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

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, in connection with the arrival of

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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

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(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

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s, 1894-1917Complete 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