In which province the first was established. Administrative divisions of the Russian empire

Started on $ 18 December with $ 1708 edition of the decree "On the establishment of provinces and on the painting of cities for them"... The final form of the Peter's transformations in this area acquired after the Second Provincial Reform $ 1719.

Remark 1

The reason for the reform was to overcome the obsolete by the $ 18th century. administrative division and providing the army during the Northern War. The created provinces had direct contact with the regiments to be distributed.

The territory of the country was divided in $ 1708 into $ 8 provinces:

1. Moscow
2. Ingermanland (St. Petersburg)
3. Kievskaya
4. Smolensk
5. Kazan
6. Arkhangelsk
7. Azov
8. Siberian

By $ 1714, the number of provinces increased: Astrakhan, Riga and Nizhny Novgorod appeared.

According to the reform, the head of the province was appointed governor general, who had full military and judicial power. In addition, the governors organized the work of the police and the court. The governors-general had several assistants for gathering, organizing military administration, justice, search, etc.

Difficulties of the reform

The provincial reform was carried out in parallel with the introduction of the collegial system. Therefore, Tsar Peter I introduced advisers to the governors ( landrates), who had to be chosen from among the local nobles. However, in practice, the idea failed: the governors themselves selected their own people, so the councils were canceled.

Example 1

Only trusted people close to the king were appointed governors, for example, Menshikov A.D. was the governor-general of the St. Petersburg province.

But these trusted people were too busy to constantly rule the provinces, and the lieutenant governors did not have such breadth of authority, and besides, they might not be too reliable.

It can be concluded that Peter I was well aware of the impossibility of ruling such a huge country solely by the forces of one center, so he tried to carry out moderate decentralization, to shift the center of gravity to the localities. But the First Provincial Reform was not very successful.

Second Regional Reform

After $ 10 $ years of work of the local administrative system on the First Provincial Reform, the second stage activities began at $ 1718 $. The second reform absorbed the achievements and failures of the first reform. In addition, if the first reform was carried out primarily for the needs of the war, then with the approach of its end it was necessary to arrange life inside the country in peacetime.

The Senate was involved in the development of the reform. He carefully studied the experiences of European countries in this matter. In May, $ 1719, the introduction of a new administrative division began. At first he was accepted in the St. Petersburg province, and with $ 1720 in the whole country. Thus, the state was divided into provinces, provinces and districts... The main administrative unit was provinces, all of them were $ 50. Lead the province voivode, by a smaller district - zemstvo commissar... The provinces continued to exist as military districts, but the voivode did not obey the governor (only in military matters).

Then, in order to collect the poll tax, the institute of elected new zemstvo commissars from local nobles was founded. But this second attempt at introducing self-government failed again, because the nobles did not even want to just come to the conventions.

Activity the governor was extensive: the collection of income from state industries, construction of fortresses, ensuring the security of the province, judicial functions, search for fugitives. The governor and the provincial administration were appointed by the Senate, and they were subordinate to the collegia.

Results. Meaning

The regional reform of Peter I helped to win Northern war thanks to the clear organization of the supply of troops by the provinces.

The judicial and administrative powers were divided among themselves. Control system was generally unified across the country, regardless of regional characteristics.

At the same time, the total number of institutions and employees increased greatly, which led to an increase in costs.

Currently, few people can say what a province is, since the territorial division of the country is carried out differently. This phenomenon refers to the times of the Russian Empire, the RSFSR and the USSR.

The highest units of the administrative-territorial division of the state were considered provinces. They took shape from 1708 to 1929 as a result of the construction of an absolutist state. These territorial units were headed by governors.

Interpretation of the term

To answer the question of what a province is, let us turn to the etymology of the word. The term "province" comes from the Latin word "gubernator", which means "ruler". On December 29, 1708, Peter the Great issued a decree on the division of the state into new administrative-territorial units - provinces. Until this year, the Russian Empire consisted of 166 counties. Thus, 8 provinces were formed.

Above we have already explained what the word "province" means. Next, we will consider the issue of the history of the emergence of new territorial-administrative units in more detail.

