the Russian Empire. M., 1991.

"TABLE OF CONTENTS" ABOUT LADIES

9. On the contrary, all the girls whose fathers are in the 1st rank, until they are married off, have a rank above all the wives who are in the 5th rank, namely, below the major-general, and above the brigadier. And girls whose fathers are in the 2nd rank, above the wives who are in the 6th rank, that is, below the brigadier, and above the colonel. And girls whose fathers are in the 3rd rank are above the wives of the 7th rank, that is, below the colonel, and above the lieutenant colonel. And others, against the way the ranks follow.

10. Ladies and maidens at court have, while they are actually in their ranks, the following ranks:

The Chief Chamberlain of Her Majesty the Empress has rank above all ladies.

The actual ladies of Her Majesty the Empress follow the wives of the actual privy councilors.

The actual girls of the chambers have a rank with the wives of presidents from the college.

Gough ladies - with the wives of the raiders.

Gough girls - with the wives of colonels.

Gough's master and our crown princesses - with real ladies who are under Her Majesty the Empress.

The chamber maidens under the crown princesses follow the goff ladies under Her Majesty the empress.

The Gough maidens of the crown princesses follow the Gough maidens of Her Majesty the Empress.

Generality:
General's shoulder strap 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,

Staff officers:
Two clearances and:


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

Chief officers:
One gap and:


- captain(captain, esaul) - without asterisks.
-staff captain(headquarters captain, podesaul) - 4 stars
- lieutenant(centurion) - 3 stars
- second lieutenant(cornet, cornet) - 2 stars
- ensign*** - 1 star

Lower ranks


- mediocre - ensign- 1 galloon stripe along the shoulder strap with 1 star on the stripe
- second ensign- 1 braided stripe the length of the shoulder strap
- sergeant major(sergeant) - 1 wide transverse stripe
-st. non-commissioned officer(Art. fireworker, Art. sergeant) - 3 narrow transverse stripes
-ml. non-commissioned officer(junior fireworker, junior constable) - 2 narrow transverse stripes
-corporal(bombardier, clerk) - 1 narrow transverse stripe
-private(gunner, Cossack) - without stripes

*In 1912, the last Field Marshal General, Dmitry Alekseevich Milyutin, who served as Minister of War from 1861 to 1881, dies. This rank was not assigned to anyone else, but nominally this rank was retained.
** The rank of major was abolished in 1884 and was never restored.
*** Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer was reserved only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either retirement or the rank of second lieutenant).
P.S. Encryptions and monograms are not placed on shoulder straps.
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 for chief officers?” When in 1827 stars on epaulettes appeared in the Russian army as insignia, the major general received two stars on his epaulette at once.
There is a version that one star was awarded to the brigadier - this rank had not been awarded since the time of Paul I, but by 1827 there were still
retired foremen who had the right to wear a uniform. True, retired military men were not entitled to epaulets. And it’s unlikely that many of them survived until 1827 (passed
It’s been about 30 years since the abolition of the brigadier rank). Most likely, the two general's stars were simply copied from the epaulette of the French brigadier general. There is nothing strange in this, because the epaulettes themselves came to Russia from France. Most likely, there never was one 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 hussar regiments in ceremonial and ordinary (everyday) uniforms, in which shoulder cords were worn instead of shoulder straps.
Shoulder cords.
Instead of epaulettes of the cavalry type, the hussars have on their dolmans and mentiks
Hussar shoulder cords. For all officers, the same gold or silver double soutache cord of the same color as the cords on the dolman for the lower ranks are shoulder cords made of double soutache cord in color -
orange for regiments with a metal color - gold or white for regiments with a metal color - silver.
These shoulder cords form a ring at the sleeve, and a loop at the collar, fastened with a uniform button sewn to the floor an inch from the seam of the collar.
To distinguish ranks, gombochki are put on the cords (a ring made of the same cold cord encircling the shoulder cord):
-y corporal- one, the same color as the cord;
-y non-commissioned officers three-color gombochki (white with St. George's thread), in number, like stripes on shoulder straps;
-y sergeant- gold or silver (like officers) on an orange or white cord (like lower ranks);
-y sub-ensign- a smooth officer's shoulder cord with a sergeant's gong;
Officers have gombochkas with stars on their officer cords (metal, like on shoulder straps) - in accordance with their rank.

Volunteers wear twisted cords of Romanov colors (white, black and yellow) around their cords.

The shoulder cords of chief officers and staff officers are in no way different.
Staff officers and generals have the following differences in their uniforms: on the collar, generals have a wide or gold braid up to 1 1/8 inches wide, while staff officers have a gold or silver braid of 5/8 inches, running the entire length.
hussar zigzags", and for chief officers the collar is trimmed with only cord or filigree.
In the 2nd and 5th regiments, the chief officers also have galloon along the upper edge of the collar, but 5/16 inches wide.
In addition, on the cuffs of the generals there is a galloon identical to that on the collar. The braid stripe extends from the sleeve slit at two ends and converges at the front above the toe.
Staff officers also have the same braid as the one on the collar. The length of the entire patch is up to 5 inches.
But chief officers are not entitled to braid.

Below are pictures of the shoulder cords

1. Officers and generals

2. Lower ranks

The shoulder cords of chief officers, 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 type and width of the braid on the cuffs and, in some regiments, on the collar.
Twisted cords were only reserved for adjutants and outhouse adjutants!

Shoulder cords of the aide-de-camp (left) and adjutant (right)

Officer's shoulder straps: lieutenant colonel of the aviation detachment of the 19th army corps and staff captain of the 3rd field aviation detachment. In the center are the shoulder straps of the cadets of the Nikolaev Engineering School. On the right is the shoulder strap of a captain (most likely a dragoon or uhlan regiment)

The Russian army in its modern understanding began to be created by Emperor Peter I at the end of the 18th century. The system of military ranks of the Russian army was formed 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 very specific positions and, accordingly, their names. There was no, for example, the rank of “captain”, there was the position of “captain”, i.e. company commander. By the way, in the civilian fleet even now, the person in charge of the crew of the ship is called “captain”, the person in charge of the seaport is called “port captain”. In the 18th century, many words existed in a slightly different meaning than they have now.
So "General" meant "chief", and not just "highest military leader";
"Major"- “senior” (senior among regimental officers);
"Lieutenant"- "assistant"
"Outbuilding"- "Jr".

“The table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks, in which class the ranks are acquired” was put into effect by Decree of Emperor Peter I on January 24, 1722 and existed 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. When applied to the army, this term refers to all military leaders in general. In a narrower translation, it means “employee”, “clerk”, “employee”. Therefore, it is quite natural that “non-commissioned officers” are junior commanders, “chief officers” are senior commanders, “staff officers” are staff employees, “generals” are the main ones. Non-commissioned officer ranks also in those days were not ranks, but 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, horseman or foot...” Therefore, soldier and non-commissioned officer ranks were not included in the Table. The well-known names “second lieutenant” and “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 were assistant captains, that is, company commanders; and continued to be used within the framework of the Table, as Russian-language synonyms for the positions of “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 (carrying a banner, ensign), quickly replaced the obscure "fendrik", which meant "candidate for an officer 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 divided 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 status of a fairly large set of job titles. It was here that the concept of “rank” often began to be obscured, to be relegated to the background “ job title".

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

According to the “Table of Ranks” the following ranks were introduced: civilian, military infantry and cavalry, military artillery and engineering troops, military guards, military navy.

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

Lower ranks (private)

Specialty (grenadier. Fuseler...)

Non-commissioned officers

Corporal(part-commander)

Fourier(deputy platoon commander)

Captainarmus

Sub-ensign(sergeant major of company, battalion)

Sergeant

Sergeant Major

Ensign(Fendrik), bayonet-junker (art) (platoon commander)

Second Lieutenant

Lieutenant(deputy company commander)

Captain-lieutenant(company commander)

Captain

Major(deputy battalion commander)

Lieutenant colonel(battalion commander)

Colonel(regiment commander)

Brigadier(brigade commander)

Generals

Major General(division commander)

Lieutenant General(corps commander)

General-in-chief (General-feldtsehmeister)– (army commander)

