«Везде должна по мелочам»: экономическое положение фрейлин при дворе Николая I

Вестник Пермского университета. Серия: История. 2024. Т. 64. № 1. С. 83–92.

Dolgova M.

Financial well-being is an essential part of the nobility’s luxurious life presentation. It included income from the estates, accumulation of capital, and salaries for their services. While noblewomen could also acquire money from estates(through inheritance, dowry, or purchase), they were limited in their opportunities forstate service. However, female court staff wereallowed to receive paymentfor their services. During the reign of Emperor Nicholas I (1825–1855), the most prominent and numerous female court position was that ofladies-in-waiting. These women not only gained social status through their closeness to the imperial family, but also received financial support in the form of salariesand other payments. Based on numerous materials, such as legislative acts, documentsfrom the Ministry of the Imperial Court, and personal sources, the article examines the economic status of noblewomen as ladies-in-waiting. Itinvestigates the ratio of income received from the service and the expensesnecessary to maintaina decent life at the imperial court and in the capital. The author analyzes changes in thefinancial conditions ofladies-in-waiting duringthe first half tomid-19thcentury and compares them tothe standards adopted for the male court and officials. The article highlights the strategies employed by ladies-in-waiting to obtain additional income and ad-vance within the court system.The researcher concludes that ladies-in-waiting financial maintenance is multi-component, and the amounts allocated to the female court staff are comparable tothe incomes ofmale court and civil officials.

Keywords: salary, pension, Николай I, Imperial Court, императорский двор, пенсион, оклад, Nicholas I, dowry, приданое, ladies-in-waiting’s staff, table money, штатные фрейлины, столовые деньги

Publication based on the results of: Russia’s Regional History of 18th – 20th centuries: socio-political, anthropological perspectives and agency relationships (2024)