Chancellery, His Imperial Majesty's Personal

Categories / Capital/Superior and Central State Institutions
CHANCELLERY, HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S Personal, a supreme public institution. The Chancellery consisted of several divisions, which were established during the first half of the 19th century to carry out the Sovereign's personal supervision over various domains of state administration. The First Division (1812-1917; in 1812-26 and 1882-1917 it was called His Imperial Majesty's Personal Chancellery) was in charge of promotions in rank, awarding of decorations, and the development of Imperial Decrees and Orders. The Second Division (1826-82) administered the writing of legislation and the publication of various laws (Publication of Complete Laws, Code of Laws); it was abolished in 1882, and its functions were transferred to the State Assembly Legislature Codification Department. The Chancellery also included the Third and Fourth Divisions (1828-1917, from 1880 called His Imperial Majesty's Personal Chancellery for Empress Maria's Institutions), which was in charge of charitable and women’s educational institutions. In addition, the Chancellery was comprised of a number of temporary divisions and offices relating to His Imperial Majesty (for the administration of State property, for affairs relating to the Caucuses, for the affairs of the Kingdom of Poland). The First Division was located at the Count A.A. Arakcheev Residence, at the intersection of Kirochnaya Street and Liteiny Avenue until 1828; later it was situated at the Winter Palace (1828-56), the Jesuit Board Building at the intersection of Italyanskaya Street and Ekaterininsky Canal (1856-73), and finally in a wing of the Mikhailovsky Palace (4 Inzhenernaya Street, 1873-1917). The Second Division occupied the residence of architect A.H. Pehl, while the Fourth Division was quartered at 7 Kazanskaya Street.

References: Селезнев И. Я. L [Пятидесятилетие] IV отделения Собственной е. и. в. канцелярии: Хроника Ведомства учреждений имп. Марии. СПб., 1878; Майков П. М. Второе Отделение Собственной его императорского величества канцелярии, 1826-1882: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1906; Строев В. Н. Столетие Собственной его императорского величества канцелярии... СПб., 1912; Высшие и центральные государственные учреждения России, 1801-1917 гг. СПб., 1998. Т. 1.

D. N. Shilov. Arakcheev Alexey Andreevich
Pehl Alexander Hristoforovich
Griboedova Canal Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city
Inzhenernaya Street/Saint Petersburg, city, house 4
Italyanskaya Street/Saint Petersburg, city
Kazanskaya Street/Saint Petersburg, city, house 7
Kirochnaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Liteiny Ave/Saint Petersburg, city
Строев В. Н. Столетие Собственной его императорского величества канцелряии... СПб., 1912
Высшие и центральные государственные учреждения России, 1801-1917 гг. СПб., 1998
Селезнев И. Я. L [Пятидесятилетие] IV отделения Собственной е. и. в. канцелярии: Хроника Ведомства учреждений имп. Марии. СПб., 1878
Майков П. М. Второе Отделение Собственной его императорского величества канцелярии, 1826-1882: Ист. очерк. СПб., 1906 Winter Palace
Mikhailovsky Palace