What is "prikaz"

Prikaz (, prikaz; ) was an administrative (palace, civil, military, or church), judicial, territorial, and executive offices earlier in Muscovy and Russia of 15th-18th centuries. The term is usually implies " ministry", " office" or "department". In modern Russian "prikaz" literally means an order.

Most of Prikazes were subordinated to the Boyar Duma. Some of them (Palace Prikazes (дворцовые приказы)) were subordinated to the Tayny Prikaz, or Privy Prikaz that answered directly to Tsar. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia had his own Prikazes.

There was a large number (up to 60) of specialized Prikazes. Their set varied over time.