Peter's first reforms

The creation of the provinces took place in accordance with the decree of the sovereign. The original lineup was as follows:

1. Moscow province: the territory of today's Moscow region, large parts of the Tula, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Ryazan regions.
2. Ingermanland province (two years later renamed to St. Petersburg). It included a modern Leningrad region, Novgorod, Tver, Pskov, south of Arkhangelsk, west of Vologda, Yaroslavl regions and Karelia.
3. Arkhangelsk province, which included Arkhangelsk, Murom, part of Kostroma, Karelia and Komi.
4. As part of Kiev province- Little Russia, categories Belgorod and Sevsky, part of the Oryol, Belgorod, Bryansk, Tula, Kaluga, Kursk regions.
5. Smolensk province included the present part of the Bryansk, Tver, Kaluga and Tula regions.
6. Kazan province - the Volga region and Bashkiria, Volgo-Vyatka, part of the Tambov, Penza, Perm, Ivanovo and Kostroma regions, the northern part of Dagestan and Kalmykia.
7. Azov included part of Tula, Oryol, Ryazan, Kursk, Belgorod, all Voronezh, Rostov, Tambov, part of Kharkov, Lugansk, Donetsk and Penza regions.
8. The Siberian province includes Siberia, most of the Urals, the Kirov region and part of the Komi Republic.

Interestingly, by the end of 1719 there were eleven provinces. This happened due to the fact that the Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan and Riga provinces were allocated. At the head of these territorial units was the governor-general, and each share of the provinces was headed by a landrat.

Second administrative division of provinces (Second reform of Peter the Great)

The second reform took place in 1719, on May 29. In its course, the provinces were divided into provinces headed by the voivode, and the provinces, in turn, were divided into districts with the commanders of the zemstvo commissars. Thus, 47 provinces were formed, which are part of 9 provinces, with the exception of Revel (now Tallinn) and Astrakhan (they were not divided into parts). The documents of that time described in detail what a province was and what powers it was endowed with.

Third administrative reform

What were the provinces in the later period? During the third administrative reform, districts were removed and counties were reintroduced. As a result, there were 250 counties in 14 provinces. Belgorod and Novgorod provinces were formed, the uyezds were headed by the leaders of the uyezd nobility.

All the same, the local nobility put pressure on the tsarist power in order to feel like the masters of the lands. The administrative structure remained stable for a long time, and if new units appeared, then at the expense of the acquired territories. At the end of October 1775, the Russian state included 23 provinces, 62 provinces, 276 counties.

Reform of Catherine the Great

Catherine's decree of November 7, 1775 stated that it was necessary to unbundle the administrative territories of the state. The creation of provinces ceased, and their number decreased, the provinces were removed and the principle of the formation of counties changed. The bottom line was that the county should have 20-30 thousand people, and in the province - about 300-400 thousand.

Also, the goal of the reform was to strengthen power after the invasion of Yemelyan Pugachev. Governors and governors were subordinate to the prosecutor's supervision, headed by the attorney general, and the Senate.

By the end of the reign of Catherine II, Russia included 48 governorships, 2 provinces, 1 region and the Dwelling of the Don Cossacks. The governor-general was appointed by the empress, the counties were ruled by police captains. Until 1796, the creation of new governorships was due to the annexation of territories.

For a long time the question of what a province is and why it was created has not arisen among the population for a long time. The emergence of new administrative units remained virtually unnoticed.

and Alexander I

The formation of provinces during the reign occurred as a result of the replacement of the names of administrative-territorial units. In the course of the reform in 1776, there was a consolidation: the governorships officially became provinces, in the territories where there was a possibility of an uprising or a foreign attack, governors-general remained in place.

The management scheme of the provinces did not change during the reign of Alexander I, but in the period from 1801 to 1802 the abolished territories were restored.

Consider what the provinces were during this period. It should be noted the division of territorial units into 2 groups: in the European part of Russia there is a general provincial organization (consisting of 51 provinces), while on the outskirts the system of general-governorships is monitored (3 provinces in total). In some regions - Kuban, Ural, Transbaikal, Don Troops, Terskoy - the governors were at the same time atamans Cossack troops... In 1816, 12 governorships arose, with 3-5 provinces each.

