The Table of Ranks (Peter's Table of Ranks) is a document regulating the procedure for performing state and military service in the Russian Empire.

The table of ranks was approved on January 24, 1722 by the emperor himself and lasted until November 1917, and in some territories until 1922. During its existence, the document was constantly replenished and adjusted in accordance with the realities of the time.

The main idea of ​​the Table of Ranks was to create a document that would contain a single ordered system of ranks existing in the state. The ranks were classified, described and systematized according to ranks (by seniority).

The history of the creation of the Table of Ranks of the Russian Empire

The idea of ​​creating such a document belonged to Peter the Great himself, who personally participated in its compilation. Similar documents of the leading world powers (France, Sweden, Prussia and Denmark) were taken as a basis. Based on them, the commission created a draft, which was sent for signing to the emperor. Peter personally edited the draft and ordered it to be submitted for consideration by the Senate, the Military and Admiralty collegiums. Certain amendments were made to the document, but during the final review, Peter the 1st did not accept them.

Contents of the Table of Ranks of Tsarist Russia

The table of ranks is a detailed description of all existing ranks. At the beginning there is a table in which all ranks are described and divided according to classes and ranks. After the tables there is a description of salaries, the procedure for assigning a rank and its inheritance, as well as much more, up to the correct appeal to an official of one rank or another.

All ranks were divided into three types: court, military and civil - and only then were distributed by class. There were 14 classes in total, from highest to lowest. The higher the class (rank), the more privileges the official had. A total of 263 positions were described, but then some of them were abolished.

It is worth noting that the ranks were not simply described, but compared with each other. A state adviser (civil service) was equated in his rights with a captain-commander or a brigadier (military service). The rest of the ranks were described in a similar way, but military ranks always had a slight advantage over civilians, and people holding these positions were more likely to climb the career ladder.

The document also described the court ranks, which were given not only to men, but also to women.

The meaning of the Table of Ranks

The document was created in order to systematize and streamline the public service and make the assignment of ranks and titles simpler and more understandable.

The appearance of such a document has greatly simplified the public service, made it more transparent. It described the old Russian ranks, but they stopped giving them, which meant that Russia was finally freed from the structure and orders of Muscovite Russia and switched to new type management.

The main significance of the Table of Ranks of 1722 was that now the chances of obtaining a title and promotion no longer depended solely on the nobility of the family. The personal length of service of a person was now higher than the nobility of his parents, and this completely changed the usual order adopted in Russia. Now not only a noble person, but also a commoner could achieve success, and his children and grandchildren had the opportunity to receive title of nobility especially for military service. The nobles were now divided into hereditary (noble families) and personal (those who rose to the noble title).

The Table of Ranks of Peter the 1st finally divided the entire service into military, civil and court, which was not the case before.

V modern Russia there is a similar document. It presents a table of the ratio of class ranks of the federal state civil service, military ranks, members of justice and prosecutors.

26. Changing the legal status of estates. Table of Ranks of Peter I

During this period, the state strives for the legal regulation of all classes: the nobility, the clergy, the peasants, the urban population.

The basis of the legal position of the nobility is the monopoly right to land ownership. The Decree (On Uniform Heritage of 1714) not only equalized the rights of the estate and patrimony, but also turned the estates into the hereditary property of the nobles. The Decree on the per capita census of 1718 secured the right of the nobles to pay taxes.

The legal status of the nobility was significantly changed by the adoption of the Decree on single inheritance 1714 This act had several consequences: merger such forms of land ownership, as a fiefdom and an estate, led to the emergence of a single concept of "real estate". On its basis, there was a consolidation of the estate. The emergence of this concept led to the development of a more accurate legal technique, the development of the powers of the owner, and the stabilization of obligations.

Institute establishment majorate(inheritance of real estate by only one eldest son), the purpose of which was to preserve landed noble property from fragmentation, was not due to the traditions of Russian law. The implementation of the new principle led to the emergence of significant groups of landless nobility, forced to take up military or civil service. This provision of the Decree caused the greatest dissatisfaction on the part of the nobles (it was already abolished in 1731). Having turned estate in hereditary landholding, At the same time, the decree found new way to tie the nobility to public service - limiting the circle of heirs forced the nobles to serve for a salary. A large bureaucratic apparatus and a professional officer corps began to form very quickly.

The logical continuation of the Decree on single inheritance was Table of ranks. Its adoption (1722) testified to the emergence of a number of new circumstances:

Bureaucratic start in the formation of the state apparatus, undoubtedly, the aristocratic (associated with the principle of parochialism) won. Professional qualities, personal devotion and length of service have become decisive for career advancement.

The positive features of the new bureaucratic apparatus were professionalism, specialization, normativity, while the negative features were its complexity, high cost, self-employment, and inflexibility.

Formulated by the Table of Ranks new rank system and positions legally formalized the status of the ruling class. His official qualities were emphasized: any highest rank could be assigned only after passing through the entire chain of lower ranks. Terms of service in certain ranks were established. With the achievement of the ranks of the eighth class, the official was given the title of hereditary nobleman, and he could pass the title by inheritance; from the fourteenth to the seventh grade, the official received personal nobility. The principle of service thus subordinated the aristocratic principle.