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” begin to separate. Thus, in the staff of a field infantry regiment of 1732, when indicating staff ranks, it is no longer just the rank of “quartermaster” that is written, but a position indicating the rank: “quartermaster (lieutenant rank).” In relation to company-level officers, 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 "sec-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 Cossack units, the names of ranks are established the same as the ranks of army cavalry and are equated to them, although Cossack units continue to be listed as irregular cavalry (not part of the army). There is no rank of second lieutenant in the cavalry, but captain corresponds to the captain. During the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) The concepts of “rank” and “position” during this period were 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 enrollment of young noble children into the regiments. All those enrolled in the regiments were required to actually serve. He introduced disciplinary and criminal liability of officers for soldiers (preservation of life and health, training, clothing, living conditions) and prohibited the use of soldiers as labor on the estates of officers and generals; introduced the awarding of soldiers with insignia of the Order of St. Anne and the Order of Malta; introduced an advantage in the promotion of officers who graduated from military educational institutions; ordered promotion in ranks only based on business qualities and ability to command; introduced leaves for soldiers; limited the duration of officers' vacations to one month per 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 were introduced in the lower ranks junior and senior privates. In the cavalry - sergeant(company sergeant) For Emperor Alexander I (1801-1825) since 1802, all non-commissioned officers of the noble class are called "cadet". 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 Emperor 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 different from the army cavalry (In the Life Guards Cossack and Life Guards Ataman regiments, ranks are the same as 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” during this period are already completely separated. Under Nicholas I, the discrepancy in the names of non-commissioned officer ranks disappeared. Since 1884, the rank of warrant officer was reserved only for wartime (assigned only during the war, and with its end, all warrant officers are subject to either retirement or the rank of second lieutenant). The rank of cornet in the cavalry is retained as the first officer rank. He is a grade lower than an infantry second lieutenant, but in the cavalry there is no rank of second lieutenant. This equalizes the ranks of infantry and cavalry. In Cossack units, officer classes are equal to cavalry classes, but have their own names. In this regard, the rank of military sergeant major, previously equal to a major, now becomes equal to a lieutenant colonel

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

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

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

Officer's shoulder straps of the tsarist army were designed completely differently than modern ones. First of all, the gaps were not part of the braid, as it has been done here since 1943. In the engineering troops, two belt braids or one belt braid and two headquarters braids were simply sewn onto the shoulder straps. For each branch of the military, the type of braid was determined specifically. For example, in the hussar regiments, the “hussar zig-zag” braid was used on officer’s shoulder straps. On the shoulder straps of military officials, "civilian" braid was used. Thus, the gaps of the officer's shoulder straps were always the same color as the field of the soldiers' shoulder straps. If the shoulder straps in this part did not have a colored edging (piping), as, say, it was in the engineering troops, then the piping had the same color as the gaps. But if in part the shoulder straps had colored piping, then it was visible around the officer’s shoulder straps. The shoulder strap was silver-colored without edges with an embossed double-headed eagle sitting on crossed axes. The stars were embroidered with gold thread on the shoulder straps, and the encryption was metal gilded applied numbers and letters or silver monograms (as appropriate). 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 asterisks was not strictly established 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 sprocket on the shoulder strap (for an ensign), then it was placed where the third sprocket is usually attached. Special signs also had gilded metal overlays, although they could often be found embroidered with gold thread. The exception was special aviation insignia, which were oxidized and had a silver color with a patina.

1. Epaulet staff captain 20th engineer battalion

2. Epaulet for lower ranks Ulan 2nd Life Ulan Kurland Regiment 1910

3. Epaulet full general from the retinue cavalry His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II. The silver device of the epaulette indicates the high military rank of the owner (only the marshal was higher)

About stars on uniform

For the first time, forged five-pointed stars appeared on the epaulettes of Russian officers and generals in January 1827 (back in the time of Pushkin). One golden star began to be worn by warrant officers and cornets, two by second lieutenants and major generals, and three by lieutenants and lieutenant generals. four are staff captains and staff captains.

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

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

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

The military reforms of Nicholas I copied the appearance of the French army - this is how the stars “rolled” from the French horizon to the Russian one.

As for the British army, even during the Boer War, stars began to migrate to shoulder straps. This is about officers. For 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 served as insignia. In the Russian army, there were shoulder insignia 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, rank insignia was placed on the sleeves. In the Greek army, it was on officers' shoulder straps and on the sleeves of lower ranks. In the Austro-Hungarian army, the insignia of officers and lower ranks were on the collar, those on the lapels. In the German army, only officers had shoulder straps, while the lower ranks were distinguished by the braid on the cuffs and collar, as well as the uniform button on the collar. The exception was the Kolonial truppe, where as additional (and in a number of colonies the main) insignia of the lower ranks there were chevrons made of silver galloon sewn on the left sleeve of a-la gefreiter 30-45 years.

