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 public life 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” 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" [Petrovskaya "Table of Ranks" numbered 262 positions] and in late XVIII centuries 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 approved in state structure The rank became more and more 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 troops, guard, 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 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 from the old noble families 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 Patriotic War In 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 combat 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 awarded the order St. George and who 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. IN late XIX century, the title of adjutant general appears under His person Imperial Majesty, 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 that were not included in the “Table of Ranks”: harness-ensign (in the infantry), estandart-junker (among the dragoons), harness-junker (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 years XIX century, the title of harness cadet reappears, 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
| Class | Civil ranks | Court officials | |
| 1722-1917 | 1722 | XIX century-1917 | |
| I | Chancellor Actual Privy Councilor 1st Class |
||
| II | Chief Marshal | Chief Chamberlain, Chief Chamberlain, Chief Marshal, Chief Schenk, Chief Rallymaster, Chief Jägermeister | |
| III | Privy Councilor | Chief of the Rackmaster | Chamberlain Master, Chamber Marshal, Master of Horse, Jägermeister, Chief Master of Ceremonies |
| IV | Chief Chamberlain, Chief Chamberlain | Chamberlain | |
| V | State Councillor | Chief Chamberlain, Chief Chamberlain Master, Chief Chamberlain under the Empress, Chamberlain, Secret Cabinet Secretary, Chief Master of Ceremonies | Chamber cadet, master of ceremonies |
| VI | Collegiate Advisor | Chief Jägermeister, acting. Chamberlain, Marshal, Master of Horse, 1st Life Medicus | Camera Fourier |
| VII | Court Councilor | Chamberlain and Life Medicus under the Empress, Master of Ceremonies | |
| VIII | Collegiate Assessor | Titular chamberlain, horse-master, court quartermaster | |
| IX | Titular Councilor | Court Jägermeister, Court Master of Ceremonies, Chamber-Junker, Chief Kitchenmaster | Gough-Fourier |
| X | Collegiate Secretary | ||
| XI | Ship's Secretary | ||
| XII | Provincial Secretary | Gough-cadet, court doctor | |
| XIII | Provincial Secretary | ||
| XIV | Collegiate Registrar | Chamberlain of Pages, Kitchen Master, Mundschenk | |
| Class | Infantry | Cavalry | ||||||
| 1722 | 1730 | 1748 | 1798-1917 | 1730 | 1748 | 1798 | 1884-1917 | |
| I | ||||||||
| II | ||||||||
| III | Colonel | Colonel | ||||||
| IV | Colonel | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | ||||
| V | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Prime Major | Prime Major | ||||
| VI | Major | Major | Second Major | Colonel | Second Major | Colonel | Colonel | |
| VII | Captain | Captain | Captain | Captain | Captain | Captain | Captain | Captain |
| VIII | Lieutenant Commander | Captain-lieutenant | Captain-lieutenant | Staff Captain | Second Captain | Second Captain | Staff Captain | Staff Captain |
| IX | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant |
| X | Non-Commissioned Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Cornet | |
| XI | ||||||||
| XII | Fendrick | Ensign | Cornet | |||||
| XIII | ||||||||
| XIV | ||||||||
| Class | Infantry | Cavalry | |||||
| 1722 | 1730 | 1798 | 1884-1917 | 1730 | 1798 | 1884-1917 | |
| I | Field Marshal General | Field Marshal General | Field Marshal General | Field Marshal General | |||
| II | General of Infantry | Chief General | General of Infantry | General of Infantry | Chief General | General of the Cavalry | General of the Cavalry |
| III | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | |
| IV | Major General | Major General | Major General | Major General | Major General | Major General | Major General |
| V | Brigadier | Brigadier | Brigadier | ||||
| VI | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel |
| VII | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel |
| VIII | Major | Major, since 1767 prime major and seconds major | Major | Captain | Major | Major | Captain |
| IX | Captain | Captain | Captain | Staff Captain | Captain | Staff Captain | |
