Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/499

 RUSSIA.

GENERAL REMARKS.

The Emperor is Grand Master of all the Russian Orders, with the exception of that of St. Catherine, which is an Order for ladies. The Grand Dukes become, at their baptism, Knights of the Orders of St. Andrew, Alexander Newsky, the White Eagle, and St. Anne. The other Imperial Princes receive them on attaining majority. In like manner do the Grand Duchesses receive, at their baptism, the Order of St. Catharine, while the Princesses receive it only when of age.

The administration of all the Orders belongs to a Chapter, consisting of a Chancellor (elected from the Knights of the Order of St. Andrew), a treasurer, and the Master of Ceremonies of the Imperial Court. Every Order has, however, a Master of Ceremonies, a secretary and two heralds, as also a peculiar costume of its own. The Chapter is in possession of funds to the amount of 200,000 roubles, for the education of the daughters of poor Knights, who are received into the educational Institution at St. Petersburg, established for the children of noble families, under the patronage of the Empress.

The nomination to an order confers nobility upon the member, which becomes hereditary, if the latter is not born a serf. Bashkeers obtain personal nobility, with the Order, and Russian merchants (since 10th April, 1832), hereditary honorary freedom of a citizen.