Forms of address in the Russian Empire

From the time of Peter the Great, forms of address in the Russian Empire had been well-codified, determined by a person’s title of honor, as well as military or civil rank (see Table of Ranks) and ecclesiastical order. One’s position within the clergy was considered most important, followed by title, and then by civil/military rank (e.g., a commoner in rank of Privy Councilor would be styled His Excellency) a prince of the same rank would retain the style of His Highness, while the same prince serving as an archbishop would be referred as His High Eminence. All of these styles are now obsolete and are only used in historical context.

Aristocratic styles[1]
Style Transliteration Translation Addressee
Ваше Императорское ВеличествоVashe Imperatorskoye VelichestvoYour Imperial Majestythe Emperor, Empress and Dowager Empress of Russia
Ваше Императорское ВысочествоVashe Imperatorskoye VysochestvoYour Imperial HighnessGrand Princes and Princesses (i.e., Imperial children and grandchildren; from 1797 to 1886 the title applied to great- and great-great-grandchildren as well)
Ваше ВысочествоVashe VysochestvoYour HighnessPrinces and Princesses of the Imperial bloodline
Ваша СветлостьVasha SvyetlostYour Serene HighnessDukes; younger children of Imperial great-grandchildren and their descent; Serene Princes
Ваше СиятельствоVashe SiyatelstvoYour Illustrious HighnessPrinces, Counts, and Marquises
Ваше БлагородиеVashe BlagorodiyeYour Well BornBarons, Viscounts and untitled nobility
Ecclesiastical styles[2]
Style Transliteration Translation Addressee
Ваше СвятейшествоVashe SvyateyshestvoYour Holinessthe Patriarch
Ваше ВысокопреосвященствоVashe VysokopreosvyaschenstvoYour EminenceMetropolitan Bishops and Archbishops
Ваше ПреосвященствоVashe PreosvyaschenstvoYour GraceBishops
Ваше ВысокопреподобиеVashe VysokoprepodobiyeThe High ReverendArchimandrites, Hegumens (Abbots), and Protoierei
Ваше ПреподобиеVashe PrepodobiyeThe ReverendHieromonks and Priests
Ваше БлаговестиеVashe BlagovyestiyeYour EvangelismProtodeacons and Deacons
Bureaucratic styles[3]
Style Trasliteration Translation Addressee
Ваше ВысокопревосходительствоVashe VysokoprevoskhoditelstvoYour High ExcellencyTable of Ranks Grades I and II
Ваше ПревосходительствоVashe PrevoskhoditelstvoYour ExcellencyTable of Ranks Grades III and IV
Ваше ВысокородиеVashe VysokorodiyeYour High BornTable of Ranks Grade V
Ваше ВысокоблагородиеVashe VysokoblagorodiyeYour High Well BornTable of Ranks Grades VI to VIII
Ваше БлагородиеVashe BlagorodiyeYour Well BornTable of Ranks Grades IX to XIV

See also

References

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