In 1711-1809. - court rank; in 1809-1917 - honorary title (from German Kammerherr - room).

The first real Chamberlain was appointed on March 8, 1711, the great-brother of Tsarina Natalia Kirillovna S.G. Naryshkin. He performed the duties of the former room steward or sleeping bag.

In accordance with the decree of August 15, 1762, Chamberlains were to be present at all court ceremonies: at coronations, baptisms and funerals of the highest persons, at public visits of ambassadors, at solemn exits of the Imperial family, at ceremonial tables, etc. By decree of July 7, 1762 years Chamberlains were obliged to carry out constant duty at e.i.v. During coronations and other ceremonies, Chamberlains (by appointment) carried the train of the Imperial mantle.

The chief chamberlain, chamberlains, chamberlains, according to the imperial decree of August 15, 1762, carried all the duties of court cavaliers, who were specially painted for each ceremony by the chief chamberlain.

Chamberlain Prince G.D. Shervashidze. Photo by Keith Weiss at the beginning of the 20th century.

Under Peter I, all the courtiers (including the chamberlains) were under the empress.

According to the "Table of Ranks", approved on January 24, 1722, the actual Chamberlain corresponded to VIkl. (form of address "Your Excellency").

The 1st court staff, approved on December 14, 1727, provided for 8 chamberlains; in addition, according to the staff of the court of the Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, 1 Chamberlain relied.

In 1730, the entire court staff, incl. all the chamberlains, was subordinate to the chief and chief marshal; The chamberlain was equated to the rank.

According to the state of 1737, the Chamberlains were transferred from the VI class. in IV (form of address "Your Excellency").

According to the highest approved state of March 20, 1742, under the heir to the throne, the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, 5 more Chamberlains were appointed (the rank of Chamberlain under the heir to the Imperial throne was equated to the rank of the court). The chamberlains of Catherine II were equated with the rank. On June 28, 1775, 12 full-time and 12 non-regular chamberlains appeared.

Throughout the 18th century there were 289 chamberlains (at - 103).

Under Paul I, according to the "Court Menologion", there were 26 chamberlains, while chamber junkers were granted to the chamberlains. In June 1800, the possibility was provided for the actual chamberlains (IV class) to receive the rank Privy Councilor(III class); the title of Chamberlain in this case was retained as an honorary title, but its holders were exempted from constant duty at court.

According to the new state, on December 18, 1801, 12 Chamberlains with a salary and 12 without a salary were approved; in addition, 2 chamberlains at Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and 2 Chamberlains under Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna. Alexander I restored 30 Catherine nobles to the rank of Chamberlain; during his reign, the chamberlains often switched to military service while retaining court rank. In fact, by 1809, from the beginning of the century, there were 76 chamberlains at the court.

By the highest decree on April 3, 1809, the rank of Chamberlain was transformed into an honorary title. From that moment on, the honorary title of Chamberlain was conferred at the discretion of the Emperor. According to the highest approved decree of June 23, 1836, it was forbidden to give the title of Chamberlain to persons who had a rank below the State Councilor; by personal decree of July 11, 1850, this qualification was raised to the rank of no less than a real state councilor. Upon reaching the rank of Privy Councilor, the chamberlains were excluded from the court lists.

Honorary title Chamberlain could be given outside public service, for example, the provincial marshal of the nobility, elected for 3 three years, could become a chamberlain.

From 1809 to the middle of the XIX century. two types of chamberlains were distinguished: complete (i.e., included in the staff of the court -12 chamberlains) and with the formula "rank of chamberlains".

Since 1840, the 1st had civil ranks III - IV class, the 2nd - IV.

After 1809, the duties of the Chamberlains, as before, included: daily (in order of priority) duty at the Empresses; introduction of males and other members of the Imperial family who were at the reception; special duties at court ceremonies, balls, in the theater. Date of writing the article: (date) Articles used in writing this article: PSZ I. ​​T. 6. No. 3890, 3969; T. 16. No. 11611, 11645; T. 24. No. 17700; T. 30. No. 23559, 26510; PSZ II. T. 1. No. 233; T. 11. No. 9336; T. 25. No. 24325; Miloradovich T.A. List of persons of the retinue of their majesties from the reign of imp. Paul I by 1886. Kyiv, 1886; Volkov NOT. Russian courtyard. Emperors in his past and present. St. Petersburg, 1900; Shepelev L.E. Canceled by history: Ranks, titles and titles in Ros. empire. L., 1977. Image Source: GE

At the papal court[ | ]

The head of economic affairs of the Roman popes is traditionally called a camerlengo. It is a position of the Roman Curia. The term "Domini Papae camerarius" has been found in documents since 1159. Previously and now he has the right to enter the chambers of the pope, for which he has his own key. Under some pontiffs, the chamberlain acted as a secretary and trustee, under others - as an official who headed the financial service - the Apostolic Chamber (camera). Under the jurisdiction of the chamberlain were also material values Apostolic See.

