The article discusses the process of the formation and development of the Russian military school, which originates since Peter's I transformations. I. The main historical periods of military education are allocated, each of which has distinctive features related to the methods of training and education of future officers, the preparation of military teachers, the edition of educational and methodological literature, etc. A characteristic feature of the development of military education was the fact that these transformations were in parallel with transformations occurring in the armed forces. This interrelated process fruitfully influenced not only the development of the military education system, but also the development of military scientific thought in general. The article traces the continuity between all historical periods of military education in Russia. Attention is focused on the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries when the most elaborated educational system of military schools in Russia was formed, and the military school became one of the most important sociocultural institutions of the state mechanism and the country's society. All transformations in military education in pre-revolutionary Russia became a foundation for the formation of the Soviet, and then the Russian military school.