Институт предводителей дворянства в западных губерниях Российской империи во второй половине XIX в. – начале XX в. (Виленская и Ковенская губернии)

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Bajorija; Bajorų maršalka; Bajorų maršalka, Vilniaus gubernija, Kauno gubernija, taikos tarpininkas; Kauno gubernija; Rusijos imperija (Russian Empire); Vilniaus gubernija; Kovno governorate; Marshal of nobility; Nobility; Russian Empire; The Marshal of Nobility, Vilna Governorate, Kaunas Governorate, the Pease Arbitrator; Vilna governorate.

ENThe article discusses the following issues: the policy of the Tsarist authorities towards the institution of the Marshal of Nobility and projects dating from the 1880s and early 20th century which aimed at reestablishing the local selfgovernments [of the nobility] in nine western governorates; the composition of the assemblies in each province and their competencies; the rights of the nobility to elect marshals, members of the legislature and the judiciary, as well a lay judges. After the January Uprising, the self government of the nobility in the western governorates of the Russian Empire came to an end. Governorate marshals, who had been elected by the nobility, were now appointed by the government. Although the institution of marshals of nobility (предводителе дворянства) remained a class organization, it was, however, gradually absorbed by the Russian bureaucratic system. The governorate marshal continued to hold various administrative functions, representing the local nobility at the same time. The marshals were appointed from among representatives of the Polish landed gentry; they usually owned very large estates and were loyal to the authorities. As a result, up until the outbreak of World War I, the marshals of the Vilna governorate were Poles, who were also Catholics. In the Kovno governorate the Poles were replaced by the Russians only in the 1880s. The function of the county marshal was merged with that of the chairman of the county assembly of peace arbitrators (мировой посредник), which was an important link in the institutional structure responsible for implementing the peasant enfranchisement reform. Initially, in the Vilna, Kovno and Grodno governorates, both Russians and Poles were appointed county marshals; the latter, however, were appointed on the condition that they did not preside over assemblies of peace arbitrators.Candidates for the post of county marshal were required to own land. Changes in this respect were not introduced until Ivan Kachanov became the Vilno Governorate-General (1884–93). From then on, only Russians – former member of the military or civil servants of noble origin – were appointed county marshals. The majority of them were not landowners. [From the publication]