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Officer Ranks under Peter the Great’s “Table of Ranks” of 1722By Alexander Mikaberidze, FINS The Russian official rank system was based on Peter the Great’s decree of 4 February 1722 that provided a system for equivalencies of ranks among the army branches and the civilian service. The Table comprised of 14 classes of ranks and civilian positions, although it did not extend top the lower levels of service. It remained in effect with slight modifications until the October Revolution of 1917.As Peter the Great launched his reforms in Russia in early 1700s, it became evident that a new system of promotion was required to organize his new army and society. That was particularly important for the nobility who were obliged under Peter’s decrees to serve in the army. In addition, as he formed his army along the European lines, Peter the Great endeavored to simplify the transfers from one branch of service to another as well as determining the precedence of the officials in civilian service and court. The Table comprised of 14 chins – classes of ranks and included some 262-service titles. It was organized by the military branches (Infantry, Cavalry, Guard, Artillery, Navy), civilian and court positions. The classes were numbered in ascending order from the highest rank to the lowest. A proper system of addressing the ranks was also set up. The Guards, a privileged corps, was given higher classes of ranks than at equivalent rank in the other branches of the military. The Table of Ranks was particularly beneficial for the non-nobles because it allowed sons of secretaries and scribes to achieve promotions through the ranks. While working with the Table, one must remember to consider the rank (chin) and position (dolzhnost). The Table established a relative correspondence between the two and one could not be considered for a position unless he held appropriate class of rank. In addition, being promoted to a higher class also meant promotion in position. A person had to pass through each rank, while three-four years was an average tenure for each class. The Table was modified several times over the period of almost two centuries. In the late 19th Century, the table in fact contained twelve ranks and many titles of civilian positions were simplified. The Table of Ranks was abolished by the decrees of 23 November and 29 December 1917 by the Bolshevik government. Addressing the Ranks
Officer Ranks under Peter the Great’s “Table of Ranks” of 1722
Bibliography:S.M. Troitsky, Russkii absolutism i dvoriantsvo XVIII v. [Russian Absolutism and the Nobility in XVIII Century] (Moscow, 1974) Wlater M. Pintner and Don Karl Rowney, Russian Officialdom: the Bureaucratization of Russian Society From the Seventeenth to the Twentieth Century (Chapel Hill, NC, 1980) James Hassel, “Implementation of the Table of Ranks During the Eighteenth Century”, Slavic Review, XXIX 2 (1970) 283-95.
Placed on the Napoleon Series: September 2003
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