northern provinces

The article provides an analysis of the proposals set out by the Minister of Internal Affairs, D. N. Bludov, concerning the reform of the administrative-territorial structure of the six northern provinces of the Russian Empire (Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Novgorod, Olonets, Pskov, St. Petersburg). These proposals were outlined in a draft entitled A New Delimitation of the Provinces of the European Part of the Country, which was presented to Emperor Nicholas I in the spring of 1838. The prerequisites that gave rise to this project are outlined (the revealed imperfections of the administrative-territorial division that emerged as a result of the Catherine provincial reform of 1775–1785, the changed geopolitical and demographic situation). The key provisions of the draft concerning the European part of the Russian Empire are listed, and the list of provinces and regions whose borders were intended to be altered is provided. The following information is provided: firstly, details of the planned changes to the provincial and county borders of the northern provinces; secondly, information on the territorial composition of the new Velikoustyug province; and thirdly, information on the establishment of new county towns in the north of the country. The following information is provided on the consideration of Bludov’s project by government authorities, including the attitude of Emperor Nicholas I and members of the Russian government (Minister of Finance Ye. F. Kankrin, Minister of State Property P. D. Kiselyov, Minister of Justice D. V. Dashkov), as well as some governors of the northern provinces (Olonetsky and Vologda). The reasons why Bludov’s project could not be implemented are considered, and the individual provisions of the project that were implemented during the Soviet period are noted. The source base of the article consists of documents stored in various collections of the Russian State Historical Archive.