In France [ | ]

In the first edition of the Table of Ranks established in 1722 by Peter I, the court rank of chamberlain was in the 6th grade, and in 1737 was moved to the 4th grade. In the first half of the 18th century, the duties of the chamberlain were not regulated, they were mainly limited to the presence at the imperial court and the fulfillment of certain assignments of the monarch and the chief chamberlain.

Numerous attempts to strictly regulate the assignment and retention of the title of chamberlain, even in the form of royal decrees and orders, did not bring the desired result, since they contradicted the ambitious interests of the nobility and the practice of using personal connections in the activities of the Ministry of the Imperial Court. As a result, over time, the title began to lose its former significance. In the second half of the 19th century, many people who had nothing to do with serving at court were awarded the title of chamberlain (for example, the poets Tyutchev and Fet, the composer Rimsky-Korsakov). The chamberlain was abolished along with the imperial court in the course of the February Revolution.

IN different time A number of imperial decrees were issued regulating the uniform and appearance chamberlain. So, by decree of March 11 (23), the chamberlains, along with not the first ranks of the court, were ordered “... to have a dress uniform of dark green cloth with a red cloth collar and the same cuffs. Gold embroidery according to the pattern that currently exists: on the collar, cuffs, pocket flaps, under them and on the floors, wide, and narrow along ... the folds; along the side on the chest there are embroidered brandenburgs; gilded buttons with the image of the State Emblem". By decree of March 30 (April 11), persons with court ranks were forbidden to wear mustaches and beards. The ban was motivated by the fact that "many of the ranks of chamberlains and chamber junkers allow themselves to wear mustaches, which are assigned only to the military, and beards in the form of Jews" .

Notes [ | ]

1. Evreinov V. A. Court ranks // Indication of the ancient Russian civil and court ranks with an explanation of each// Civil chinoproizvodstvo in Russia. - St. Petersburg. : Printing house of A. S. Suvorin, 1887. - S. 73. -, VI, X, 246 p.
2. On the position of court gentlemen //, 1830. - T. XVI. From June 28, 1762 to 1764. No. 11645. - S. 54.
3. Alexander I. On the non-assignment to the ranks of chamberlain and chamber junker of any rank, neither military nor civil, and on the obligation of persons in these ranks to enter active service and continue it in accordance with the established procedure from the initial ranks // Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire, from 1649 . - St. Petersburg. : Printing House of the II Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery, 1830. - T. XXX. 1808-1809. No. 23559 . - S. 899-900.
4. On dismissal from service of chamberlains and kammer-junkers // Complete collection of laws of the Russian Empire, since 1649. - St. Petersburg. : Printing House of the II Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancery, 1830. - T. XXXIII. 1815-1816. No. 26510. - S. 1084.
5. , With. 31-32.
6. , With. 32.
7. Active Privy Councilors// List of civil ranks of the first six classes by seniority. 1850. State of the ranks on December 20, 1849 - St. Petersburg. : Printing House of the II Department of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery, 1850. - S. 16.

Ilya Repin: the wedding of Emperor Nicholas II and Grand Duchess Alexandra Feodorovna, November 14, 1894.

The rank of Chamberlain appeared in Russia under Peter I and the first real Chamberlain on March 8, 1711 was the grand-brother of Tsaritsa Natalya Kirillovna S.G. Naryshkin - he performed the duties of a former room steward or sleeping bag. On May 6, 1727, by personal decree, the chamberlains were subordinate to the chief chamberlain; in accordance with the decree of August 15, 1762, Chamberlains must be present at the baptisms and funerals of the highest persons, visits of ambassadors, at the solemn exits of the Imperial family, and ceremonial tables. By decree of July 7, 1762, Chamberlains are required to be constantly on duty at H.I.V. During coronations and other ceremonies, Chamberlains (by appointment) carried the train of the Imperial mantle. The chief chamberlain, chamberlains and chamberlains, according to the imperial decree of August 15, 1762, carried all the duties of court cavaliers, which the chief chamberlain painted for each ceremony.