| X | Lieutenant Commander | Captain-lieutenant | Staff Captain | Lieutenant | Staff Captain | Lieutenant | |
| XI | |||||||
| XII | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Cornet | |
| XIII | Non-Commissioned Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Reserve ensign | |||
| XIV | Fendrick | Ensign | Ensign | Cornet | |||
| Class | Dragoons | Cossacks | Fleet | ||||||
| 1798 | 1798 | 1884-1917 | 1722 | 1764 | 1798 | 1884 | 1907 | 1912-1917 | |
| I | Admiral General | Admiral General | Admiral General | Admiral General | Admiral General | Admiral General | |||
| II | General of the Cavalry | General of the Cavalry | Admiral | Admiral | Admiral | Admiral | Admiral | Admiral | |
| III | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral | Vice Admiral | |
| IV | Major General | Major General | Schoutbenacht | Schoutbenacht | Rear Admiral | Rear Admiral | Rear Admiral | Rear Admiral | |
| V | Captain Commander | Brigadier rank captain | Captain-Commander until 1827 | ||||||
| VI | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Captain 1st rank | Captain 1st rank | Captain 1st rank | Captain 1st rank | Captain 1st rank | Captain 1st rank |
| VII | Lieutenant Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Military foreman | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 2nd rank | Captain 2nd rank |
| VIII | Military foreman | Esaul | Captain 3rd rank | Captain-lieutenant | Lieutenant Commander | Captain-lieutenant until 1911 | Senior Lieutenant | ||
| IX | Captain | Esaul | Podesaul | Lieutenant Commander | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant and Art. lieutenant | Lieutenant |
| X | Staff Captain | Centurion | Lieutenant | Midshipman | Midshipman | Midshipman | |||
| XI | Ship's Secretary | Ship's Secretary | |||||||
| XII | Lieutenant | Centurion | Cornet | Non-Commissioned Lieutenant | Midshipman | Midshipman | |||
| XIII | Second Lieutenant | Midshipman from 1758 to 1764 | Midshipman (1860-1882) | ||||||
| XIV | Cornet | ||||||||
| Belonging to the type of clergy | Class according to the Table of Ranks | Chin (san) | Title |
| Black | I | Metropolitan | |
| Black | II | Archbishop | Your Eminence, Vladyka |
| Black | III | Bishop | Your Eminence, Vladyka |
| Black | IV | Archimandrite | Your Reverence |
| Black | V | Abbot | Your Reverence |
| White | V | Protopresbyter | |
| White | VI | Archpriest | Your Reverence, Your High Blessing |
| White | VII | Priest (priest) | |
| White | VIII | Protodeacon | Your Reverence, Your Blessing, Your Priesthood |
| White | IX | Deacon | Your Reverence |
| Classes | Army infantry, artillery, engineering troops | Army cavalry | Cossack troops | Navy | Civil ranks | Court officials | Title |
| I | Field Marshal General | — | — | Admiral General | Chancellor, Actual Privy Councilor I class | — | Your Excellency |
| II | Infantry General, Artillery General, Engineer General | General of the Cavalry | — | Admiral | Actual Privy Councilor | Chief Chamberlain, Chief Marshal, Chief Chamberlain, Chief Schenk, Chief Horseman, Chief Jägermeister, Chief Forschneider | Your Excellency |
| III | Lieutenant General | Lieutenant General | — | Vice Admiral | Privy Councilor | Chamberlain, Chamber Marshal, Master of Horse, Jägermeister, Chief Master of Ceremonies | Your Excellency |
| IV | Major General | Major General | — | Rear Admiral | Actual State Councilor | Chamberlain | Your Excellency |
| V | — | — | — | — | State Councillor | Chamber cadet, master of ceremonies | Your Highness |
| VI | Colonel | Colonel | Colonel | Captain 1st rank | Collegiate Advisor | — | Your Honor |
| VII | Lieutenant colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Military foreman | Captain 2nd rank | Court Councilor | — | Your Honor |
| VIII | Captain | Captain | Esaul | Senior Lieutenant | Collegiate Assessor | — | Your Honor |
| IX | Staff Captain | Staff Captain | Podesaul | Lieutenant | Titular Councilor | — | Your Honor |
| X | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Centurion | Midshipman | Collegiate Secretary | — | Your Honor |
| XI | — | — | — | — | Ship's secretary (no longer used since the end of the 18th century) | — | Your Honor |
| XII | Second Lieutenant | Cornet | Cornet | — | Provincial Secretary | — | Your Honor |
| XIII | Ensign (in wartime, in peacetime - in reserve) | — | — | — | Provincial secretary (no longer used since the end of the 18th century) | — | Your Honor |