It is interesting to note that in peacetime service and field uniforms, that is, with a tunic of the 1907 model, officers of the hussar regiments wore shoulder straps that were also somewhat different from the shoulder straps of the rest of the Russian army. For hussar shoulder straps, galloon with the so-called “hussar zigzag” was used
The only part where shoulder straps with the same zigzag were worn, besides the hussar regiments, was the 4th battalion (since 1910 regiment) of the Imperial Family riflemen. Here is a sample: shoulder straps of the captain of the 9th Kyiv Hussar Regiment.

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

The photograph shows the captain of the 11th Izyum Hussar Regiment K.K. von Rosenschild-Paulin (sitting) and cadet of the Nikolaev Cavalry School K.N. von Rosenchild-Paulin (also later an officer in the Izyum Regiment). Captain in summer dress or dress uniform, i.e. in a tunic of the 1907 model, with galloon shoulder straps and the number 11 (note, on the officer's shoulder straps of peacetime valery regiments there are only numbers, without the letters "G", "D" or "U"), and blue chakchirs worn by officers of this regiment for all forms of clothing.
Regarding “hazing,” during the World War it was apparently also common for hussar officers to wear galloon shoulder straps in peacetime.

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

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

From Brockhaus and Efron:
Ordinary ensign, military During mobilization, if there were a shortage of persons meeting the conditions for promotion to the officer rank, there was no one. non-commissioned officers are awarded the rank of warrant officer; correcting the duties of junior officers, Z. great. restricted in the rights to move in the service.

Interesting history of the rank sub-ensign. During the period 1880-1903. this rank was awarded to graduates of cadet schools (not to be confused with military schools). In the cavalry he corresponded to the rank of estandart cadet, in the Cossack troops - sergeant. Those. it turned out that this was some kind of intermediate rank between the lower ranks and officers. Sub-ensigns who graduated from the Junkers College in the 1st category were promoted to officers no earlier than September of their graduation year, but outside of vacancies. Those who graduated in the 2nd category were promoted to officers no earlier than the beginning of the next year, but only for vacancies, and it turned out that some waited several years for promotion. According to order No. 197 of 1901, with the production of the last ensigns, estandard cadets and sub-warrants in 1903, these ranks were abolished. 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 sub-ensign in the Cossack troops began to be awarded to long-term non-commissioned officers who graduated from a special school. Thus, this rank became the maximum for lower ranks.

Sub-ensign, estandard cadet and sub-ensign, 1886:

Shoulder straps of the staff captain of the Cavalry Regiment and shoulder straps 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 dark green piping along the edge of their shoulder straps, and the monogram should be a custom 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 for 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 Is it possible to have an eagle with guns in this case?

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

"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 Streltsy regiments, as a rule, lieutenant colonels (often of “vile” origin) performed all administrative functions for the Streltsy head, appointed from among the nobles or boyars In the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century, the rank (rank) and position were referred to as half-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 ranks in the formation and the reserve (before the introduction of 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 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 dismissed or those who have stained themselves with unseemly misconduct) are promoted to lieutenant colonel."

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

Officers of the Imperial Military Medical Academy

Chevrons of combatant lower ranks of long-term service according to “Regulations on the lower ranks of non-commissioned officers who remain voluntarily on long-term active service” from 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 were borrowed says the following: “...the awarding of chevrons to long-term servicemen of the lower ranks holding the positions of sergeant majors (sergeant majors) and platoon non-commissioned officers (fireworks officers) of combat companies, squadrons, and batteries was carried out:
– Upon admission to long-term service - a narrow silver chevron
– At the end of the second year of extended service - a silver wide chevron
– At the end of the fourth year of extended service - a narrow gold chevron
- At the end of the sixth year of extended service - a wide gold chevron"