A special sign of the Chamberlains was “the key most mercifully granted to them”, which symbolized the right of the courtier to enter the Imperial chambers. Kasyan Kasyanov wrote about Vsevolod Andreyevich Vsevolozhsky (1769-1836): “He was first a chamber junker, and soon received a chamberlain’s key, which (all gold), I note in passing, in those days was worn pinned to a huge rosette of blue St. Andrew’s ribbon to one of the buttons of a tailcoat or uniform at the waist, above the left pocket valve "The chamberlains wore a key on a blue ribbon at the left pocket valve of their uniform, and the chief chamberlains at the right pocket valve, on gold tassels; the chief chamberlains relied on a key, "showered with diamonds." The chamberlain's key could be worn "with the uniform of another civil department." It is about him that Griboedov’s “Woe from Wit” is discussed: “The deceased was a respected chamberlain. With the key, he was able to deliver the key to his son. Making a key was expensive: until 1801, 500 rubles were issued for it from the Cabinet. According to the court calendar for 1796, there were 26 actual chamberlains and 27 junker chamberlains at the court; junker chamberlains were usually granted to chamberlains. By decree of 1775, the salary was paid to the senior 12 chamberlains and 12 chamber junkers "obvious in their actual position" .

Under Peter I, all courtiers (including chamberlains) were under the Empress. According to the "Table of Ranks", approved on January 24, 1722, the actual Chamberlain corresponded to the rank of the VI class (the form of address "Your Excellency"). The 1st court staff, approved on December 14, 1727, provided for 8 chamberlains; in addition, according to the staff of the court of the Grand Duchess Natalya Alekseevna, 1 Chamberlain relied. In 1730, the entire court staff was subordinate to the chief chamberlain and chief chamberlain; The chamberlain was equated with the rank of major general. According to the state of 1737, the Chamberlains were transferred from the VI to the IV class (the form of address "Your Excellency"). According to the Highly Approved State of March 20, 1742, under the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, 5 Chamberlains were appointed (the rank of Chamberlain under the heir to the throne was equal to the rank of the chamber junker of the court). Since June 28, 1775, 12 full-time and 12 non-staff Chamberlains with the rank of major general were at the court.

For the entire 18th century, there were 289 Chamberlains at the court (under Catherine II - 103), under Paul I, according to the "Court Menology", there were 26 Chamberlains. In June 1800, it was possible for real chamberlains (IV class) to receive the rank of Privy Councilor (III class), in which case the title was retained as an honorary title, but its owner was exempted from constant duty at court. . According to the new state, on December 18, 1801, 12 Chamberlains with a salary and 12 without a salary were approved; in addition, 2 Chamberlains under Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna and 2 Chamberlains under Grand Duchess Ekaterina Pavlovna. Alexander I restored 30 Catherine nobles to the rank of Chamberlain, and during his reign, Chamberlains often transferred to military service, retaining their court rank. In fact, by 1809, from the beginning of the century, there were 76 chamberlains at the court. By the highest decree on April 3, 1809, the rank of Chamberlain was transformed into an honorary title and this title was awarded at the discretion of the Emperor. According to the royal decree of June 23, 1836, it was forbidden to give the title of Chamberlain to persons who had a rank lower than the State Councilor; Upon reaching the rank of Privy Councilor, chamberlains were excluded from the court lists. The honorary title was also given outside the service - for example, the provincial marshal of the nobility, elected for 3 three years, could become the chamberlain of the court.

