The association, which existed in the Russian Empire from the second half of the 18th century until the February Revolution of 1917, went through several stages in its development and established itself as an indispensable assistant in the implementation of the course of the central government on the ground.
Stocked Commission
In December 1766, Catherine II announced the convening of the Commission. The Council Code of 1649, created by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, required updating, and the task of the temporary meeting of representatives of all classes (except for the serfs) was to draw up a set of laws. The laid commission is the first experience of forming a representative body of power in the Russian Empire.
The Empress, who ascended the throne 4 years ago, wanted to win over the nobility. The commission, which is one third of the nobles, has developed several bills.
Letter of Letters
A similar decree was signed in 1762 by Catherine's husband, Peter III. The Empress did not consider it thoughtful enough and after 22 years released her own version. "Charter to the nobility", published in 1785,was based on the documents of the Legislative Commission and provided the nobility with a number of privileges.
І. Personal Rights:
- The nobility was defined as inseparable and hereditary, extended to all family members. The only reason for deprivation of the title was a criminal offense. The impossibility of confiscation of property emphasized the status.
- The nobility was exempted from military service.
- For members of noble families, corporal punishment was abolished.
II. Property Rights:
- The right to inherit and purchase property.
- The right to buy and build real estate in cities.
- The right to build enterprises, receive income from them.
- The right of maritime and land trade.
- Tax Exemption.
III. Court benefits:
The right to judge the nobility was transferred to equal status, that is, to the nobles.
Self-government
In 1766, representatives of the nobility were allowed to create organizations with an elected head, county noble assemblies. From 1785, it became possible to form provincial self-government bodies with their own finances and employees. The nobility got the opportunity to participate in political life, draw up draft decrees and laws for consideration by the governor, metropolitan institutions, and the empress.
The associations included nobles with estates in the province. The head was appointed leader, previously approved by the governor. The Nobility Assembly was convened once every three years. Voting rightgranted to members of noble families who have reached the age of 25 and have an officer rank.
I was charged with duty:
- election of jurors in class courts;
- election of officers to the police;
- guardianship of widows and orphans;
- compilation of genealogical books.
Despite the privileges granted to the participants of the Russian Nobility Assemblies, the charter gave them equal rights. The title and prescription of the clan did not matter.
Meaning of reform
The letter completed the legal consolidation of the estate, begun by Peter I, and allowed individual representatives of the nobility to develop administrative abilities, to become the driving force of society. Published jointly with the "Charter to Cities", became the basis of city self-government. The created apparatus implemented the policy of the center in the provinces until the reforms of the 60s of the XIX century. It differed from the previous one in the direction of activity and the strengthening of the role of the nobility in the province. Catherine's reform shifted the center of gravity of state administration to the localities, in the provinces.
Most of the nobles took Catherine's innovations as "freemen", the position of the peasantry deteriorated significantly. For several generations, the nobility degenerated, became unable to control the situation and govern the state.
Activities of the organization
The Noble Assembly (founded in 1785) spread education and culture to all sectors of society in tsarist Russia. Representatives of the nobility opened schools for peasants with their own money, sent capablestudents to continue their education in higher educational institutions. Patronage, patronage, the opening of free hospitals and shelters has become a priority in the work of the Russian Nobility Assembly. The society showed itself positively in the formation of statehood. The deputies were members of political parties, in 1906-1907. participated in the work of the first State Duma (1906-1907).
The buildings of the noble assembly became the center of provincial life. Charity competitions, musical and dance evenings were held in them; performances were staged. The house of the St. Petersburg Association became the main venue for imperial Russia for concerts and balls. The buildings of the noble assemblies preserved in the provinces are architectural monuments, objects of cultural heritage of the regional and federal level.
The role of the nobility in public life
Despite the exemption from military service, many noblemen entered the army in order to serve the Fatherland. Outstanding military leaders, heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 Suvorov, Kutuzov, Bagration, Barclay de Tolly, Repnin, Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, Yermolov, Raevsky, Miloradovich came from this small estate. On the battlefields, they fought on a par with the rank and file, “not sparing their belly.”
On the discoveries of representatives of the nobility Vernadsky, Mechnikov, Zelinsky, Beketov, Chebyshev, Timiryazev, Przhevalsky, Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, Sklifosovsky, Russian science is based. Domestic history is unthinkable without the works of Tatishchev andKaramzin.
Russian music gained worldwide fame thanks to S altykov-Shchedrin, Mussorgsky, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, Glinka, Rimsky-Korsakov. From the pen of the nobles Derzhavin, Blok, Fet, Baratynsky, Tyutchev, S altykov-Shchedrin, Gogol, Turgenev, Nekrasov, Griboyedov, Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy came works that entered the treasury of world literature.