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

1. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER has existed in the army since 1991 only in wartime.
With the beginning of the Great War, ensigns are graduated from military schools and ensign schools.
2. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER in the reserve, in peacetime, on the warrant officer's shoulder straps, wears a braided stripe against the device at the lower rib.
3. The rank of WARRANT OFFICER, to this rank in wartime, when military units are mobilized and there is a shortage of junior officers, lower ranks are renamed from non-commissioned officers with an educational qualification, or from sergeant majors without
educational qualification. From 1891 to 1907, ordinary warrant officers on ensign's shoulder straps also wore stripes of the ranks from which they were renamed.
4. The title of ENTERPRISE-WRITTEN OFFICER (since 1907). Shoulder straps of a lieutenant officer with an officer's star and a transverse badge for the position. On the sleeve there is a 5/8 inch chevron, angled upward. Officer's shoulder straps 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 WARRANT OFFICER-ZAURYAD of the State Militia. This rank was renamed to non-commissioned officers of the reserve, or, if they had an educational qualification, who served for at least 2 months as a non-commissioned officer of the State Militia and appointed to the position of junior officer of the squad. Ordinary warrant officers wore shoulder straps of an active-duty warrant officer with an instrument-colored galloon patch sewn into the lower part of the shoulder strap.

Cossack ranks and titles

At the lowest rung of the service ladder stood an ordinary Cossack, corresponding to an infantry private. Next came the clerk, who had one stripe and corresponded to a corporal in the infantry. The next step in the career ladder is junior sergeant and senior sergeant, corresponding to junior non-commissioned officer, non-commissioned officer and senior non-commissioned officer and with the number of badges characteristic of modern non-commissioned officers. This was followed by the rank of sergeant, 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 was the closest assistant to the commander of a hundred, squadron, battery for drill training, internal order and economic affairs. The rank of sergeant corresponded to the rank of sergeant major in the infantry. According to the regulations of 1884, introduced by Alexander III, the next rank in the Cossack troops, but only for wartime, was sub-short, an intermediate rank between ensign and warrant officer in the infantry, also introduced in wartime. In peacetime, except for the Cossack troops, these ranks existed only for reserve officers. The next grade in the chief officer ranks is cornet, corresponding to second lieutenant in the infantry and 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 clearance on a silver field (the applied color of the Don Army) with two stars. In the old army, compared to the Soviet army, the number of stars was one more. Next came the centurion - a chief officer rank in the Cossack troops, corresponding to a lieutenant in the regular army. The centurion wore shoulder straps of the same design, but with three stars, corresponding in his position to a modern lieutenant. A higher step is podesaul.

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

Podesaul was the assistant or deputy of the captain and in his absence commanded the Cossack hundred.
Shoulder straps of the same design, but with four stars.
In terms of service position he corresponds to a modern senior lieutenant. And the highest rank of chief officer is esaul. It is worth talking about this rank in particular, since from a purely historical perspective, the people who wore it held positions in both the civil and military departments. In various Cossack troops, this position included various service prerogatives.

The word comes from the Turkic “yasaul” - chief.
It was first mentioned in the Cossack troops in 1576 and was used in the Ukrainian Cossack army.

Yesauls were general, military, regimental, hundred, village, marching and artillery. General Yesaul (two per Army) - the highest rank after the hetman. In peacetime, general esauls performed inspector functions; in war they commanded several regiments, and in the absence of the hetman, the entire Army. But this is typical only for Ukrainian Cossacks. Military esauls were elected on the Military Circle (in Donskoy and most others - two per Army, in Volzhsky and Orenburg - one each). We were engaged in administrative matters. Since 1835, they were appointed as adjutants to the military ataman. Regimental esauls (initially two per regiment) performed the duties of staff officers and were the closest assistants to the regiment commander.

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

The village esauls were characteristic only of the Don Army. They were elected at village gatherings and were assistants to the village atamans. Marching esauls (usually two per Army) were selected when setting out on a campaign. They served as assistants to the marching ataman; in the 16th-17th centuries, in his absence, they commanded the army; later they were executors of the marching ataman’s orders. The artillery esaul (one per Army) was subordinate to the chief of artillery and carried out his orders. General, regimental, village and other esauls were gradually abolished

Only the military esaul was preserved under the military ataman of the Don Cossack army. In 1798 - 1800. The rank of esaul was equal to the rank of captain in the cavalry. Esaul, as a rule, commanded a Cossack hundred. His official position corresponded to that of a modern captain. He wore shoulder straps 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 esaul entered this rank, due to which the rank of major was removed from the staff officer ranks, as a result of which a serviceman from captains immediately became a lieutenant colonel. Next on the Cossack career ladder is a military foreman. The name of this rank comes from the ancient name of the executive body of power among the Cossacks. In the second half of the 18th century, this name, in a modified form, extended to individuals who commanded individual branches of the Cossack army. Since 1754, a military foreman was equivalent to a major, and with the abolition of this rank in 1884, to a lieutenant colonel. He wore shoulder straps with two blue gaps on a silver field and three large stars.

