
19th-Century Hereditary Commander's Badge, Russian Grand Priory
Page Corps () () was a privileged military establishment in
Imperial Russia, which prepared
aristocratic children for
military service. (The
Imperial School of Jurisprudence prepared boys for
civil service). After the
Russian Revolution the Page Corps was replaced with the
Suvorov Military School.
The Page Corps was founded in 1697 in
St.Petersburg as a school for teaching and training
pages and chamber pages. In light of the need for properly trained
officers for the
Guard units, the Page Corps was reorganized in 1802 into an educational establishment similar to
cadet schools, which would accept the sons of the hereditary nobility of Russia, and the sons of at least Lieutenant Generals/Vice Admirals or grandsons of full Generals/Admirals.
[Daniel E. A. Perret ]In 1802, the curriculum of the Corps des Pages was also changed, thereafter based on the ideals of the
Order of St John. In 1810, the school was moved to the palace of the Sovereign Order of St John of Jerusalem, also known as Vorontsov Palace. It continued at this location in St. Petersburg for over one hundred years (until the revolution).

From 1810 until 1917, the Page Corps was located in the
Vorontsov Palace. It was designed by
Rastrelli circa 1749.
During the
period of reforms of military schools in the 1860s, the Page Corps was turned into a seven-grade establishment, first five grades being similar to military
gymnasiums, and the other two being modelled after military colleges.
Beginning in 1885, the Page Corps had seven general classes, where students were learning the same sciences offered by cadet schools, and two special classes, where they taught them
military science and
jurisprudence.
The Graduates from the Corps des Pages had the unique privilege of joining any regiment of their own choice regardless of the existing vacancies (however, as a matter of etiquette, the consent of the unit's commander was sought long beforehand). They wore, on the left side of their tunic, the badge of the Corps des Pages, modeled after the cross of the Order of St John.
They received the rank of
podporuchik (
cornet in
cavalry). Those who weren’t fit for military service would receive civil ranks of the 10th, 12th, and 14th classes.