Ministry of War of the Russian Empire, (Russian: Военное министерство, Military Ministry) was an administrative body in the Russian Empire from 1802 to 1917.
It was established in 1802 as the Ministry of ground armed forces (Russian: Министерство военно-сухопутных сил) taking over responsibilities from the College of War during the Government reform of Alexander I. It was renamed to the Ministry of War in 1815.
At the end of 19th century Ministry of war had following structure.
Military CouncilWar Ministry ChancelleryGrand Staff - personal matters, organization, instruction and economy of the armyHis Imperial Majesty's RetinueDepartments:Commissariat departmentArtillery departmentEngineer (Military Technical) departmentMilitary Medical departmentMilitary Education departmentMilitary Justice departmentDepartment of Cossack troopsCommitteesCommittee on military Codification - legislative questionsCommittee on Military SanitationThe Ministry was initially accommodated in Count Zakhar Chernyshyov's former palace on Moika River Embankment, which was bought by the State Treasury for the Military Collegium in 1795 (later it was rebuilt and transformed into the Mariinsky Palace).
In 1824, the mezzanine and the first floor of the Lobanov-Rostovsky Residence (12 Admiralteysky Avenue) were rented for the Ministry of War for 63,000 roubles a year. On 23 June 1828, the entire building was bought by the State Treasury for one million roubles, and in 1829-1830 it was renovated to meet the Ministry's needs. It housed the principal establishments of the Ministry until its dissolution in 1918. The main entrance is guarded by white marble Medici lions.
Ministers of Land Forces
Count Sergey Vyazmitinov 8 September 1802 – 13 January 1808Count Aleksey Arakcheyev 13 January 1808 – 1 January 1810Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly 20 January 1810 – 24 August 1812Prince Aleksey Gorchakov 24 August 1812 – 12 December 1815 actingCount Pyotr Konovnitsyn 12 December 1815 – 6 May 1819Baron Pyotr Meller-Zakomelskiy 6 May 1819 – 14 March 1823Count Aleksander Tatischev 14 March 1823 – 26 August 1827Prince Alexander Chernyshyov 26 August 1827 – 26 August 1852Prince Vasily Dolgorukov 26 August 1852 – 17 April 1856Nikolay Sukhozanet 17 April 1856 – 16 May 1861Count Dmitry Milyutin 16 May 1861 – 21 May 1881Pyotr Vannovskiy 22 May 1881 – 1 January 1898Aleksey Kuropatkin 1 January 1898 – 7 February 1904Viktor Sakharov 11 March 1904 – 21 June 1905Aleksandr Roediger 21 June 1905 – 11 March 1909Vladimir Sukhomlinov 11 March 1909 – 13 June 1915Alexei Polivanov 13 June 1915 – 15 March 1916Dmitry Shuvayev 15 March 1916 – 3 January 1917Mikhail Belyaev 3 January 1917 – 28 February 1917Alexander Guchkov 1 March 1917 – 30 April 1917
