"Table of Ranks" signed by Peter the Great - on the Presidential Library portal

February 4, 1722 was approved the law on the order of public service in the Russian Empire - "Table of Ranks", which became an important stage in the reform activities of Peter I and largely determined the development of the country for the next two centuries. You can see the digitized copy of the unique document on the Presidential Library portal. «Табель о рангах всех чинов, воинских, статских, и придворных, которые в котором классе чины, и которые в одном классе, те имеют по старшеству времени, вступления в чин между собою, однакож воинские выше протчих, хотя б и старее кто в том классе пожалован был»  - as the law is fully called - represents the first successful attempt to systematize public service. It gave an opportunity to prove itself to any gifted person, to achieve career growth due to its knowledge and skills, not origin.

The immediate preparation of the "Table of Ranks" began in 1719. In February 1721, the draft law signed by the tsar was submitted to the Senate, the Admiralty and the Military Collegiums for consideration. Although officials made a number of comments regarding the distribution and introduction of old Russian ranks to the Table, as well as changes in salaries, almost all of them remained unaccounted for. The tsar was more visible - after all, he pondered over the issue of the correlation of ranks long before that. For example, in a note by Peter I dated December 18 (29), 1713, quoted in the book “Papers of Emperor Peter I”, which was published by Academician A. Bychkov in 1873, it was stated: "To write out Swedish and others ranks, except for military". As a result, the "Table of Ranks", which will be signed by Peter Alekseevich almost 9 years later, will contain many borrowings from the "timetables of ranks" of the French, Prussian, Swedish and Danish kingdoms. "Military ranks" in the "Table" Peter, who in all stressed his preference for the military before the "civil", also noted specifically – he announced above the corresponding to them civil and courtiers.    

In total Peter's "Table of Ranks" included 263 posts. The ranks were divided into three types: military ("land, guard, artillery, naval"), civil and court. They, in turn, were divided into 14 classes or ranks.

All those who received the 8th civil or court rank were ranked among the hereditary nobility, "although they were of a low breed, they were never made noble dignities from the crowned heads or were not equipped with a coat of arm". The men below the 8th grade were entitled only to the personal nobility. However, the military hereditary nobility was given already from the 14th, junior rank. It was distributed only to children born after the father's receipt of the rank, "and if there are no children at that time, but they are before", it was allowed to ask for the award of the nobility to one of the elder sons.

Each of the ranks had its own characteristics, its rules for obtaining the next rank, its insignia, rights and privileges. But in order to use them, the service should begin from the lowest positions, which were not reflected in the Table and did not give any rights and privileges. Only after this, and only thanks to personal achievements, it was possible to earn the 14th, inferior rank of the Table, and then, as on the steps, to rise higher. A higher rank, both civilian and military, was awarded either on the length of service or on "noble" service merits.

Thus, this law of Peter gave an opportunity to come forward to talented people from the lower classes - as the third paragraph to the Table stated: "In order that those who wish to serve in the service should be honored, and not insolent and parasites to receive". In total, such explanatory clauses "how it is appropriate for everyone to do this", - 19.

The first immediately stipulates who the "Table of Ranks" has nothing to do with: "The princes, who come from our blood, and those who are associated with our princesses: have chairmanship and rank over all princes and high officials of the Russian state in every case".

With this exception, the social position of a person was determined by rank, not origin. Thus, the nobility itself, without service, ceased to give any privileges, while the sons of the "Russian state of princes, counts, barons, nobles of nobility, such as servants of noble rank .... We and the fatherland will not be provided with any services, and they will not receive these services for them". The only thing that was allowed "for the noble breed" in contrast to the "lower rank" is free access to court assemblies.

Those who "above their rank will claim for himself or will take the place" during public celebrations and official meetings were entitled to a fine equal to the salary for two months, and a "third share" of this money was received by a denouncer on the guilty party, in the hospital are used to be". These rules also dealt with a fine for ceding its seat to a person of lower rank.

The women were not exempted from punishment either: "All married wives act in ranks according to the orders of their husbands and when they do so they will have a fine to pay the same as the husband should pay her for his crime", - the 7th paragraph of Tablets states.

The girls, "while they were not married", were considered four ranks below their fathers. That is, if the parent was in the 1st rank, his daughters received the rank "above all wives who in the 5th grade are found, and name, below the general-major, and above the foreman ... .the girls, whose fathers are in the 2nd rank, over wives who are in the 6th rank .. and others, are against the ranks follow".

The final of the explanatory points that were attached to the "Table of Ranks" represented rather good advice: what should be done in order not to go broke or not to lower honor of rank: "we remind mercifully that every such outfit, the crew had, as a rank and his character demands".

Despite a number of changes, for example, introduced under the Decree on court ranks (1809), the Manifesto limiting the rights of military and civil officials (1845), the Decree on the abolition of accelerated production into the ranks of people with higher education (1856). ) and others, the Petrovsky "Table of Ranks" existed for almost two hundred years and was canceled only on December 16 (29), 1917

The "Table of Ranks" signed by Peter I is one of the unique historical documents on the Presidential Library portal, which collection today totals more than 600 thousand items.