| XIV | — | — | — | — | Collegiate Registrar | — | Your Honor |
TABLE OF RANKS
Report card 1722:
CLASSES CIVIL OFFICERS MILITARY OFFICERS Army Navy 1 Chancellor Field Marshal General Admiral General 2 Acting Chief General Admiral Privy Councilor 3 Privy Councilor Lieutenant General Vice Admiral 4 Privy Councilor Major General Rear Admiral 5 Civil Councilor Brigadier Captain Commander 6 Collegiate Councilor Colonel Captain 1st rank 7 Court adviser Lieutenant Colonel Captain 2nd rank 8 Collegiate assessor Major Captain 3rd rank 9 Titular adviser Captain (in infantry) Captain (cavalry) 10 Collegiate secretary Captain-lieutenant Lieutenant 11 Ship secretary Lieutenant Sotnik 12 Provincial Secretary Second Lieutenant 13 Senate Registrar Ensign Synod Registrar Cabinet Registrar 14 Collegiate Registrar Fendrick (in the infantry) Midshipman Cornet (in the cavalry) From 1731 to 1797 8th class of army ranks - Prime Major and Second Major From 1724 4 -1st class of civil ranks - actual state councilor Since the 30s. until the end of the 18th century. 3rd class army ranks - Lieutenant GeneralReport card 1799:
CLASSES CIVIL OFFICERS MILITARY OFFICERS Army Navy 1 Chancellor Field Marshal General Admiral General Acting Privy Councilor 1st Class 2 Acting Infantry General Admiral Privy Councilor Cavalry General Artillery General 3 Privy Councilor Lieutenant General Vice Admiral 4 Acting Major General Rear Admiral State Advisor 5 State Advisor 6 Collegiate Advisor Colonel Captain 1st Rank 7 Court Advisor Lieutenant Colonel Captain 2nd Rank 8 Collegiate Assessor Major Lieutenant Commander Troop Foreman 9 Titular Advisor Captain (in infantry) Rotmister (in cavalry) 10 Collegiate Secretary Staff Captain Lieutenant Staff Captain Podesaul 11 Ship Secretary Lieutenant Sotnik 12 Provincial Secretary Second Lieutenant Midshipman Non-Commissioned Lieutenant 13 Senate Registrar Cornet (in cavalry) Synodal Registrar Cornet (in infantry) Cabinet Registrar 14 Collegiate RegistrarReport card 1884:
CLASSES CIVIL OFFICERS MILITARY OFFICERS COURT OFFICERS Army Navy 1 Chancellor Field Marshal General Admiral General Acting Privy Councilor 1st Class 2 Acting General of the Infantry Admiral Chief Chamberlain Privy Councilor General of the Cavalry Chief Marshal General of the Artillery Chief Master of the Horse Ober -jaegermeister Chief Chamberlain Chief Schenk Chief Master of Ceremonies Chief Forschneider 3 Privy Councilor Lieutenant General Vice Admiral Chamberlain Marshal of Horse Master Jägermeister Chamberlain Chief Master of Ceremonies Chief Forschneider 4 Active Major General Rear Admiral State Councilor 5 State Councilor Master of Ceremonies 6 Collegiate Councilor Colonel Captain 1st rank 7 Consultural adviser Lieutenant Colonel captain of the 2nd rank of military foreman 8 College Assessor Captain Captain Captain Captain Esaul 9 Titular adviser headquarters captain headquarters podsaul 10 college secretary Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant Secret Secretary 12 Provincial Secretary Cornet Michman Horunzhi 13 Senate registrar Synod registrar Cabinet registrar 14 Collegiate registrarUntil 1884, 6th class of court ranks - Chamber-Fourier
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 gaps 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 - shoulder straps of Nikolaevsky cadets 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, the process of separating the concepts of “position” and “rank” took place. early XIX century, these concepts have already been separated quite clearly. With the development of means of warfare, the advent of technology, when the army became large enough and when it was necessary to compare the service status of a fairly large set of job titles. It was here that the concept of “rank” often began to obscure, to relegate to the background the concept of “position”.
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 promotion in the ranks of officers who graduated 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 long time etc.).In the lower ranks, ranks are introduced 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 sprocket had to be placed so as to form with the two lower ones equilateral triangle, and the fourth asterisk is 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 the doors of houses, 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 assigned to full-time non-commissioned officers who graduated special school. Thus, this rank became the maximum for lower ranks.