From province to region

By the end of the 19th century, 20 regions were formed - these are administrative units similar to the provinces. The word "region", in contrast to the overseas "province", is truly Old Church Slavonic, and means "possession" (possession).

The regions were located on territories bordering with other states, they did not have their own Duma and were infringed on other rights, were ruled by military governors and were part of huge governors general. Simplified apparatus local government and increased subordination personally to the governor himself.

The first governor-general in Russia - A.D. Menshikov - took office in 1703.

Administrative structure as of 1914

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, the provincial apparatus had its own strength in local government. From 1907 to 1910, the Council of the United Nobility was established.

The Provisional Government retained the provincial divisions, they were headed by provincial commissars, and uyezds - uyezd ones. In parallel with this, a system of Soviets was formed as opposed to the Provisional Government.

The original provincial division persisted for some time after the October 1917 revolution, but was established by the provincial executive committee. This is the executive committee elected at the provincial congress of Soviets.

By the end of 1918, the state included 78 provinces, and in the period up to 1920, 25 of them joined Finland, Poland and the Baltic states. From 1920 to 1923 new autonomous units appeared throughout the territory of the RSFSR - a new province was formed every year.

The composition changed regularly, but as a result of the reform, by 1929 the provinces finally disappeared, regions and territories appeared, and they, in turn, included districts, districts, village councils, which we observe to this day.

Finally

In the article we have listed which provinces were on the territory of Russia. In addition, they considered the key concepts and the history of the emergence of various territorial and administrative units.

Public administration reform

Creation of the Near Chancellery (or Consilium of Ministers) in 1699. In 1711 it was transformed into the Governing Senate. Creation of 12 collegia with a specific field of activity and powers.

The public administration system has become more perfect. The activities of most state bodies became regulated, the collegiums had a clearly defined area of ​​activity. Supervisory bodies were created.

Regional (provincial) reform

1708-1715 and 1719-1720

At the first stage of the reform, Peter 1 divided Russia into 8 provinces: Moscow, Kiev, Kazan, Ingermandland (later St. Petersburg), Arkhangelsk, Smolensk, Azov, Siberian. They were ruled by governors who were in charge of the troops located on the territory of the province, as well as who had full administrative and judicial power. At the second stage of the reform, the provinces were divided into 50 provinces ruled by voivods, and those were divided into districts led by zemstvo commissars. The governors were stripped of administrative power and dealt with judicial and military issues.

Power was centralized. Local governments have almost completely lost their influence.

Judicial reform

1697, 1719, 1722

Peter 1 formed new judicial bodies: the Senate, the Justitz Collegium, the Hofgerichts, the lower courts. Judicial functions were also performed by all colleagues, except Foreign. The judges were separated from the administration. The court of kissing people (analogous to the jury) was canceled, the principle of inviolability of the unconvicted person was lost.

A large number of judicial authorities and persons carrying out judicial activities (the emperor himself, governors, voivods, etc.) brought confusion and confusion into the proceedings, the introduction of the possibility of "knocking out" testimony under torture created the basis for abuse and bias. At the same time, the adversarial nature of the process was established and the need for the sentence to be based on specific articles of the law corresponding to the case under consideration.

Military reforms

The introduction of conscription, the creation of the navy, the establishment of the Military Collegium in charge of all military affairs. Introduction with the help of the "Table of Ranks" military ranks, uniform for the whole of Russia. Creation of military-industrial enterprises, as well as military educational institutions. Introduction of army discipline and military regulations.

With his reforms, Peter 1 created a formidable regular army, which by 1725 numbered up to 212 thousand people and a strong navy. Subdivisions were created in the army: regiments, brigades and divisions, in the navy - squadrons. Many military victories were won. These reforms (although ambiguously assessed by various historians) created a springboard for the further successes of Russian weapons.

Church reform

1700-1701; 1721 g.