Emperor Pavel, having ascended the throne, also did not slow down with the court staff and on December 30 approved a new staff: from now on, 12 chamberlains, 12 chamber junkers (not appointed) and 48 pages are subject to the conduct of the chief chamberlain. The salary given to chamberlains remained the same - 1,500 rubles each. in year. In total, during this reign, 58 people were granted to the chamberlains, not a single one to the chamber junkers; and not a single chamberlain of the late Empress was at court. Pavel demanded real service from the courtiers, not allowing them to leave the city without the Highest permission (May 20, 1800) and at the same time limited their appearance in country residences even on duty without special command. In addition, on June 18, 1799, he ordered the chamberlains to make deductions from their salaries during their illness. Usually two chamberlains were on duty, and in rare cases four. According to the staff approved on December 18, 1801, there were 12 chamberlains with a salary of 1,500 rubles a year, and 12 chamber junkers without a salary. He returned to the service of the chamberlains dismissed by Pavel, and at the suggestion of the chief chamberlain Count Sheremetev, an order followed by those returned to the service to pay salaries when a vacancy appeared.

The knights of the court of Alexander I retained their position at the court of Nicholas I. The set of court gentlemen was determined by the highest decree of April 3, 1826: 12 chamberlains and 36 chamber junkers according to the seniority of the award to this rank. Chamberlain keys or money for them in the amount of 100 chervons were determined to be issued only to 12 complete chamberlains. Under Nicholas I, the obligatory duty of court cavaliers was also established, for example, at balls, two chamberlains and two chamberlains were usually assigned to the Empress, and one chamberlain and one chamberlain to the grand duchesses. For performances in the Hermitage Theater, 6 tickets were sent from the court, and 3 chamberlains and 3 chamber junkers went on duty. The title of chamberlain was also held by persons who were at small courts, and their list was still replenished from persons belonging to the noble nobility, but those times have passed when the troubles of relatives could deliver this title without active service.

Notes:

74 K. Kasyanov Our miracle workers: A chronicle of eccentricities and eccentricities of every kind. SPb., 1875. S. 166. Cited. Quoted from: Kirsanova R. M. Costume in Russian artistic culture. M., 1995. S. 131.

75 A. E. Shepelev Official world of Russia. XVIII - early XX century S. 423.

76 NE Volkov Court of Russian emperors in its past and present. M., 2003. S. 28.

77 A. E. Shepelev Official world of Russia. XVIII - early XX century S. 406.

78 N. Ye. Volkov The court of Russian emperors in its past and present. S. 35.

Even in the late Middle Ages, the lands located between the Neman and Vistula rivers got their name East Prussia. For all the time of its existence, this power has experienced various periods. This is the time of the order, and the Prussian duchy, and then the kingdom, and the province, as well as the post-war country up to the renaming due to the redistribution between Poland and the Soviet Union.

The history of the origin of possessions

More than ten centuries have passed since the first mention of the Prussian lands. Initially, the people who inhabited these territories were divided into clans (tribes), which were separated by conditional borders.

The expanses of Prussian possessions covered the now existing part of Poland and Lithuania. These included Sambia and Skalovia, Warmia and Pogezania, Pomesania and Kulm land, Natangia and Bartia, Galindia and Sassen, Skalovia and Nadrovia, Mazovia and Sudovia.

Numerous conquests

The Prussian lands throughout their existence were constantly subjected to attempts to conquer by stronger and more aggressive neighbors. So, in the twelfth century, the Teutonic knights - the crusaders - came to these rich and alluring expanses. They built numerous fortresses and castles, such as Kulm, Reden, Thorn.

However, in 1410, after the famous Battle of Grunwald, the territory of the Prussians began to smoothly pass into the hands of Poland and Lithuania.

The Seven Years' War in the eighteenth century undermined the strength of the Prussian army and led to the fact that some of the eastern lands were conquered by the Russian Empire.

In the twentieth century, hostilities also did not bypass these lands. Beginning in 1914, East Prussia was involved in the First World War, and in 1944 - in the Second World War.

And after the victory Soviet troops in 1945 it ceased to exist altogether and was transformed into the Kaliningrad region.

Existence between the wars

During the First World War, East Prussia suffered heavy losses. The map of 1939 already had changes, and the updated province was in a terrible state. After all, it was the only territory of Germany that was swallowed up by military battles.

The signing of the Treaty of Versailles was costly for East Prussia. The winners decided to reduce its territory. Therefore, from 1920 to 1923, the League of Nations began to control the city of Memel and the Memel region with the help of French troops. But after the January uprising in 1923, the situation changed. And already in 1924, these lands, as an autonomous region, became part of Lithuania.

In addition, East Prussia also lost the territory of Soldau (the city of Dzialdovo).

In total, about 315 thousand hectares of land were disconnected. And this is a large area. As a result of these changes, the remaining province found itself in a difficult situation, accompanied by enormous economic difficulties.

