Guberniya
Encyclopedia
A guberniya (also romanized ) was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire
usually translated as government, governorate
, or province
. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor
, a word borrowed from Latin , in turn from Greek . Sometimes the term guberniya was informally used to refer to the office of a governor.
This subdivision type was created by the edict (ukase
) of Peter the Great
on December 18, 1708, which divided Russia into eight guberniyas
. In 1719, guberniyas were further subdivided into provinces . Later the number of guberniyas was increased to 23
.
By the reform of 1775, subdivision into guberniyas and further into , was based on population size, and the term guberniya was replaced by the synonym of Russian origin: , sometimes translated as "viceroyalty". The term guberniya, however, still remained in use. These viceroyalties were governed by (literal translation: "deputy") or "Governors General
" . Correspondingly, the term "Governorate General" was in use to refer to the actual territory being governed. The office of Governor General had more administrative power and was in a higher position than the previous office of Governor. Sometimes a Governor General ruled several guberniyas.
By the ukase of the Russian Senate
of December 31, 1796, the office of Governorate General was demoted to the previous level of Governorate, and Russia was again divided into guberniyas, which were subdivided into , further subdivided into ; nevertheless several Governorates General made from several guberniyas existed until 1917.
The latter subdivision existed until after the Russian Revolution of 1917
.
For the guberniya as subdivisions of the Kingdom of Poland
("Russian Poland") and the Grand Duchy of Finland
("Russian Finland"); see Administrative division of Congress Poland
and Governorates of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
After the February Revolution
, the Russian Provisional Government
renamed governors into guberniya commissars. The October Revolution
left the subdivision in place, but the governing apparatus was replaced by guberniya soviets .
Actual subdivisions of the Soviet Union
into particular territorial units was subject to numerous changes, especially during the 1918–1929 period. Eventually, in 1929, the subdivision was replaced by the notions of oblast
, okrug
, and raion
.
In post-Soviet republics such as Russia and Ukraine, the term Guberniya is obsolete, yet the word gubernator was reinstated and is used when referring to a governor of an oblast
or a krai
.
There is another archaic meaning of the word as the word denoted a type of estate in former Lithuania of the Russian Empire
till 1917.
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
usually translated as government, governorate
Governorate
A governorate is an administrative division of a country. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states, provinces, or colonies, the term governorate is often used in translation from non-English-speaking administrations.The...
, or province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
, a word borrowed from Latin , in turn from Greek . Sometimes the term guberniya was informally used to refer to the office of a governor.
This subdivision type was created by the edict (ukase
Ukase
A ukase , in Imperial Russia, was a proclamation of the tsar, government, or a religious leader that had the force of law...
) of Peter the Great
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
on December 18, 1708, which divided Russia into eight guberniyas
Administrative divisions of Russia in 1708-1710
The administrative division reform of 1708 was carried out by Russian Tsar Peter the Great in an attempt to improve the manageability of the vast territory of the Russian Empire...
. In 1719, guberniyas were further subdivided into provinces . Later the number of guberniyas was increased to 23
Administrative divisions of Russia in 1744-1764
-Major events:*1744—Vyborg Governorate was formed on the recently acquired parts of Finland; also included portions of St. Petersburg Governorate....
.
By the reform of 1775, subdivision into guberniyas and further into , was based on population size, and the term guberniya was replaced by the synonym of Russian origin: , sometimes translated as "viceroyalty". The term guberniya, however, still remained in use. These viceroyalties were governed by (literal translation: "deputy") or "Governors General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
" . Correspondingly, the term "Governorate General" was in use to refer to the actual territory being governed. The office of Governor General had more administrative power and was in a higher position than the previous office of Governor. Sometimes a Governor General ruled several guberniyas.
By the ukase of the Russian Senate
Governing Senate
The Governing Senate was a legislative, judicial, and executive body of Russian Monarchs, instituted by Peter the Great to replace the Boyar Duma and lasted until the very end of the Russian Empire. It was chaired by the Ober-Procurator...
of December 31, 1796, the office of Governorate General was demoted to the previous level of Governorate, and Russia was again divided into guberniyas, which were subdivided into , further subdivided into ; nevertheless several Governorates General made from several guberniyas existed until 1917.
The latter subdivision existed until after the Russian Revolution of 1917
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
.
For the guberniya as subdivisions of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
("Russian Poland") and the Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
("Russian Finland"); see Administrative division of Congress Poland
Administrative division of Congress Poland
The administrative division of Congress Poland changed several times. Immediately after its creation, 1815-1816, the Congress Kingdom of Poland was divided into departments, a relic from the times of the French-dominated Duchy of Warsaw. In 1816 the administrative divisions were reformed into the...
and Governorates of the Grand Duchy of Finland.
After the February Revolution
February Revolution
The February Revolution of 1917 was the first of two revolutions in Russia in 1917. Centered around the then capital Petrograd in March . Its immediate result was the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II, the end of the Romanov dynasty, and the end of the Russian Empire...
, the Russian Provisional Government
Russian Provisional Government
The Russian Provisional Government was the short-lived administrative body which sought to govern Russia immediately following the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II . On September 14, the State Duma of the Russian Empire was officially dissolved by the newly created Directorate, and the country was...
renamed governors into guberniya commissars. The October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
left the subdivision in place, but the governing apparatus was replaced by guberniya soviets .
Actual subdivisions of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
into particular territorial units was subject to numerous changes, especially during the 1918–1929 period. Eventually, in 1929, the subdivision was replaced by the notions of oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
, okrug
Okrug
Okrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....
, and raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
.
In post-Soviet republics such as Russia and Ukraine, the term Guberniya is obsolete, yet the word gubernator was reinstated and is used when referring to a governor of an oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
or a krai
Krai
Krai or kray was a type of an administrative division in the Russian Empire and the Russian SFSR, and is one of the types of the federal subjects of modern Russia ....
.
There is another archaic meaning of the word as the word denoted a type of estate in former Lithuania of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
till 1917.
See also
- History of the administrative division of RussiaHistory of the administrative division of RussiaThe modern administrative-territorial structure of Russia' is a system of territorial organization which is a product of a centuries-long evolution and reforms.-Early history:...
- List of governorates of the Russian Empire