The development of culture cannot be imagined without the participation of the nobles, with their own money they built and maintained theaters, museums and libraries. The families of the Stroganovs, Naryshkins, Demidovs, Rumyantsevs, Golitsyns, Sheremetevs were widely engaged in charity and patronage.
Reform of 1826
The following changes regarding the role of the nobility in the life of society were introduced by Nicholas I after the Decembrist uprising of 1825. A secret commission formed to investigate came to the conclusion that opposition sentiments were caused by the erosion of the estate by people from the bourgeoisie. To purge the nobility of the “rootless”, the Committee issued the “Decree on Honorary Citizens” (1832).
The new estate was:
- outstanding scientists and cultural figures;
- priests with higher education;
- merchants of the 1st guild involved in charity;
- children of personal nobles (who did not receive a title from their parents);
The estate received privileges, but the right to replenish the nobility was lost. It became possible to enter the ranks of the nobility only for special services to Russia or the emperor. Raising the status of the Russiannoble assembly, its role in self-government has become the second task of the government. Raising the property qualification reduced the number of candidates. The electoral vote went to the nobles with the property of at least 3 thousand acres of land and 100 serfs.
At the Provincial meetings, important public issues were still being resolved, draft petitions to the central authorities were being developed. However, Nicholas I forbade the discussion of issues of state structure. The governor opened the meeting, took the oath, approved the agenda and elected officials. The activities of the Assembly proceeded under the control of the authorities; elected officials have effectively become appointed.
Change Zemsky self-government
The abolition of serfdom in 1861 affected all aspects of life in Russian society. The liberation of the peasants required a restructuring of the administrative system. Previously, the serfs were ruled by landowners, now it became necessary to integrate them into the general state system. The district self-government, headed by the Russian Noble Assembly, could not cope with the task. At the beginning of 1864, Alexander II signed the "Regulations on zemstvo institutions." For the first time, self-government bodies were formed by representatives of all classes. Common interests took the place of class interests. District and provincial Zemsky assemblies were formed to manage economic affairs. The elective Zemsky assemblies included landowners, the middle and big bourgeoisie, and rural residents. The local marshal of the nobility presided over the meetings.
After the revolution
In pre-revolutionary Russia, which was undergoing socio-economic transformations, the nobility retained privileges and played an important role in the life of the country, although it gradually lost its position. The Bolsheviks, who came to power in 1917, outlawed the nobility. With the class, a part of the spiritual and cultural life of the country disappeared. The nobles, trying to return the former regime, died on the fronts of the Civil War. Those who did not have time to leave the borders of Russia were perceived as counter-revolutionaries and class enemies. Property, according to the decree of the Council of People's Commissars, was confiscated. The once privileged social stratum faced the task of survival. It became impossible to find a decent job, to get into the administrative or economic spheres, and the rest of the property had to be sold. Gradually, the attitude softened, the "former" dissolved in Soviet society.
Those who immigrated to the West, to China, Latin America hardly earned money for food, rented miserable housing, died from diseases. In difficult conditions, urgent problems came to the fore, the task of preserving cultural heritage was forgotten.
The estate reasserted itself in the era of the fall of the communist regime and the democratization of society (1985-1991). It became possible to openly declare belonging to a titled family and be proud of the deeds of their ancestors.
Revival of traditions
The Union of the Descendants of the Russian Nobility "Russian Nobility Assembly" was established in 1991. Restoring the connection between generations, reviving cultural and moral values are proclaimed goalspublic organization.
The association is led by the All-Russian Congress, it meets once every three years. Between meetings, functions are performed by the Small Council. The leading center of the Nobility Assembly is Moscow. The company has 70 branches in the regions of the Russian Federation (Provincial assemblies), CIS countries and far abroad. The association includes about 10 thousand descendants of nobles.
The press organ of the Russian Nobility Assembly is the newspaper Dvoryansky Vestnik.
Interaction
The Society maintains contacts with the highest government institutions, genealogical and heraldic organizations, the Moscow Patriarchate, the Cathedral of the Russian Church, international noble societies. The work is being built jointly with the movement "For Faith and Fatherland", the Society of Descendants of the Participants of the Patriotic War of 1812, the Merchant Society, the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society.
Activities
The Russian noble assembly holds cultural, historical, educational events. Publishes books, articles, scientific works, organizes exhibitions. Balls of the Nobility Assembly are occasionally held, both for adults and children. The charitable activity, which has become the hallmark of the Russian nobility, has not been forgotten. The association is patronized by the head of the Imperial House, Princess Romanova.
Participants of the nobility assembly of Russia are descendants of clans that received the title before the revolution of 1917. Confirmation of the title, according to the laws of the Russian Federation, is notconfer rights or privileges on members of a clan. Members of the society see the preservation of the Russian cultural fund and the formation of public consciousness on the basis of moral and spiritual values as the main tasks.