Sub-ensign, estandard cadet and sub-ensign, 1886:
Headquarters captain's shoulder straps 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 the shoulder strap, and the monogram should be a applied color. And the second shoulder strap is presented as the shoulder strap of a second lieutenant of the Guards artillery (with such a monogram in the Guards artillery there were shoulder straps 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 Great War Warrant officers are graduated from military schools and warrant officer 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 ZURYAD-WARRANT OFFICER, to this rank in wartime during mobilization military units if there is a shortage of junior officers, the lower ranks are renamed from non-commissioned officers with an educational qualification, or from sergeants without
educational qualification. From 1891 to 1907, 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 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 Donskoy 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.
Every person is responsible to all people for all people and for everything.
Dostoevsky F.M.
The table of ranks was adopted by Peter 1 in January 1722. This document actually put an end to localism, streamlined the class hierarchy in Russia and allowed ordinary people to advance in their careers and receive “high” titles. For example, Menshikov, Apraksin, Tolstoy - all this is the new elite of the Peter the Great era.
The Table of Ranks introduced 14 ranks (ranks, levels) for military and civilian service in the Russian Empire. Initially, everyone (including nobles) had to begin service in a lower position, without privileges and rights. These were simple positions that did not provide privileges and were not reflected in the report card. In the future, based on their achievements and skills, everyone could rise to the 14th level, and after that gradually rise higher and higher, receiving a new rank. The timesheet itself is shown below.
| Military ranks | Civil | Appeal | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Land | Marine | Guards | |||
| 1 | Field Marshal | Admiral General | Chancellor | Yours high- excellent management |
|
| 2 | General-in-Chief, generals from the military branches | Admiral | Actual Privy Councilor | ||
| 3 | Lieutenant General | Vice Admiral | Privy Councilor | Yours excellent management |
|
| 4 | Major General | Schoutbenacht (until 1740), Rear Admiral (after 1740) |
Colonel | Actual State Councilor, Chief Prosecutor, Master of Arms |
|
| 5 | Brigadier | Captain Commander | Lieutenant colonel | State Councillor | Your Highness |
| 6 | Colonel | Captain 1st rank | Major | Collegiate Advisor | Yours highly nobility |
| 7 | Lieutenant colonel | Captain 2nd rank | Captain | Court Councilor | |
| 8 | Major | Captain 3rd rank | Lieutenant Commander | Collegiate Assessor | |
| 9 | Captain (cavalry) Captain, Esaul (among the Cossacks) |
Lieutenant Commander (until 1884), Lieutenant (after 1884) |
Lieutenant | Titular Councilor | Yours nobility |
| 10 | Staff Captain, Staff captain (cavalry) |
Lieutenant (until 1885), Midshipman (after 1885) |
Non-Commissioned Lieutenant | Collegiate Secretary | |
| 11 | Ship's Secretary | Ship's Secretary | |||
| 12 | Lieutenant (cavalry) Lieutenant (infantry) |
Non-commissioned lieutenant (until 1732), Midshipman (1796-1885) |
Fendrick | Provincial Secretary | |
| 13 | Second Lieutenant | Midshipman (1732-1796) | Provincial Secretary | ||
| 14 | Fendrick (until 1731), Cornet (cavalry) Ensign (infantry) |
Collegiate Registrar | |||
All types of services were divided into 2 categories:
- Military service. Included land, sea and guards corps. Everyone began to serve with the rank of private, and it was possible to receive a junior rank (14th rank) no earlier than after 15 years. All military ranks were given the right to an inherited estate.
- Civil service. Only officials from the 8th rank (collegiate assessor) and above received the right to inherited estate. The lower ranks received the estate, but could not pass it on by inheritance.
These conditions were valid until 1856. After this, new rules were introduced regarding the acquisition of nobility. Personal nobility was received from the 12th rank (Lieutenant), and hereditary nobility from the 6th rank (Colonel). In the civil service, the right to personal nobility was given by rank 9 (Titular Councilor), and hereditary - by rank 4 (Actual State Councilor).
Features of the Report Card
Under Peter, the following formula was in effect: every educated person is obliged to serve, and any educated person can serve. Since the era of Peter the Great, career advancement has been based on knowledge and skills, and not on the basis of origin. A soldier could become an officer, an ordinary citizen could become a high-ranking official. Everything depended on skills. But there is an important limitation - the table of ranks did not apply to serfs.
