Description:

Catherine II DS Promoting Officer of Baltic German Ancestry in the Ryazan Infantry

A 1p Russian language document signed by Empress Catherine II (1729-1796) as "Ekaterina" in the lower right corner. Issued from St. Petersburg concerning a military promotion effective June 28, 1777. Printed on vellum, with scattered handwritten inscriptions, and decorated by a Neo-Classical border depicting soldiers, armaments, vegetal motifs, and rustic vignettes. A beautifully preserved embossed paper seal is located in the lower left corner. Expected light soiling and minor folds. All of the seal star points are partly folded, and the seal has been reattached, else near fine. Measures 15.875" x 10.25" overall. Accompanied by a Russian transcription and full English translation. From a recently discovered collection that has not seen the light of day for over 70 years!

Empress Catherine II conferred the rank of Prime Major to a Second Major in the Ryazan Infantry named Baron Fyodor von Rosen.

Translated from Russian in part:

"Let it be known to everyone that Baron Fyodor von Rosen, who served us as Second Major, was graciously granted and established as Prime Major [in recognition of past] zeal and diligence rendered in our service, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-seven, on the twenty-eighth of June; as we hereby grant and establish, commanding everyone to properly recognize and honor the aforementioned Baron Fyodor von Rosen as our Prime Major: thus, we hope that he in this most graciously granted new rank, will serve so faithfully and diligently, as a loyal and kind Officer should. In witness to which, we have signed with our own hand and commanded our state seal to be sealed. Issued in St. Petersburg in the summer of 1777…"

Among Peter the Great's early eighteenth-century reforms of the Russian Imperial Army was the introduction and codification of more military rankings. The distinction between Prime Major and Second Major, abolished after 1797, perfectly illustrates the new and complex hierarchy of Peterine military rankings. A Second Major was a junior staff officer tasked with assisting the regiment's lieutenant colonel, or deputy commander. The fourth highest ranking officer of the regiment, the Second Major was responsible for overseeing drill and guard service. A Prime Major, unlike a Second Major, was considered a full staff officer. He primarily assisted the regiment's commander, or colonel, and was thus the third highest ranking officer of the regiment who could assume control if both the colonel and lieutenant colonel were absent or indisposed. Baron Fyodor von Rosen's promotion from Second Major to Prime Major marked a slight but significant change.

The Ryazan Infantry was one of the oldest guard regiments established in the Russian Imperial Army, named after an ancient Russian city as was the tradition of early military nomenclature.

Baron Fyodor von Rosen cannot be absolutely identified. The von Rosen family (Rozen with Russified spelling) were of Baltic German origin; they were thus ethnically German but lived in modern day Latvia, Livonia, and Estonia. There appears to be a long family tradition of the von Rosens serving in foreign armies. Our Baron Fyodor von Rosen is almost certainly related to Conrad von Rosen (1628-1715), who served in the French Army, and Georg von Rosen (1782-1841), who later became a Napoleonic War general in the Russian Imperial Army, but the exact connection is unclear.

Catherine II controlled her diverse subjects and vast territories through a large, complex, and fully funded military. One of Catherine's primary objectives was territorial gains. During her 34-year-long reign, Catherine expanded the Russian Empire to the southwest into areas formerly controlled by the Ottoman Empire, annexed Crimea, and partitioned Poland. Catherine also relied heavily on the Russian Imperial Army to suppress insurrection.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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