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

Table of ranks (“Table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks”) - a law on the order of public service in the Russian Empire (ratio of ranks by seniority, sequence of ranks) - was approved on January 24, 1722 (February 4, new style) Emperor Peter I. It [the “report card” was then feminine] existed with numerous changes until the revolution of 1917 and not only left its legal imprint on the state life of tsarist Russia, but also became a comprehensive background for any everyday, cultural and folklore manifestations.

“He was a titular adviser, She is the general’s daughter. He timidly declared his love, She drove him away. The titular adviser left And drank out of grief all night - And the general’s daughter rushed about in a wine mist Before him...”

The drama (and perhaps even the personal tragedy) sounding in this popular romance by P.I. may be completely unclear to the modern reader. Weinberg, but in the 19th century everything was crystal clear to any Russian: a person of non-noble origin could, through his labor, earn the rank of titular councilor, which gave the right to personal nobility. Receiving this rank as a simple tradesman seemed to open a window to inaccessible, previously unknown heights, became a reason for pride and self-respect... but at the same time hung like an impenetrable granite ceiling over the “little man” who had barely soared.

The fact is that the next highest rank of collegiate assessor gave the right to hereditary nobility, which is why there was an invisible barrier on the way to it, which was extremely difficult for a common official to overcome. The nobility was wary of being overly replenished at the expense of non-nobles. Most titular councilors remained in this rank forever, not counting on more; they were called “eternal titular advisers”, “titulars”, and the notorious “general’s daughter” remained an unattainable celestial being, a special person of at least the fourth class.

By the way, titular advisers were Gogol’s Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, and old Marmeladov from Crime and Punishment, and A.S. Before his promotion to chamber cadet, Pushkin also vegetated in titles.

Below is the full article Yu.A. Trambitsky, which is currently the most complete compilation of information on the “Table of Ranks” from different years of its existence.

Table of ranks

Recently, the number of works devoted to our historical past has sharply increased. Terms and concepts associated with ranks, ranks and titles that existed in pre-revolutionary Russia flashed on the pages of magazines and newspapers. Some of them, found in publications of documents from the past, baffle even experienced historians. At the same time, the literature on these issues is extremely poor and sparse. With this article we will try to prevent possible questions from readers who are fans of military history.

On January 24, 1722, Peter I approved the Law on the procedure for civil service in the Russian Empire (ranks by seniority and sequence of ranks). The preparation of this law, the “Table of Ranks,” began back in 1719 and was a natural continuation of the reform activities of Peter I, as a result of which the number of positions in the army and state apparatus increased. The Table of Ranks was based on similar acts that already existed in Western European countries, especially in Denmark and Prussia. When developing the law, the ranks that already existed in Russia were also taken into account. In addition to the table itself, the “Table of Ranks” had eighteen more points of explanatory text and establishing penalties for its violation. All ranks of the “Table of Ranks” were divided into three types: military, state (civilian) and courtiers and were divided into fourteen classes. It is interesting that the law did not explain in any way the very concept of “rank”, due to which some historians considered the latter literally and only in the system of rank production, while others - as one or another position. In our opinion, the “Table of Ranks” included both concepts. Gradually, positions are excluded from the “Table of Ranks” [Petrine’s “Table of Ranks” numbered 262 positions] and at the end of the 18th century they disappear altogether.

Petrovskaya "Table", determining the place in the hierarchy of the civil service, to some extent provided an opportunity for talented people from the lower classes to advance. “So that those who are willing to apply for service and receive honor, and not receive impudent and parasites,” read one of the descriptive articles of the law. However, as the “Table” was established in the state structure, the rank increasingly became an object of veneration, which hampered any democratic processes in the country. Let us remember Griboyedov’s lines: “I would be glad to serve, but listening is sickening...”, let us remember the heroes of Chekhov’s stories. The French aristocrat Marquis de Custine, who visited Nicholas Russia, was struck by the cult of rank, defining it as “galvanism, giving the appearance of life to bodies and souls, this,” he wrote, “is the only passion that replaces all human passions. Rank is a nation formed into regiments and battalions, a military regime applied to society as a whole and even to classes that have nothing to do with military affairs." A characteristic manifestation of veneration was also the form of address - title, which was established in the second half of the 18th century. Thus, persons who had the ranks of the 1st and 2nd classes were titled “Your Excellency”, those of the 3rd and 4th classes - “Your Excellency”, the 5th - “Your Excellency”, the 6th - 8- th - "Your Honor" and, finally, 9th-14th grades - "Your Honor." Officials who had the family title of count or prince were addressed by their subordinates using the form “Your Excellency.” Another was the form of address by senior ranks to their subordinates. They used the rank and surname (“Captain Ivanov”), adding, if necessary, a princely or count title (“Lieutenant Prince Obolensky”).

