Zemskaia Izba

an elected body of local self-administration, created by the zemstvo reform of Ivan IV. Each zemskaia izba was staffed by a group of elected officers: the zemskii starosta (elder), zemskii d’iachok (official), and tseloval’niki (wardens). These were chosen by the tax-paying population of the city and volost (small rural district) and served for a term of one to two years. The institution was supported by money drawn from the local population. Under Peter I, the ukase of 1699 made the zemskaia izba into a body of urban self-administration, consisting of burmistry (city officials) elected by the posadskie liudi (merchants and artisans) and subordinated to the Bürmisterskaia Palata (Chamber of Burgermeisters). After 1708 they came under the jurisdiction of the provincial governors. The whole institution was replaced during the period 1721–24 by a system of magistrates and ratushi (town councils).