Mikhail Speransky (1772–1839)

The collection marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of an outstanding statesman, an honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences and a full member of the Imperial Russian Academy, the author of the reform plan under Alexander I, the actual leader of the work on the codification of Russian legislation, Knight of the Order of Andrew the First-Called, Count Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky.

The collection features studies about the life and career of M. M. Speransky, memoirs about him, published works and correspondence, as well as visual materials. The collection is based on the documents of the RGIA collections "Papers of M. M. Speransky" systematized by themes, reflecting the activities of Speransky in the field of reforming and codifying legislation. The collection includes Speransky's manuscripts (originals, rough sketches and copies) on the history of Russian legislation; the draft "Introduction to the Code of State Laws" and its other proposals; documents related to the Complete Collection of Laws and the Code of Laws of Civil, Criminal and Commercial Regulations, the draft charter of criminal proceedings; notes and essays of various persons on the issues of legislation, public administration, economics; documents of M. M. Speransky's closest associates on the drafting of the Code of Laws - M. A. Balugiansky, D. V. Dashkov; materials of the II Branch of the Imperial Own Chancellery for the transformation of the Senate and local government.

The collection is based on the materials from the collections of the following institutions: Russian State Historical Archive, Russian State Library, State Public Historical Library, Moscow Regional State Scientific Library, Penza Regional Library, St. Petersburg State University, Ural State University of Law, Central State Archive of Film and Photo Documents St. Petersburg.