The economic and political situation in the 20s and 30s.

In the early twenties, after the normalization of diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Germany, the standard of living of the population in East Prussia began to gradually improve. The Moscow-Kenigsberg airline was opened, the German Oriental Fair was resumed, and the Koenigsberg city radio station began work.

Nevertheless, the global economic crisis has not bypassed these ancient lands. And in five years (1929-1933), five hundred and thirteen different enterprises went bankrupt in Koenigsberg alone, and grew to one hundred thousand people. In such a situation, taking advantage of the precarious and uncertain position of the current government, the Nazi Party took control into its own hands.

Repartition of the territory

IN geographic Maps East Prussia until 1945, a considerable number of changes were made. The same thing happened in 1939 after the occupation of Poland by the troops of Nazi Germany. As a result of the new zoning, part of the Polish lands and the Klaipeda (Memel) region of Lithuania were formed into a province. And the cities of Elbing, Marienburg and Marienwerder became part of the new district of West Prussia.

The Nazis launched grandiose plans for the redivision of Europe. And the map of East Prussia, in their opinion, was to become the center of the economic space between the Baltic and Black Seas, subject to the annexation of territories Soviet Union. However, these plans failed to materialize.

Post-war time

As the Soviet troops arrived, East Prussia also gradually changed. Military commandant's offices were created, of which by April 1945 there were already thirty-six. Their tasks were to recalculate the German population, inventory and a gradual transition to civilian life.

In those years, thousands of German officers and soldiers were hiding throughout East Prussia, groups engaged in sabotage and sabotage were operating. In April 1945 alone, the military commandant's offices captured more than three thousand armed fascists.

However, ordinary German citizens also lived on the territory of Koenigsberg and in the surrounding areas. They numbered about 140 thousand people.

In 1946, the city of Koenigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad, as a result of which the Kaliningrad region was formed. And later the names of other settlements. In connection with such changes, the previously existing 1945 map of East Prussia was also redone.

East Prussian lands today

These days on former territory Prussians is the Kaliningrad region. East Prussia ceased to exist in 1945. Although the area is part of Russian Federation, they are geographically dispersed. In addition to the administrative center - Kaliningrad (until 1946 it bore the name of Koenigsberg), such cities as Bagrationovsk, Baltiysk, Gvardeysk, Yantarny, Sovetsk, Chernyakhovsk, Krasnoznamensk, Neman, Ozersk, Primorsk, Svetlogorsk are well developed. The region consists of seven city districts, two cities and twelve districts. The main peoples living in this territory are Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Armenians and Germans.

To date, the Kaliningrad region ranks first in the extraction of amber, storing about ninety percent of its world reserves in its bowels.

Interesting places of modern East Prussia

And although today the map of East Prussia has been changed beyond recognition, the lands with the cities and villages located on them still keep the memory of the past. The spirit of the disappeared great country is still felt in the present Kaliningrad region in the cities that bore the names Tapiau and Taplaken, Insterburg and Tilsit, Ragnit and Waldau.

Excursions conducted at the Georgenburg stud farm are popular with tourists. It existed as early as the beginning of the thirteenth century. The fortress of Georgenburg was a haven for German knights and crusaders, whose main business was horse breeding.

The churches built in the fourteenth century (in the former cities of Heiligenwalde and Arnau), as well as the churches of the sixteenth century in the territory of former city Tapiau. These majestic buildings constantly remind people of the old days of the prosperity of the Teutonic Order.

Knight's castles

The land rich in amber reserves has attracted German conquerors since ancient times. In the thirteenth century, the Polish princes, together with gradually seized these possessions and built numerous castles on them. The remains of some of them, being architectural monuments, still make an indelible impression on contemporaries today. The largest number of knightly castles were built in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Their place of construction was the captured Prussian rampart-earthen fortresses. When building castles, the traditions in the style of the order's Gothic architecture of the late Middle Ages were necessarily observed. In addition, all buildings corresponded to a single plan for their construction. Nowadays, an unusual

The village of Nizovye is very popular among residents and guests. It contains a unique local history museum with old cellars. Having visited it, one can say with confidence that the whole history of East Prussia flashes before one's eyes, starting from the time of the ancient Prussians and ending with the era of Soviet settlers.