Military ranks, which existed long before the adoption of the Table of Ranks and were reflected in the military regulations of 1698 and 1716, were finally formalized by the law of 1722. Initially, military ranks consisted of four categories: ground forces, guards, artillery troops and navy. Military ranks were declared superior to their corresponding civil and even court ranks. Such seniority gave an advantage to military ranks in the main thing - the transition to the upper nobility. Already the 14th class of the "Table" of military ranks (Fendrik, from 1730 - ensign) gave the right to hereditary nobility (in the civil service, hereditary nobility was acquired by the rank of the 8th class - collegiate assessor, and the rank of collegiate registrar - 14th class , gave the right only to personal nobility).

With the intensification of the crisis of the feudal system in Russia, the autocracy is making attempts to limit access to the nobility. These issues were discussed in numerous so-called secret committees. The Secret Committee had already prepared a bill on “December 6, 1826” protecting the class of nobles from the influx of commoners into it. This bill, although with a delay and some changes, was formalized by the Manifesto on June 11, 1845. According to this law, hereditary nobility was acquired with the promotion of an officer to the rank of staff officer (8th class). [Civil ranks from the 14th to the 10th grade received personal honorary citizenship, from the 6th grade - personal nobility, from the 5th grade - hereditary nobility] Children born before the father received hereditary nobility constituted a special class category of ober- officers' children, and one of them, at the request of the father, could be given hereditary nobility. Alexander II, by decree of December 9, 1856, limited the right to receive hereditary nobility to the rank of colonel (6th class), and in the civil department - to the rank of 4th class (actual state councilor).

A special place in the hierarchy of military ranks was occupied by officers of the guards units of all branches of the armed forces, who received an advantage of two ranks over army officers in Petrovskaya “Table.” Another interesting fact is that until 1837, guard officers appointed to new higher positions in the army had the right to retain their guards rank and guards rank. In documents of the 18th century one can often find an address like “colonel of the army and captain of the life guards.” In 1798, the rank of guard colonel was shifted from 4th class to 6th class, i.e., equal to the rank of army colonel. This was due to the fact that the commanders of the guard regiments began to be determined by the rank of general, and the colonels of the guard began to occupy the positions of battalion commanders. Only after the reform of military ranks in 1884, when the army chief officer ranks were transferred one class higher, the difference between the guard and the army began to be one class. Service in the guards units also gave an advantage in rank production. As a rule, guards officers who accepted a transfer from the guard to the army were enlisted to fill vacancies in army units. This is especially true for the positions of battalion commanders and regiment commanders. Having received a new position, and with it a new rank, the guards did not stay in the army for long and were again transferred to the guard. This state of affairs is associated with the desire of non-nobles to join the guard. Despite the fact that service in the guards military units required quite significant funds, the desire of graduates of military schools to graduate into the guard especially increased after 1901, when, according to the order of the Military Department (1901, No. 166), direct graduation into the guard was established based on the results final exams. This order caused discontent among the majority of guards officers - people who came from the old noble families of Russia and served in the 1st and 2nd guards divisions. A year later, the order of 1901 was canceled, and persons of non-noble origin were not sent to the guard, and this despite the fact that the legislation did not limit the right of non-nobles to become officers in the guard.

Until the end of the 18th century, artillery officers and engineering ranks had a one-rank advantage over the army. This was explained by the fact that service in the named branches of the military required officers to be more educated, especially in the field of mathematics. In 1798, this advantage was eliminated, but not for long, and already under Alexander I in 1811, the advantage of one rank against army officers was returned to the army artillery and engineering troops. At the same time, the officers of the quartermaster unit also received an advantage of one rank. After the Patriotic War of 1812, some regiments received the status of “young guard”, and their officers received an advantage of one rank over ordinary army officers. The named categories had this advantage until 1884.

