Russian nobility

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The Russian nobility (Russian: ) arose in the 12th century and 13th centuries as the lowest part of the feudal military (военно-служилого) class, which composed the court of a prince or an important boyar. From the 14th century it began to obtain land for the service (landowner). In the 17th century it composed the bulk of feudal lords. Privileges were fixed and were legally codified by the "zhalovannoy certificate to nobility 1785". After the peasant reform of 1861 the economic position of the nobility was weakened. After the October Revolution of 1917 all classes of nobility were legally liquidated.

Ancient nobility - the descendants of ancient princes and boyars: it is ancestral.
Titled nobility - princes, counts, barons.
Hereditary nobility - nobility that was routinely inherited by heir apparents.
Personal nobility - nobility that was granted for the personal merits of the recipient.
Bespomestnoye nobility - nobility obtained without allotment and fastening of the landownership(estates).

The title of noble was transferred by inheritance or was appropriated by a fount of honour.

Acquisition of the nobility

There were several methods by which nobility might be acquired. One of them was the acquisition of nobility by service. In 1722-1845 hereditary nobility was given for long service of the first order - officer rank (ensign, cornet) on the military service also of the rank of Collegiate Assessor on the civil and for the rewarding by any order of the Russian Empire. In 1845-1856 - for long service at the rank of Major and State Counsellor, and to reward with all degrees of the Order of Saint George, Order of Saint Vladimir and with the first degrees of other orders. In 1856-1900 - the nobility was given by that rising itself to the rank of Colonel, captain of 1 ranks, Actual State Counsellor. The qualification on the orders increased in 1900-1917 - only rewarded with the order of Saint Vladimir of 3 degrees could become hereditary noble.

Privileges of the nobility

Russian nobility possessed the following privileges:

the right of possession of populated estates (to 1861),
freedom from the required service (into 1762-1874, later it was introduced all-estate compulsory military service),
freedom from the zemstvo duties (to second half of the 19th century),
the right of entering to civil service and to obtaining of formation in the privileged educational institutions (into The pazheskiy housing, The imperatosrkiy Aleksandrovsk person, the emperor school of jurisprudence they started the children of nobles of 5 and 6 parts of the genealogical book and the children of those, who had rank not below 4 classes),
right corporate body.

Russian nobility

Acquisition of the nobility

Privileges of the nobility

See also