Voronezh Governorate[a] was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of the Tsardom of Russia, the Russian Empire, and the Russian SFSR, which existed from 1708 (as Azov Governorate) to 1779 and again from 1796 to 1928. Its capital was located in Voronezh since 1725.
The governorate was located in the south of the European part of the Russian Empire.[1] In 1928, the governorate was abolished, and its area was included into newly established Central Black Earth Oblast.[2]
First Azov Governorate
Russia in 1682–1762. Azov Governorate is shown as number 7.
Azov Governorate, together with seven other governorates, was established on December 29 [O.S. December 18], 1708, by TsarPeter the Great's edict.[3] As with the rest of the governorates, neither the borders nor internal subdivisions of Azov Governorate were defined; instead, the territory was defined as a set of cities and the lands adjacent to those cities.[4] The governorate bordered Kiev Governorate in the west, Moscow Governorate in the north, and Kazan Governorate in the east. The areas south of the governorate were controlled by the Ottoman Empire, and the southern border was not defined.
Formally, Azov was the seat of the governorate, but in practice, the seat of the governor was located in Tambov until 1715 and in Voronezh after 1715. In 1725, the governorate was renamed Voronezh Governorate.
At the time of establishment, the following seventy-eight towns were included in Azov Governorate,[3][5]
On June 9 [O.S. May 29], 1719, the governorate was divided into provinces: Bakhmut (with the center in Bakhmut), Shatsk, Tambov, Voronezh, and Yelets.[6] The uyezds were transformed into districts.
In 1725, Azov Governorate was renamed into Voronezh Governorate.
Governors
The administration of the governorate was performed by a governor. The governors of First Azov Governorate were[7]
By that time, the governorate was divided into five provinces, defined as sets of the towns. The following towns were a part of Voronezh Governorate,[1]
In the following years, the administrative reforms continued, and governorates were gradually abolished in favor of vice-royalties. In 1778, some areas of Voronezh Governorate were transferred to Ryazan and Oryol Viceroyalties, and in 1779 Valuysky Uyezd was transferred to Voronezh Governorate. In 1779, the governorate was abolished, and Tambov and Voronezh Viceroyalty, followed in 1780 by Penza Viceroyalty, were established.
After 1796
The European part of the Russian Empire in 1917. Voronezh Governorate is shown in magenta in the center of the map.
In 1923, after a series of reforms, Voronezh Governorate consisted of twelve uyezds: Bobrovsky, Bogucharsky, Kalacheyevsky, Nizhnedevitsky, Novokhopyorsky, Ostrogozhsky, Pavlovsky, Rossoshansky, Usmansky, Valuysky, Voronezhsky, and Zadonsky. In 1924, Zadonsky, Kalacheyevsky, and Pavlovsky Uyezds were abolished.[1]
On 14 May 1928 Voronezh Governorate was abolished, and its area was included into newly established Central Black Earth Oblast.
Governors
The administration of the governorate was performed by a governor. The governors of Voronezh Governorate were[8][9]
¹ Italics indicates renamed or abolished governorates, oblasts, etc on 1 January 1914. ² An asterisk (*) indicates governorates formed or created with renaming after 1 January 1914. ³ Ostsee or Baltic general-governorship was abolished in 1876.
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