When promoted to the next rank based on length of service, officers had to serve in each rank for 4 years (in the Guard, due to the lack of the rank of lieutenant colonel, captains served the rank of colonel for 6 years). Order No. 187 of the Military Department of July 21, 1896 approved the rules for promotion to staff officer ranks. According to these rules, 50 percent. vacancies were filled by those produced according to seniority and 50 percent. by election of the authorities, and from among the last 10 percent. allocated for production for “special distinctions” (for combatant captains only for “combat distinctions”), 20 percent. - for captains who graduated from military academies, the rest - for captains nominated for election proceedings. Thus, the principle of seniority lost its significance and certification played the main role.

The Knights of St. George also had benefits for promotion to the next rank. According to the rules of 1898, officers who were awarded the Order of St. George and served in this rank for 3 years were promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel on the same basis as captains who graduated from the General Staff Academy, even if there was no staff officer vacancy available. Lieutenant colonels were also promoted to colonel on preferential terms if they had a positive certification and had served in their final rank for 4 years by November 26, the holiday of the Knights of St. George. These rules provided benefits for obtaining the position of commander of a regiment or a separate battalion.

In the army environment, so well shown in Kuprin’s “Duel,” the presence of benefits almost always aroused anger and envy. These feelings, as a rule, did not extend to the St. George cavaliers and officers of special branches of the military and were addressed mainly to the guards and officers of the General Staff, for whom, as A. A. Samoilo recalled, “the intrigue and arrogance that corroded this environment were very characteristic.”

The retinue ranks of adjutant general and wing adjutant, which were held by generals and officers close to the emperor, should be distinguished from the military ranks of the Russian army. During the reign of Alexander I, these titles formed the concept of “His Imperial Majesty’s Retinue.” Only staff and chief officers could be adjutant wings. With the promotion of a staff officer to the rank of general (4th class), the latter could receive the rank of adjutant general, naturally, if the emperor himself desired it. In 1827, a special military court rank appeared - Major General of His Majesty's Retinue. Since 1829, the rank of adjutant general was awarded only to generals holding the ranks of 2nd and 3rd classes. At the end of the 19th century, the rank of Adjutant General appeared under the person of His Imperial Majesty, who was listed above the Adjutant General of His Imperial Majesty.

In publications of historical material, you may also encounter other concepts that are in one way or another connected with the ranks and titles of pre-revolutionary Russia. Many of them, having arisen in one meaning, acquired a different meaning over time. Let's briefly look at those that are most difficult to understand.

At the end of the 18th century, special ranks were established among non-commissioned officers of noble origin, which were not included in the “Table of Ranks”: harness-ensign (in the infantry), estandard cadet (among the dragoons), harness-cadet (in the light cavalry and artillery). These ranks did not last long, and already in 1800 all non-commissioned officers - nobles from infantry units began to be called sub-ensigns. Since 1802, all non-commissioned officers of the Jaeger, artillery, and cavalry units, who came from the nobility, began to be called cadets.

In the 60s of the 19th century, the title of harness cadet reappeared, but in the meaning of a graduate of a cadet school, released into a regiment in anticipation of promotion to an officer. Officer candidates from the lower ranks who passed the officer exam also had the same rank. Since 1865, students of cadet (military) schools began to be called cadets.

In 1880, the rank of harness cadet was again renamed. In military units where there were warrant officers, he began to be called a sub-ensign, in the cavalry - an estandard cadet, in the Cossack troops - a sub-horunzhim. In the regiments, ensigns and estandard cadets performed the duties of junior officers.

Since 1906, the meaning of the rank of ensign has changed. Long-term non-commissioned officers who successfully completed military school began to be promoted to this rank.

In the Navy in 1882, the rank of midshipman (13th or 14th class, depending on the length of service) was excluded from the “Table of Ranks”, and midshipmen, as before 1860, began to be called students of the senior classes of the Marine Corps. schools.

The above table of ranks shows that Peter’s “Table of Ranks” changed over almost two centuries as a result of major reforms.

Table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks

TABLE OF RANKS

Report card 1722:

Report card 1799:

Report card 1884:

Until 1884, 6th class of court ranks - Chamber-Fourier