Table of ranks equate military service with civil service: ranks and titles were awarded in both areas, the principles of promotion were similar. Practice has developed a way to pass the ladder of service ranks in an accelerated way (this mainly concerned only the nobles): already after birth, the children of aristocratic nobles were enrolled in a position and, upon reaching the age of 15, they had a rather important rank. Such a legal fiction was due to the remnants of the old principles of service and was based on the actual dominance in the apparatus of the noble aristocracy.

The 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 was determined not only rank, but also education, special training. The education of minors of the nobility was often carried out on a forced basis (penalties were imposed for evading studies). The children of the nobility were sent to study according to the order, many personal rights (for example, the right to marry) depended on the level of their training.

During the period of absolutism, the process of nationalization of the church takes place. The clergy was an important political force in the country. It was divided into black (monastic) and white (serving in churches). The church reform initiated by Peter I did not live up to his expectations. In the first quarter of the XVIII century. transformations were carried out, indicating the initial phase of secularization. Since 1722, strict rules have been established for entering the clergy.

The bulk of the population were feudal dependent peasants.. They were subdivided into landlord, state, possession and palace.

The development of the economy contributed to the separation of merchants and usurers from the peasantry. But the bulk of the peasants carried duties in favor of the owner in the form of corvée or dues. Every year, the peasants sent one recruit from 20 households. In addition, they worked on the construction of cities, shipyards. In 1718, the poll tax was introduced, which eliminated such a category of the population as free and walking people.

The distinction between serfs and peasants is blurred. The landlords in relation to the peasants had broad powers, moreover, disposed of them as their own property. By a decree of 1767, peasants were forbidden to complain about their landowners under the threat of corporal punishment and hard labor. The state was also feudally dependent. peasants.

In 1721, merchants were allowed to buy villages (with peasants) and attribute them to manufactories; This is how the possessive peasants appeared. As a result of the secularization of church lands, state churches arose. peasants who carried in favor of the state-va cash quitrent. Palace (since 1797 - appanage) peasants belonged to the imperial family.

Cities developed as centers of trade and industrial production. The state, interested in overcoming the economic backwardness of the country, provided various benefits. The owners of manufactories received a special privileged position.

The townspeople elected their own self-government bodies - magistrates. In addition, there was a city gathering (meeting of the population). According to the regulations of the Chief Magistrate in 1721, the urban population was divided into noble, regular citizens (who were divided into 2 guilds) and "vile people".

Leading positions were occupied by large merchants.

Published in 1785, the "Charter on the Rights and Benefits of the Cities of the Russian Empire" divided the urban population into 6 categories: "real" city dwellers, merchants of all 3 guilds, artisans enrolled in workshops, foreigners and nonresidents enrolled in the bourgeoisie, eminent townspeople, the rest of the townspeople.

The philistines made up the bulk of the urban population and were a taxable class. The townspeople had their own class court and local governments - a common city duma.

Table of ranks

The list of ranks on January 24, 1722, the table of ranks, introduced a new classification of employees. All the newly established positions - all with foreign names, Latin and German, except for a very few - are lined up according to the table in three parallel rows: military, civilian and court, with each divided into 14 ranks, or classes. A similar ladder with 14 steps of rank was introduced in the fleet and court service. This founding act of the reformed Russian bureaucracy put the bureaucratic hierarchy, merit and service, in place of the aristocratic hierarchy of the breed, the genealogical book. In one of the articles attached to the table, it is explained with emphasis that the nobility of the family in itself, without service, does not mean anything, does not create any position for a person, no position is given to people of a noble breed until they show merit to the sovereign and the fatherland.

The introduction of the table of ranks was one of the most important state reforms. This innovation fundamentally undermined the importance of nobility in the public service. Since the introduction of the table of ranks, civil servants have achieved high ranks only due to personal merit, and not due to birth in a noble family.

TYPES OF OFFICERS: military, naval, court, civil (civilian). “From the nobles it is by no means to write to the officers” from the 8th rank of civil service and from the 14th military one was given hereditary nobility.

Generality:
General chase and:

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

Headquarters officers:
Two gaps and:


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

Ober-officers:
One light and:


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

Lower ranks


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

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

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

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

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

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

Below are pictures of the shoulder cords

1. Officers and generals

2. Lower officials

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lower ranks (ordinary)

By specialty (grenadier. Fuseler ...)

non-commissioned officers

Corporal(part-commander)

Fourier(deputy platoon commander)

Captainarmus

Ensign(foreman of a company, battalion)

Sergeant

Feldwebel

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

Second Lieutenant

lieutenant(deputy company commander)

lieutenant captain(company commander)

Captain

Major(deputy battalion commander)

Lieutenant colonel(battalion commander)

Colonel(commander of the regiment)

Brigadier(brigade leader)

generals

Major General(division commander)

lieutenant general(corps commander)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. Epaulette staff captain 20 engineer battalion

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

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

About the stars on uniform

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is interesting to note that with service and field uniforms in peacetime, that is, with a tunic of the 1907 model, the officers of the hussar regiments wore shoulder straps, which 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 unit where epaulets with the same zigzag were worn, except for the hussar regiments, was the 4th battalion (from 1910 a regiment) of the riflemen of the Imperial family. Here is a sample: the epaulette of the captain of the 9th Kiev Hussars.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ensign, standard junker and cadet, 1886:

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

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

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

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

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

Ranks of the Imperial Military Medical Academy

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

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

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

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

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

Cossack ranks and titles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

- a special bill regulating the procedure for public service in the Russian Empire.