After the death of Patriarch Adrian in 1700, the institution of the patriarchate was virtually liquidated. In 1701, the administration of church and monastery lands was reformed. Peter 1 restored the Monastic Order, which controlled church revenues and the trial of monastic peasants. In 1721, the Spiritual Regulations were adopted, which effectively deprived the church of its independence. The Patriarchate was replaced by the Holy Synod, whose members were subordinate to Peter I, to whom they were appointed. Church property was often taken away and spent on the needs of the emperor.

The church reforms of Peter 1 led to the almost complete subordination of the clergy to secular power. In addition to the elimination of the patriarchate, many bishops and ordinary clergymen were persecuted. The church could no longer pursue an independent spiritual policy and partly lost its authority in society.

Financial reforms

Almost the entire reign of Peter 1

The introduction of many new (including indirect) taxes, monopolization of the sale of tar, alcohol, salt and other goods. Damage (weight reduction) of the coin. Kopeyka stano Regional reform

In 1708-1715, a regional reform was carried out with the aim of strengthening the vertical of power on the ground and better supplying the army with supplies and recruits. In 1708, the country was divided into 8 provinces headed by governors, endowed with full judicial and administrative power: Moscow, Ingermandland (later St. Petersburg), Kiev, Smolensk, Azov, Kazan, Arkhangelsk and Siberia. The Moscow province gave more than a third of the receipts to the treasury, followed by the Kazan province.

The governors were also in charge of the troops located on the territory of the province. In 1710, new administrative units appeared - shares, which united 5536 households. The first regional reform did not solve the assigned tasks, but only significantly increased the number of civil servants and the costs of their maintenance.

In 1719-1720, the second regional reform was carried out, which eliminated the shares. Provinces began to be divided into 50 provinces headed by governors, and provinces into districts headed by zemstvo commissars appointed by the Chamber Collegium. Only military and court cases remained in the jurisdiction of the governor.

Judicial reform

Under Peter, the judicial system underwent radical changes. The functions of the supreme court were given to the Senate and the Justitz Collegium. Below them were: provinces - Hofgerichts or court appellate courts in large cities, and the provincial collegiate lower courts. Provincial courts conducted civil and criminal cases of all categories of peasants, except for monasteries, as well as townspeople who were not included in the posad. Since 1721, the magistrate was in charge of the court cases of the townspeople included in the posad. In other cases, the so-called single-person court acted (cases were decided by a zemstvo or city judge alone). However, in 1722 the lower courts were replaced by provincial courts headed by the voivode

Church reform

One of the transformations of Peter I was the reform of church government he carried out, aimed at eliminating church jurisdiction autonomous from the state and subordinating the Russian church hierarchy to the Emperor. In 1700, after the death of Patriarch Adrian, instead of convening a council for the election of a new patriarch, Peter I temporarily appointed Metropolitan of Ryazan Stefan Yavorsky, who received a new title of Guardian of the Patriarchal Throne or "Exarch", at the head of the clergy. including the peasants belonging to them (about 795 thousand), the Monastic Order was restored, headed by I.A. In 1701, a series of decrees was issued to reform the administration of church and monastery estates and the organization of monastic life; the most important were the decrees of January 24 and 31, 1701.

In 1721, Peter approved the Spiritual Regulations, the compilation of which was entrusted to the Pskov bishop, the tsar's close associate, Little Russia Feofan Prokopovich. As a result, a radical reform of the church took place, eliminating the autonomy of the clergy and completely subordinating it to the state. In Russia, the patriarchate was abolished and the Spiritual College was established, which was soon renamed the Holy Synod, which was recognized by the eastern patriarchs as equal to the patriarch. All members of the Synod were appointed by the Emperor and took an oath of allegiance to him upon assuming office. Wartime stimulated the withdrawal of valuables from monastic depositories. Peter did not go to the full secularization of church and monastic possessions, which was carried out much later, at the beginning of his reign.

Army and navy reforms

Reform of the army: in particular, the introduction of regiments of a new system, reformed according to a foreign model, was started long before Peter I, even under Alexei I. However, the fighting efficiency of this army was low. Reforming the army and creating a fleet became necessary conditions for victory in the Northern War of 1700-1721 years.