Governing Senate

The Governing Senate was founded in 1711. Its initial primary responsibility was to govern the empire when the emperor was on military campaigns. The establishment of the Senate was also part of a government re-organization undertaken by Peter I (1689 - 1725) who wished to make the government structure more responsive to his wishes and more effective at tapping society's resources for military purposes. In 1722 it was transformed from a higher governing organ to a higher supervisory one responsible for resolving legal and administrative disputes. Catherine II (1763 - 1796) further systemized the Senate by dividing it into six departments with relatively clear institutional responsibilities related to administrative oversight.

The governmental reforms undertaken by Alexander I (1801 - 1825) fundamentally changed the role of the Senate. According to his decrees of 1801 and 1802 the Senate had the right to judicial review and supervision of the highest governmental organs, including the newly established ministries. No legislative bill could become law without the Senate's approval. However, one year later a new decree stripped the Senate of these powers. The founding of the ministerial system and the State Council (1810) fatally weakened the Senate's role in practice. For the remainder of the nineteenth century it played the role of a High Court of Review and along with other institutions exercised limited administrative supervision. Until 1905 the Senate, whose forty or fifty members were chosen by the tsar, rarely met, except on ceremonial occasions. Six departments that dealt with a myriad of judicial, social, and political issues continued to work under the supervision of the Senate.

After the Revolution of 1905 the role of the Senate changed once again. It became the High Criminal Court dealing with corruption in the bureaucracy. Its first department played a role in the preparations for the formation of the First Duma, while its Second Department became the supreme appellate court for land-related issues.

Bibliography

Seton-Watson, Hugh. (1991). The Russian Empire 1801 - 1917. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Yaney, George. (1973). The Systemization of Russian Government. London: University of Illinois Press.

—ZHAND P. SHAKIBI

The Governing Senate (Правительствующий сенат) was a legislative, judicial, and executive body of Russian Monarchs, instated 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. He served as the link between sovereign and the Senate and acted, in the emperor's own words, as "the sovereign's eye".

Originally established only for the time of the monarch's absence, it became a permanent body after his return. The number of senators was first set at nine and in 1712, increased to ten. Any disagreements between the Ober-Procurator and the Senate were to be settled by the monarch. Certain other officials and a chancellery were also attached to the senate. While it underwent many subsequent changes, the Senate became one of the most important institutions of imperial Russia, especially in administration and law.

The State Council created by the Government reform of Alexander I was supposed to inherit the executive power of the Senate, and an envisioned parliament was to inherit legislative power; however, the reform was never finished.

In the 19th century the Senate evolved into a highest judicial body in Russia. As such, it exercised control over all legal institutions and officials throughout Russia. In this capacity, too, Senate was concerned with the interpretation of the Code; and its decisions upon points of Russian law were as authoritative, as the written law itself.

The Senate was composed of several departments, two of which were Courts of Cassation (one for criminal and the other for civil cases). It also included Department of Heraldry, which managed matters, relating to the rights of the nobles and honorary citizens.

Sources and references

• Steinberg, Mark D.; Riasanovsky, Nicholas Valentine (2005). A History of Russia. Oxford [Oxfordshire]: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515394-4. 

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