Everyone knows that this title is used in most cases in a military context. Cognitive history of the word in Russian. The meaning of the word “adjutant” helps to understand what exactly these people did and what place they occupied in the military hierarchy.
The occurrence of the word
The reforms of Peter I in the army transformed the backward, fragmented and disorganized crowd, which was the Russian army, turning it into one of the most effective military armies of the European continent. Like many other military terms, the word "adjutant" is a German innovation of the 17th century. It has Latin roots and comes from Adjutant, which literally means "to help." Thus, the first and most important meaning of the title “adjutant” is the assistant manager.
Adjutant in Peter's Russia
In the second half of the 17th century, the esauli were engaged in clerical work and writing in the Russian army. After the adoption of the military charter in 1716, this title remained only in the Cossack regiments. An adjutant appears in the regular army.
Starting from the 17th century, an adjutant in the Russian army is a military man with a certain range of
duties, the secretary of the commander, whose duties include paperwork, staff work. The honorary title was also worn by officers who were under the commanders of various units of the troops. The duties of such personal assistants included:
- conducting personal correspondence of the commander;
- execution of his instructions;
- delivery of dispatches, orders, oral and written orders;
- being close in battle.
At court
Beginning in 1711, two new posts appeared at the court of the Russian monarchs, each of which has a prefix in its name. They were called "adjutant general" and "adjutant outbuilding." Such a title could only be earned by persons who enjoyed the special trust of the high command and the emperor himself, who gave orders on his behalf and monitored their implementation. The "Table of Ranks", published in 1722, already has these positions in its register. From this moment, both ranks are equated to the current army ranks.
Initially, the adjutant wing is a military man who was under the general, field marshal or generalissimo. His duties included the transfer of orders and instructions of the commander to the flanks. Since the end of the 17th century, in Russia, the “adjutant general” and the “adjutant wing” are retinue (court) ranks, only persons who are in the emperor’s retinue were entitled to wear them.
The word “general” does not mean an army rank; here it is more appropriate to add the letter “a” at the end, then it will become clear that it would be more correct to read this rank as “general adjutant”. At the behest of Catherine II, the adjutant general can only be surrounded by the empress, and this title also becomes a court. Many military aristocrats sought to become adjutant to the emperor - this title was honorable and profitable. Appointment of the next court rank automatically meant receiving an appropriate, higher, military rank.
After 1917, the title of adjutant was abolished and is currently not used in the domestic army.