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The Ministry of the Imperial Court was established
August 22 (September 3), 1826 Emperor Nicholas I issued a decree establishing the Ministry of the Imperial Court to serve the needs of the emperor, his family and the imperial court. It brought together all the administration of the court office that had existed since the beginning of the 18th century.
The Ministry was headed by Minister of Court, which was beyond the control of the Senate and other senior government bodies and reported to the emperor only. The Minister received all the commands directly from the Emperor regarding the issues which demanded the imperial resolution, and also had the right to enter with a report directly into emperor’s chambers. This specific state of the ministry was due to the fact that the subjects of its activities were not of national character, and focused exclusively on the royal family. The first minister of the Imperial Court was Adjutant General, General of Infantry, Prince P. M. Volkonsky.
Under the jurisdiction of the Ministry was management of the personal property of the emperor and the imperial family, including land property; financial control over all agencies under the Ministry; superintendence of imperial palaces, gardens, parks; organization of court ceremonies, arrangement of ceremonies, coronations; ensuring of the imperial family’s security, sanitary supervision of the state of the imperial palaces and palatial cities. Also, the Ministry was in charge of awarding orders and medals and decorations; of censorship of works, performed at the Imperial Theater and Choir; of maintenance of the court clergy. The Office of His Imperial Majesty was also in submission to the Minister.
From 1852, the Minister of the Imperial Court was appointed to perform all the duties of Chancellor of the Chapter of Russian imperial orders: he was authorized to sign letters in the absence of the emperor to award the Order of White Eagle, St. Vladimir 2nd class, St. Anne 1st class and St. Stanislaus 1st and 2nd class with a star.
In 1858, the Ministry of the Imperial Court included the Dispatch Office of ceremonial affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the next year - Imperial Archaeological Commission. In 1882, based on Jagermeister office was established the Imperial hunting, and on the basis of the Court of His Imperial Majesty's Office were established the Chief palace office.
In April 1893 was issued a new establishment of the Ministry under which the Minister was appointed chief captain over all departments of the court offices and at the same time the Minister and Chancellor of the Imperial and Royal Orders. In his charge also were the Imperial Academy of Arts and the Moscow Art Society. That same year was created the position of Assistant Minister of the Imperial Court, who had the rights and duties of deputy minister.
In Western Europe, the creation of institutions of the Ministry of the Imperial Court was not universal. In Russia after the February Revolution, the Ministry of the Imperial Court was abolished. In March-April 1917 the properties of the offices and apanages were declared state property and handed over to the Ministry of Agriculture; industrial enterprises - to the Ministry of Trade and Industry; palaces – to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. With the establishment of Soviet power after the October Revolution, the property of the Ministry of the Imperial Court and principalities was given over to the People's Commissariat of property of the Soviet Republic.
Lit.: Временные правила о составлении, утверждении, утверждении и исполнении смет по Министерству Императорского двора. СПб., 1882; Григорьев С. И. Институт цензуры Министерства императорского двора: автореф. дис. … к. и. н. СПб., 2003; Китлова Е. А. История Общего архива Министерства Императорского Двора: 1869-1918 гг.: автореф. дис. … к. и. н. М., 2005; Министерство императорского двора и его учреждения // Высшие и центральные государственные учреждения России 1801-1917. Т. 3. СПб., 2002. С. 145-188; Несмеянова И. И. Министерство императорского двора и уделов в истории российской государственности. Челябинск, 2009; Сборник законов, относящихся до Министерства императорского двора. СПб., 1895; Список чинов Министерства Императорского двора. СПб., 1910.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: