Birthday anniversary of Alexander G. Bulygin, Minister of the Interior of the Russian Empire

“Bulygin was a very decent man,

honest, noble, quite clever,

with an extensive governmental knowledge…”

S. Yu. Witte, Chair of the Council of Ministers

6 (18) August 1851 in a family of a nobleman and State Councilor was born Alexander G. Bulygin, Russian statesman, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire, the actual state councilor (1899), a member of the State Council of the Russian Empire (1905), Chief Schenk of the court (1916).

In 1871 Bulygin graduated from St. Petersburg Law School and joined the Ministry of Justice. Initially he worked as an investigator in the Kiev province, and then became a service officer on special assignments for the governor of Saratov. During 1870's Bulygin had changed a number of administrative positions. In 1881 he was elected leader of the nobility of Zaraiskiy district, Ryazan province.

In 1888, Bulygin was appointed vice-governor of Tambov, a year later - the Governor of Kaluga; four years later - the Governor of Moscow. In 1896, Alexander G. Bulygin received the court rank of hofmeister. In 1902 he was appointed Assistant of the Moscow Governor-General, Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich. In this position, he provided support to the Chief of the Moscow Police Department S. V. Zubatov in the creation of legal workers' organizations under the control of the police.

In January 1905, Bulygin was appointed Interior Minister in place of Prince P. D. Sviatopolk-Mirsky, whose policy had crashed due the events of 9 (22) January 1905. Bulygin found himself in a quite difficult situation - the failure of the Russian-Japanese War (1904-1905) had caused a rise in social and labor movements. While Bulygin, who held high office in the administrative hierarchy of the state, did not enjoy the confidence in ruling circles and did not have sufficient authority.

17 (30) April 1905 was published the Emperor’s Decree "On tolerance development" elaborated with the participation of Bulygin. In February (March) 1905, Bulygin received an imperial rescript stating the intention to draw "those decent, trusted by the people, elected by the population to participate in the pre-development and discussion of legislative proposals." The minister led the work of the Special meeting to convene a general state law representative assembly. Under his leadership, was drafted the first regulations on the State Duma with limited state advisory functions, elected by the highest and affluent segments of the population. This project was launched 6 (19) August 1905 and on behalf of its creator called Bulygin Duma.

The implementation of the project had been prevented by the All-Russian political strike which began in October 1905. It forced Emperor Nicholas II to make concessions and to declare civil liberties and the convening of the Duma with legislative prerogatives and more broadly representative of the masses in his  Manifesto "On improvement of public order" of 17 (30) October 1905.

Upon the resumption of the Council of Ministers’ activities, chaired by Count S. Yu. Witte, October 22 (November 4) 1905 Bulygin resigned.

In 1912, Bulygin was elected chairman of the "Committee for the organization of the 300th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov dynasty." In February the following year he was granted the post of the state secretary of His Imperial Majesty, and in November was appointed chief superintendent of His Imperial Majesty's Chancellery office of Empress Maria.

After the February Revolution of 1917 Bulygin went to his estate in the province of Ryazan. In 1919 he was arrested and 5 September 1919 shot by order of the Ryazan GubChK.

Lit.: Борисов А. В. Министры внутренних дел России, 1802 — октябрь 1917. СПб., 2001; Иванов В. А. Булыгин Александр Григорьевич // Калужская энциклопедия: Сб. материалов. Вып. 1. Калуга, 1994; Булыгин Александр Григорьевич // Государственные деятели России XIX — начала XX вв.: Биогр. справочник. М., 1995.