keisarikaudella

Keisarikaudella is a Finnish term meaning “during the imperial era.” It is used in historiography as a temporal expression to indicate a period of governance under an emperor (keisari). The precise dates and implications of the keisarikausi vary with the empire in question, because the term denotes imperial sovereignty rather than a single fixed epoch.

In Finland, the most common reference is to the era when Finland was the Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire, roughly 1809–1917. During this time the Russian emperor held the title of Grand Duke of Finland and had supreme authority over national policy, subject to Finland’s constitutional institutions. The period began with the constitutional arrangements following the 1809 Diet in Porvoo and ended with Finland’s independence in 1917 after the Russian Revolution. Administratively, Finland retained a degree of internal autonomy, with its own senate and, from the late 19th century, a growing Finnish national movement influencing education, language policy, and civil life. The era saw reform and tensions, including attempts at greater centralization by the imperial government and financial and legal adaptations within the Grand Duchy.

Outside Finland, keisarikaudella can describe any era governed by an emperor, such as the Roman or Ottoman imperial periods, when discussed in Finnish historical writing. The term emphasizes imperial sovereignty rather than a fixed calendar period.