Third Section

The Third Section of His Imperial Majesty's Own Chancellery (Russian: Tretiye Otdeleniye, or III отделение собственной Е.И.В канцелярии, sometimes translated as Third Department) was a secret police department set up in Imperial Russia, inherited from Tayny Prikaz, Privy Chancellery and Specialty Chancellery, effectively serving as the Imperial regime's secret police for much of its existence. The organization was relatively small. Created in 1825 by Tsar Nicholas I, it included only sixteen investigators. Their number was increased to forty in 1855. It was disbanded in 1880 and replaced by the Okhrana.

The Decembrist Revolt of December 14, 1825 shook Tsar Nicholas I’s (r. 1825-1855) confidence in his control and led him to desire an effective tool against sedition and revolution. Created by imperial decree on June 25, 1826, Tsar Nicholas’ thirtieth birthday, the Third Section was Nicholas’ personal police force. Although Nicholas gave Count Alexander Benckendorff, the first Head Controller of the Section, few specific instructions, the Tsar intended the Third Section to act as Russia’s “moral and political guardian.” Just as Russia had ambassadors to other nations keeping the Tsar apprised of political conditions abroad, Nicholas saw the officers of the Third Section, the Gendarmes, as domestic ambassadors who listened, if surreptitiously, to the political discussions of everyday Russians. As ambassadors and moral guardians, the Gendarmerie was ostensibly tasked with guiding Russians along the political path the Tsar desired; however, the Gendarmerie gradually became a counter-revolutionary force rather than a group of “moral physicians.”

Count Alexander Benckendorff was the Head Controller of the Section from 1826. He was the person who tried to warn Alexander I of the Decembrist plot; thus Nicholas I saw him as perfect head of the secret force. He also served as Chief of Gendarmes, but the office of the Executive Director of the Third Section was not formally merged with Chief of Gendarmes until 1829.

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