The table of ranks was approved on January 24, 1722 by Emperor Peter 1 and lasted until November 1917 (in some territories until November 1922); during this time, the report card was regularly updated with new information and supplemented in accordance with military realities.

The main idea of ​​the table of ranks was a competent description and systematization of all the ranks existing in the empire. To do this, they were all described, correlated by seniority and arranged in a clear sequence.

The history of the creation of the table of ranks of the Russian Empire

The idea of ​​adopting such a law belonged to Peter himself, who personally took part in compiling the report card. Similar bills of France, Prussia, Sweden and Denmark were taken as a basis and sample. After creating a draft, Peter personally edited it and ordered it to be submitted to the Senate, and then to the Military Collegium and the Admiralty. Despite the fact that these instances made some comments regarding the text of the bill, the table of ranks remained practically unchanged and was soon adopted.

In a broad sense, the Peter's table of ranks of 1722 was a document in which all the ranks existing on this moment in Russia, as well as information about salaries, duties and rights, fines and much more.

All ranks were divided into three types - military, civilian and court - and then divided into fourteen classes. The original document contained descriptions of 263 posts, some of which were later abolished.

It was especially important in the document that the ranks were not simply described, but compared with each other. In particular, the following ranks were equal in rank: civil service - privy councilor, court service - chief of the wheelmaster. Separately, military ranks were presented (which had some advantage over civilians), which were also divided according to the branches of the military. Ranks were assigned not only to men, but also to women in the service of the court.

Military ranks were placed higher in rank than civil and courtiers, which allowed the military to move up the career ladder faster and have a chance to become the highest nobleman much earlier.

Table of ranks tsarist Russia contained detailed information about the right of inheritance, promotion, and even the necessary appeal to an official of one rank or another. All this was created in order to facilitate public service and create a clear system of bureaucracy management in the Russian Empire.

The meaning of the table of ranks

The appearance of such a document significantly changed the state structure. The Old Russian ranks were not abolished, but they stopped complaining, which meant the final removal of modern Russia from the order of Muscovite Russia.

The most notable changes occurred among the nobility. With the new document, personal length of service began to be of paramount importance in the position of a nobleman, and not the pedigree or length of service of the father and family as a whole, which also significantly changed the old one, adopted since the times Kievan Rus, way of life. New nobles began to appear, which led to a split in the nobility, cash and hereditary, and each of the newly appeared classes had its own advantages.

There was also a final division of service into military, civil and court.

The new report card and, accordingly, the new procedure for promotion and obtaining titles (not tribal or estate) made it possible even for poor young people from the lower classes to earn a good place and break into higher classes.

Today in modern Russia there is a similar document describing the positions of military service.

TABLE OF RANKS

Legislative act that determined the procedure for the service of officials. Published Peter I v 1722. The table of ranks established 14 ranks (classes, class ranks, 1st - the highest) in three types: military (army and naval), civilian and courtiers. The Table of Ranks was reformed several times and abolished after 1917.

The table of ranks introduced a new classification of employees. All newly established posts - all with foreign names, Latin and German, except for a very few - are lined up according to the timesheet in three parallel rows: military, civilian and court, with each divided into 14 ranks, or classes: 6 chief officer ranks - from ensign to captain in the army and from collegiate registrar to titular counselor in the civil service; 5 staff officers - from major to brigadier in the army and from collegiate assessor to state adviser in the civil service; 3 generals - from major general to field marshal in the army and from a real state adviser to a real privy councilor in the civil service. A similar ladder with 14 steps of rank was introduced in the fleet and court service.

This founding act of the reformed Russian bureaucracy put the bureaucratic hierarchy, merit and service in place of the aristocratic hierarchy of the breed, the genealogical book. In one of the articles attached to the table, it is explained with emphasis that the nobility of the family in itself, without service, does not mean anything, does not create any position for a person: no position is given to people of a noble breed until they show merit to the sovereign and the fatherland " and for these character ("honor and rank", according to the then wording) they will not receive.

The descendants of Russians and foreigners, enrolled in the first 8 ranks according to this table (up to major and collegiate assessor inclusive), were ranked among the "best senior nobility in all virtues and advantages, even if they were of low breed." Due to the fact that the service gave everyone access to the nobility, the genealogical composition of the estate changed.

TABLE OF RANKS

(as of the 2nd half of the XIX - beginning of the XX century)