Imperial societies - the general name of public organizations that existed in the Russian Empire . The name “Imperial” was appropriated by the Russian emperor for his services to the Fatherland and was accompanied by patronage by the imperial family, but there were exceptions, for example, the Russian Red Cross was under the auspices of the Empress Maria Fedorovna . From 1880 to 1917, the empress headed the Russian Red Cross Society and personally made a significant contribution to its development.
The status of the “Imperial” society was not synonymous with the all-Russian or national scale, for example, the Imperial Women's Patriotic Society ; since 1807 it became known as the “Imperial” Moscow Society of Naturalists . The name “Russian” was not identified with “Russian”, but naturally came from the concept of “Russian people” - the titular nation of the Russian Empire, and along with “Russian Imperial Societies” there existed “Russian Imperial Societies”, for example:
- Imperial Russian Automobile Society ;
- Imperial Russian Society of Horticulture ;
- Imperial Russian Society for Fruit Growing ;
- Imperial Russian Fire Society .
The name "society" emphasizes its social (democratic) and civic character, which undoubtedly and significantly distinguishes it from the concepts of "organization" or "movement" . Organizations tend to be more structured and disciplined, and movements are often political .
Among the first imperial societies was the Imperial Free Economic Society , founded in 1765, taking into account the experience of similar European societies. Empress Catherine II granted the Society her personal emblem and motto - an image of a beehive and a bee with the inscription “Useful” - and allocated funds for development.
Not all "Russian societies" in the Russian Empire were given the name "Imperial":
- Russian Entomological Society ;
- Russian Mining Society ;
- Russian insurance company .
Not all societies called themselves “Russians”:
- founded in 1765 by the Imperial Free Economic Society;
- the Imperial philanthropic society founded in 1802 ;
- The Imperial Society for the Promotion of the Arts , founded in 1820 ;
- founded in 1863 by the Imperial Society of Lovers of Natural History, Anthropology and Ethnography ;
- Founded in 1873, the Imperial Society for the Reproduction of Hunting and Fishing Animals and Proper Hunting .
Imperial Russian Societies
- The Imperial Russian Geographical Society was founded in 1845 , was given the name "Imperial" in 1850 ;
- The Imperial Russian Archaeological Society was founded in 1864 , the Imperial Society since 1881 ;
- The Imperial Russian Musical Society was founded in 1850 , since 1868 it was called the “Imperial”;
- The Imperial Russian Society for the Acclimatization of Animals and Plants was transformed into the Imperial Society in 1864 ;
- Imperial Russian Theater Society ;
- The Imperial Russian Technical Society was founded in 1866 , was given the name "Imperial" in 1874 ;
- The Imperial Russian Historical Society was founded in 1866 , was given the name "Imperial" on November 24, 1873 ;
- The Russian imperial Orthodox Palestinian society was founded on May 21, 1882 , since 1889 it was called the "Imperial";
- The Imperial Russian Poultry Society was created in 1886 on the personal instructions of Emperor Alexander III;
- The Imperial Russian Military-Historical Society was founded on April 7 (20), 1907, its Charter was approved in August, and at the end of September, Nicholas II accepted the title of Honorary Chairman of the RVIO and allowed him to be called the “Imperial”.