The Imperial Main Headquarters (russian: Императорская Главная квартира, ''Imperatorskaya Glavnaya kvartira'') was an organization within the military administration of the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
that was tasked with carrying out the personal military commands from the
Emperor of All Russia
The emperor or empress of all the Russias or All Russia, ''Imperator Vserossiyskiy'', ''Imperatritsa Vserossiyskaya'' (often titled Tsar or Tsarina/Tsaritsa) was the monarch of the Russian Empire.
The title originated in connection with Russia' ...
.
History
The Main Headquarters was established in early 1813 during the
War of the Sixth Coalition
In the War of the Sixth Coalition (March 1813 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation, a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States defeated F ...
against
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, in connection with the arrival of
Alexander I Alexander I may refer to:
* Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC
* Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus
* Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome
* Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of ...
at the front. It was tasked with accompanying the emperor on campaigns, the management of the imperial retinue, and presenting reports on the military situation in the absence of the
War Ministry. From 1826 until 1839 the role of commander of the Imperial Main Headquarters was combined with that of the commander of the
Special Corps of Gendarmes
The Separate Corps of Gendarmes (russian: Отдельный корпус жандармов) was the uniformed security police of the Imperial Russian Army in the Russian Empire during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its main responsibilitie ...
. It later became an independent position. In 1832, within the Chancellery of the War Ministry was established the Military Campaign Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty. That organization was the main body of the headquarters. Two years later it was made a completely independent organization, and from 1856 until 1867 the roles of the commanders of the headquarters and of the Military Campaign Chancellery were combined. From 1867 the latter position was abolished and then from 1855 until 1881 within the headquarters there was also a personal chancellery of the
Tsarevich
Tsarevich (russian: Царевич, ) is a Slavic title given to tsars' sons. Under the 1797 Pauline house law, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''Tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger brothers were called '' Velik ...
(crown prince). Commander of Main Headquarters once again became the overall head. In 1883 the Military Campaign Chancellery and the Directorate of the Imperial Main Headquarters were combined in to the Chancellery of the Imperial Main Headquarters, which itself in 1904 was renamed into the Military Campaign Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty, and in 1908—the Military Campaign Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty within the Imperial Main Headquarters. From 1908 until 1909, a separate Naval Campaign Chancellery of His Imperial Majesty existed within the organization. The Imperial Main Headquarters was dissolved in 1917 during the
Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a period of Political revolution (Trotskyism), political and social revolution that took place in the former Russian Empire which began during the First World War. This period saw Russia abolish its monarchy and ad ...
.
Rank insignia Imperial Main Headquarter
Examples of rank insignia to the dress uniform of
Adjutant general
An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer.
France
In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...
s, 1894-1917
[Complete Statute-book of the Russian Empire, volume 3, law gazette № 25082, as amended on August 29, 1904. ]
Structure
*Military Campaign Chancellery
*Naval Campaign Chancellery
*Chancellery of Appeals
*Personal Convoy of His Imperial Majesty
References
{{Russian Empire Ground Forces
Joint military headquarters
Military units and formations of the Russian Empire
Military units and formations established in 1812
Military units and formations disestablished in 1917