We talk about the Table of Contents that it gave way to educated people, but what was education in the 16th and 17th centuries? There were big problems with her, especially among the nobles. As a result, Peter 1 formulated the minimum that all nobles had to know: 4 operations of arithmetic, be able to read and write, understand foreign language. And even with such demands the nobles had big problems. They did not want to study, so Peter introduced a system of examinations (often the king personally took them), where the knowledge of the nobles was tested, and their suitability for a certain service and place in the Report Card was checked.
The table of ranks is an attempt to systematize the public service, giving all gifted people the opportunity to prove themselves. This system had its pros and cons, but the system worked. As an example of how old noble families bypassed the Report Card, I can give the example of military service. Nobles served in the army. The service was lifelong, but after 1722 everyone started as a simple soldier and only after 15 years could they move to an officer position. Noble people then began to enroll their children in the guard immediately after birth. As a result, when the child turned 15 years old and went to the army, he already had an officer position, although he had not spent a day in the army. But this is rather an exception, since there were not many who did this. On the whole, the system worked.
Table of ranks (“Table of ranks of all military, civil and court ranks”) - law on the procedure for civil service in the Russian Empire (ratio of ranks by seniority, sequence of ranks).
Approved on January 24 (February 4), 1722 by Emperor Peter I, it existed with numerous changes until the 1917 revolution.
Quote: “Table of ranks of all ranks, military, civil and courtiers, which are in which rank class; and who are in the same class" - Peter I January 24, 1722
History of creation
Peter personally took part in editing the law, which was based on borrowings from the “lists of ranks” of the French, Prussian, Swedish and Danish kingdoms. Having corrected the draft draft with his own hand, Peter signed it on February 1, 1721, but ordered it to be submitted to the Senate for consideration before publication. In addition to the Senate, the table of ranks was considered in the military and in the admiralty board, where a number of comments were made on the placement of ranks by rank, on salaries, on the introduction of ancient Russian ranks into the table and on the elimination of the clause on fines for occupying a place in the church above one’s rank . All these comments were left without consideration. Senators Golovkin and Bruce and Major Generals Matyushkin and Dmitriev-Mamonov took part in the final edition of the table of ranks.
Description
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). All ranks of the “Table of Ranks” were divided into three types: military, civil and courtiers and were divided into fourteen classes. A rank was assigned to each class.
Peter’s “Table of Ranks” numbered 263 positions, but later the positions from the “Table of Ranks” were abolished and at the end of the 18th century some disappeared completely. 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 the 14th class of the "Table" (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 - the 14th class, gave the right only to personal nobility). According to the Manifesto of June 11, 1845, hereditary nobility was acquired with promotion to the rank of headquarters officer (8th class). Children born before the father received hereditary nobility constituted a special category of chief officer 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). The given tables of ranks show that Peter’s “Table of Ranks” changed over almost two centuries as a result of major reforms. The names of a number of civil positions turned into civil ranks, regardless of the real responsibilities of their holder. Thus, the titles of the ranks “collegiate secretary”, “collegiate assessor”, “collegiate councilor” and “state councilor” originally meant the positions of secretary of the collegium, member of the collegium council with an advisory and casting vote, and president of the “state” collegium. “Nadvornyy councilor” meant the chairman of the courthouse court; court courts were abolished already in 1726, and the name of the rank remained until 1917.
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 willing to give to the service and honor them, and not impudent and parasites receive”, read one of the descriptive articles of the law.
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, artillery and naval), civil and court ranks were assigned to each class separately. The content of the explanatory paragraphs is as follows:
The princes of the imperial blood have, in all cases, the presidency over all the princes and “high servants” 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; ⅓ 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. The ranks of class V (brigadier/state councilor) stood apart, not being classified as either officers or generals, and they were entitled to the address “your honor.” It is curious that Peter, emphasizing in everything his preference for the military over civilians, did not want to establish first-class civil ranks; however, having bowed to Osterman’s persuasion, for reasons of diplomatic prestige, he equated the rank of chancellor, as the head of the diplomatic department, to first class. Only later was the rank of actual privy councilor, first class, established. This preference was also expressed in the fact that if in the army hereditary nobility was obtained directly with the rank of XIV class, then in the civil service - only with the rank of VIII class (collegiate assessor), that is, with the achievement of the rank of staff officer; and since 1856, this required reaching the rank of general, receiving the rank of full state councilor. In this regard, the relatively low (not even general!) rank that was assigned to the president of the “state” collegium, that is, according to European standards, to the minister, is also indicative. Subsequently, the ministers had a rank no lower than actual privy councilor.
Influence on society and nobility
When the table of ranks was put into effect, the ancient Russian ranks - boyars, okolnichys, etc. - were not formally abolished, but the granting of these ranks ceased. The publication of the report card had a significant impact on both the official routine and the historical destinies of the noble class. Personal length of service became the only regulator of service; “fatherly honor”, the breed, has lost all meaning in this regard. Military service was separated from civil and court service. The acquisition of nobility was legalized by the length of service of a certain rank and the award of the monarch, which influenced the democratization of the noble class, the consolidation of the service character of the nobility and the stratification of the noble mass into new groups - hereditary and personal nobility.
Under Peter I, the rank of the lowest XIV class in military service (Fendrik, ensign from 1730) gave the right to hereditary nobility. Civil service in the rank up to VIII class gave only personal nobility, and the right to hereditary nobility began with the rank of VIII class.
By decree of Alexander II of December 9, 1856, the bar was raised: personal nobility began for all types of services from class IX, and the right to hereditary one was given by the rank of colonel (VI class) in military service or the rank of active state councilor (IV class) in civil service. Officials from class XIV to class X were now simply called “honorary citizens.”
Further development of the idea
Further legislation on rank production somewhat deviated from the original idea of the Table of Ranks. In theory, ranks meant the positions themselves, distributed across 14 classes, but over time, ranks acquired the independent meaning of honorary titles, regardless of positions. On the other hand, shortened deadlines were established for promotion to certain ranks for nobles; then the ranks were raised, giving the right of hereditary nobility. These measures were intended to limit the democratizing effect of the table on the composition of the noble class.
Table of ranks
- Generalissimo (outside classes)
Civil (state) ranks |
Military ranks |
Court officials |
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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 topic of nobility and belonging to this category of residents in the Russian Empire has always been considered one of the most important in society and at the legislative level. For many years, it was the nobility that provided the support for power and was considered the social elite, and therefore a lot of attention was paid to status. The nobility has always been regulated, but for the first time in the Russian Empire the issue was raised by Peter I. By force of law, he decided to streamline relationships in different spheres of life. The ruler issued a Table of Ranks.
In contact with
Classmates
How the table of ranks was created (briefly)
Since Peter the Great was inspired by the idea of creation, he took part in its formation. Similar documents from the world's leading powers were taken as a basis: Denmark, Sweden, France, Prussia. After studying them, the commission created a draft signed by the Emperor.
Peter himself edited the draft, and then handed it over to the Admiralty and Military Collegiums together with the Senate. However, even after the edits, the document was not immediately accepted.
In 1722, the Emperor finally approved the table. Civil ranks were divided into three groups:
- military;
- civilian;
- courtiers.
All of them are included in 14 classes and represented 263 positions. Later, some of them were abolished, and towards the end of the 18th century they completely disappeared.
The Table of Ranks is a detailed description of civilian ranks. At first it was a table describing and dividing positions according to classes . Then came the description salaries, the nature of the assignment of the title and its inheritance. The characteristics of the Table of Ranks even describe the rules for addressing officials.
Possession of hereditary nobility of the 14th class provided the right to receive hereditary nobility, acquired in the civil service with the presence of the eighth class, and the 14th (collegiate registrar) class provided the right to nobility of the bearer.
According to the Manifesto published in 1845, hereditary nobility was awarded along with the assignment of the eighth class. Everyone who was born before receiving the nobility had a separate category - officer's children. It was customary to call them chief officer's children. At the request of the father, one of the children was granted a rank.
In the table, the ranks were not simply described, but compared with each other. The state councilor for rights was equal to a brigadier or captain-commander in military service. The remaining ranks were described similarly, but the military always outnumbered the civilians. At the same time, a military person climbed the career ladder faster.
In the future, the report card about ranks has undergone changes. In 1856, Ruler Alexander II limited the right to receive nobility to the rank of colonel at the 6th class, and civilians to the 4th class.
