His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery

Encyclopedia : H : HI : HIS : His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery

His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery or H.I.M. Own Chancellery (Russian: ) began as personal chancellery of Pavel I and grew into a kind of regent's office, run by Count Arakcheyev from 1815 and until the death of Alexander I of Russia.

Under Nicholas I, the Chancellery was transfomed into a large administrative body, on par with the Committee of Ministers and the Governing Senate. Since 1826, the Chancellery was divided into several sections (sl. otdeleniye):

First Section - preparation of the Majestic Decrees and Orders, control over its execution, gubernatorial and ministerial reports, petitions to the Sovereign, state service and its awards and decorations. It was run by Stats-Secretary of His Majesty.
Second Section - codification of the Imperial Legislation, publication of the codes. Mikhail Speransky was the first head of the Section.
Third Section - political crimes, censorship, religious sects, aliens, Gendarmes
Fourth Section, 1828 - former Chancellery of Dowager Empress Maria Fedorovna; charity issues such as education of females, orphanage, disabled persons, healthcare
Fifth Section, 1836 - state-owned serfs of St. Petersburg gubernia
Sixth Section, 1842 - Caucasian civil matters and development

Starting with 1880, the latter five sections were transferred to the corresponding Ministries and in 1882 the First Section effectively became the Cancellery itself, serving as personal office of the Tsar again.

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