Conditions (Russia)

Empress Anna abrogates the Conditions

The Conditions (Russian: Кондиции, Konditsii) were an 18th century constitutional project in Russia, signed by Empress Anna of Russia in Jelgava on the 18th of January 1730, giving substantial power to the Supreme Privy Council. When the Empress returned to Russia, she revoked her approval of the Conditions and dissovled the Supreme Privy Council on the 20th of February. The members of the Council were removed from government and exiled or repressed paving the way for Anna to become an absolute monarch in the model of her uncle Peter the Great.

The Conditions acted as a constitution binding the monarch in relation to:

• Declarations of War.
• Signing of Treaties.
• Imposing new taxes.
• Appointing officers to ranks higher than Polkovnik (Colonel).
• Depriving and granting estates.
• Appointing to the court ranks.
• Using of public revenues.

None of these powers could be exercised by the monarch, under the Conditions, without the approval of the Supreme Privy Council. Or else they would face the possibility of deposition.