As you can see, the Table of Ranks constantly underwent changes in the Russian Empire. A number of civil ranks were separated, regardless of the duties of the representatives.
What names were eliminated?
After the establishment of the document, titles such as collegiate secretary, assessor, adviser and state councilor initially meant positions performed by council members. They had the casting vote. The chairman of the court court was called court councilor.
All listed positions abolished in 1726, but the names of the titles remained until 1917. The famous Table of Ranks and its importance for employees cannot be overestimated, since it allowed people from the lower classes to become nobility if they had talent.
Principles of separation of ranks
The titles were divided into:
- staff officers;
- chief officers;
- general's
The first two categories related to the highest generals were separately distinguished. They were treated differently.
The first five classes of ranks were separately distinguished, since these categories were not classified as either officers or generals. You should address such people: “Your Highness.”
Accepted ranks were given strictly to men, and their wives entered into the rank of their husbands. Unmarried girls held a rank one below their father. There was also such a rule: for demanding honors and a place above one’s rank at an official meeting and public celebration, a fine was imposed (2 months’ salary of this person), while 2/3 of it was given to the informer. A similar punishment was for one who lost rank to a person of lower class.
The ranks preferred by Peter
Since the Ruler of the Russian Empire preferred the military, he did not want to establish first class ranks for civilians. However, after Osterman's persuasion to maintain diplomatic prestige, the rank of chancellor was equated to first class. Rank of Privy Councilor the first class was created subsequently.
Among Peter’s other preferences, one can highlight the fact that in the army, along with the rank of 14th class, nobility was appointed, and in civilian service only with the rank of assessor. Since 1856, to obtain the same rank it was required to have the rank of general (state councilor). The low rank of the president of the state college, who by European standards is considered a minister, is considered quite indicative. Later, ministers of the Russian Empire were given the rank of secret and actual privy councilor.
How the document influenced society and the nobility
The adoption of the Table of Ranks did not formally abolish the ancient ranks, however, they ceased to exist. He had a huge influence on the historical fate of the nobility and the routine of service. The regulating factor for changing one's official position was personal merit.
Major historical significance The table of ranks is in the loss of the breed's "fatherly honor" in relation to promotion. Also military service was separated from the civil and court. This had an impact on the process of democratization of the nobility. When it was consolidated, they created a division of the class into groups: personal and local. By holding the rank of the lower military class, a person could acquire nobility for all his descendants.
"Talking" names
In Russia it was not customary to use titles of nobility. There were no special prefix particles for surnames either. Despite this, a person’s initials sometimes contained affiliation with the nobility.
Patronymic originated in Rus' only in the 16th century and then it was perceived as a reward, and therefore not everyone could use it. Only the sovereign was allowed to specify who should write the ending “-vich”. in 1697, Peter the Great allowed Yakov Fedorovich Dolgorukov to use his patronymic. During the time of Catherine the First, a list of people reflected in Government documents with patronymic names was compiled.
Surnames also arose immediately and not for everyone. Last names were added to princes in the 15th and 16th centuries, and by the beginning of the 18th century every nobleman already had last names. Usually, they were created according to the father's surname and the name of the property. In principle, there were many methods for forming surnames of a noble family. A separate category was made up of the names of ancient princely families descended from Rurik. Until the end of the 19th century, five of them survived:
- Yeletskys.
- Mosalskie.
- Zvenigorodsky.
- Vyazemsky.
- Rostov.
Last names were assigned randomly and were not introduced by law. If there were doubts when choosing a surname, they chose double ones, which are still relevant today.
Document meaning
The adopted document was intended to streamline and systematize the civil service, as well as make the assignment of ranks clear. After the appearance of this Table civil service became more transparent. It described the created Old Russian titles, which were no longer given in the future. This meant that the state was freed from the orders and structure of Moscow Rus' and took a new path of government.
The key significance of the Table of Ranks is that the chances of receiving a title and moving up the career ladder became much greater, and they were independent of the level of nobility of the family. This change led to the fact that personal merit and success mattered more than parental honors. Now a commoner can also have the title of nobility, and the nobility itself was divided into personal and noble.
Document, approved by Peter the Great, divided the service into civil, court and military, and this did not exist before.
A similar document also exists today. It presents in the form of a table the ratio of ranks of the state federal civil service, ranks of members of justice and military, as well as prosecutors.