Table of Ranks (Rossyiah)

The Table of Ranks was established by Peter I the Great in 1721. It re-organised the foundations of feudal Russian nobility (mestnichestvo) by recognising service in the military, in the civil service, and at the imperial court as the basis of an aristocrat's standing in society. Nowadays, the Table of Ranks is still in force, albeit refomed several times.

While all grades are open by merit, promotion require qualification for the next rank, and grades 1 through 5 require the personal approval of the Tsar himself.

Achieving a certain level in the table automatically granta a certain level of nobility. A civil servant admitted to the 14th rank (Referent of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 3rd class) is granted personal nobility (dvoryanstvo), and holding an office in the 9th rank (Councillor of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 1st class and equivalent) endows the office holder with hereditary nobility.

Table or Ranks

Rank	Military ranks		Special ranks				Class rates			Clergy ranks
	Troop ranks	Deck ranks	of Police	of Justice	of the Russian Guard	of Customs Service	State Civil Service	Ministry of Justice	Prosecution Service
1	Field Marshal		—	—	—	—	Active Privy Councillor			Metropolit
2	General of the Army	Admiral of the Fleet	General of Police	—	—	Actual State Councillor of Customs Service of the Tsar	—	Actual State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar	Actual State Councillor of Justice	Archbishop
3							Actual State Councillor of the Tsar, 1st class	Actual State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 1st class
4							Actual State Councillor of the Tsar, 2nd class	Actual State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 2nd class
5							Actual State Councillor of the Tsar, 3rd class	Actual State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 3rd class
6	Colonel General	Admiral	Colonel General of Police	Colonel General of Justice	Colonel General of the Russian Guard	Colonel General of Customs Service	State Councillor of the Tsar, 1st class	State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 1st class	State Councillor of Justice, 1st class	Bishop
7	Lieutenant General	Vice Admiral	Lieutenant General of Police	Lieutenant General of Justice	Lieutenant General of the Russian Guard	Lieutenant General of Customs Service	State Councillor of the Tsar, 2nd class	State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 2nd class	State Councillor of Justice, 2nd class	Archimandrite
8	Major General	Rear Admiral	Major General of Police	Major General of Justice	Major General of the Russian Guard	Major General of Customs Service	State Councillor of the Tsar, 3rd class	State Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 3rd class	State Councillor of Justice, 3rd class	Hegumen Protopresbyter
9	Colonel	Captain, 1st rank	Colonel of Police	Colonel of Justice	Colonel of the Russian Guard	Colonel of Customs Service	Councillor of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 1st class	Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 1st class	Senior Councillor of Justice	Presbyter Protoiereus
10	Lieutenant Colonel	Captain, 2nd rank	Lieutenant Colonel of Police	Lieutenant Colonel of Justice	Lieutenant Colonel of the Russian Guard	Lieutenant Colonel of Customs Service	Councillor of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 2nd class	Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 2nd class	Councillor of Justice	Iereus
11	Major	Captain, 3rd rank	Major of Police	Major of Justice	Major of the Russian Guard	Major of Customs Service	Councillor of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 3rd class	Councillor of Justice of the Tsar, 3rd class	Junior Councillor of Justice	Protodeacon
12	Captain	Captain Lieutenant	Captain of Police	Captain of Justice	Captain of the Russian Guard	Captain of Customs Service	Referent of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 1st class	Jurist of the Tsar, 1st class	Jurist of the Tsar, 1st class	Deacon
13	Senior Lieutenant	Senior Lieutenant	Senior Lieutenant of Police	Senior Lieutenant of Justice	Senior Lieutenant of the Russian Guard	Senior Lieutenant of Costumes Service	Referent of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 2nd class	Jurist of the Tsar, 2nd class	Jurist of the Tsar, 2nd class	—
14	Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Lieutenant of Police	Lieutenant of Justice	Lieutenant of the Russian Guard	Lieutenant of Customs Service	Referent of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 3rd class	Jurist of the Tsar, 3rd class	Jurist of the Tsar, 3rd class	—
15	Junior Lieutenant	Junior Lieutenant	Junior Lieutenant of Police	Junior Lieutenant of Justice	Junior Lieutenant of the Russian Guard	Junior Lieutenant of Customs Service	Secretary of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 1st class	—	Junior Jurist of the Tsar	-
16	Senior Praporshchik	Senior Michman	Senior Praporshchik of Police	Senior Praporshchik of Justice	Senior Praporshchik of the Russian Guard	Senior Praporshchik of Customs Service	Secretary of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 2nd class	—	—	—
17	Praporshchik	Michman	Praporshchik of Police	Praporshchik of Justice	Praporshchik of the Russian Guar	Praporshchik of Customs Service	Secretary of State Civil Service of the Tsar, 3rd class	—	—	—
18	Starshina	Chief Ship Starshina	Starshina of Police	Starshina of Justice	Starshina of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
19	Senior Sergeant	Chief Starshina	Senior Sergeant of Police	Senior Sergeant of Justice	Senior Sergeant of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
20	Sergeant	Starshina 1st Class	Sergeant of Police	Sergeant of Justice	Sergeant of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
21	Junior Sergeant	Starshina 2nd class	Junior Sergeant of Police	Junior Sergeant of Justice	Junior Sergeant of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
22	Yefreitor	Senior Seaman	Yefreitor of Police	Yefreitor of Justice	Yefreitor of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
23	Private	Seaman	Private of Police	Private of Justice	Private of the Russian Guard	—	—	—	—	—
Notes	The title of Patriarch theoretically equals the eminence of the Russian Tsar. The ranks of Minister, First Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister are considered senior than Rank 1st; however, they do not grant any noble title per se. For matters of precedence, Archbishop, General of the Army and Admiral of the Fleet count as 2nd Rank; General of Police and Actual State Councillor of Customs Service of the Tsar rank as 3rd Rank; Actual State Councillor of Justice ranks as 4th Rank.

See also

• Nobility of the Russian Empire (Rossyiah)