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Secondary sourceDocument1785 (this edition 1885)

Charter to the Nobility

Catherine II of Russia · 1785 (this edition 1885)

Catherine the Great's 1785 decree confirming the rights and privileges of the Russian nobility, shown here in an 1885 printed edition.

Catherine issued this charter, revealing how her reforms upheld noble privilege and serfdom.

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Title page of an 1885 printed book in Russian. Large heading reads 'ГРАМОТА', followed by 'на права, вольности и преимущества благородного российского дворянства'. Below is 'С.-Петербургъ, Губернская типография (Никольская ул., № 5-8)' and the year '1885'. A round library stamp and a rectangular stamp appear in the middle, with a handwritten mark at top left.
Catherine II of Russia, Charter to the Nobility, 1785 (printed edition, 1885).

About this source

What it is

This is the Charter for the Rights, Freedoms, and Privileges of the Noble Russian Gentry, issued by Catherine II in 1785. The copy shown is not the original decree but an official printed book from 1885 reproducing its text.

Why it matters

The Charter confirmed and expanded the legal privileges of Russia's nobility, including their authority over serfs. It reveals the gap between Catherine's Enlightenment image and the reality of her rule, which relied on and strengthened the power of the noble class rather than extending rights to all.

Look closer

  • Who benefited from this charter, and who was excluded from its protections?
  • Why might a ruler strengthen the privileges of one social group?
  • What does this later printed edition tell you about how the document was remembered?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Catherine the Great on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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