What is depicted on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation: description and meaning of the symbolism of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation. The history of the Russian coat of arms, photo, description and meaning of each element and symbol on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation

This is a special emblem, made in accordance with heraldic canons.

It is an interconnected system of images and colors, which carries the idea of the integrity of the state and is inextricably linked with its history, traditions and mentality.

The appearance of this official sign is enshrined in the Constitution.

Brief description and meaning of the symbols of the coat of arms of Russia

This state distinction is a red heraldic shield, in the middle of which is a golden double-headed eagle. In the left clawed paw, the bird holds an orb, and in the right - a scepter.

On each of the heads is a crown, and at the top is another, larger one. All three royal attire are connected by a gold ribbon.

In the center of the shield, on the chest of the eagle, there is another red cloth. On it is a plot familiar to every Russian person: George the Victorious kills a snake.

There are many icons and paintings illustrating this legend. This is the most recognizable image of the saint. On the emblem, he is represented as a silver rider on a silver horse, dressed in a blue cloak. A monster under the hooves of a black horse.

How did they form and what do the symbols on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation mean?

Today, heraldry is an ancillary industry historical science. Emblems of countries, along with annals and chronicles, are the most important historical evidence.

In Western Europe during the days of chivalry, every noble family had a symbol inherited from generation to generation. He was present on the banners and was an insignia by which she recognized the representative of the family both on the battlefield and at the feast. In our country, this tradition has not been developed. Russian wars carried with them embroidered images of the great martyrs, Christ or the Mother of God into battle. The Russian heraldic sign originates from princely seals.

What do the main elements of the Russian coat of arms mean: George the Victorious

The princely seals had the patron saints of the rulers and an inscription indicating who owns the symbol of power. Later, a symbolic image of the head began to appear on them and on coins. Usually it was a horseman holding some kind of weapon in his hand. It could be a bow, sword or spear.

Initially, the “rider” (as this image was called) was not only familiar to the Moscow principality, but after the unification of the lands around the new capital in the 15th century, it became an official attribute of the Moscow sovereigns. He replaced the lion who defeats the snake.

What is depicted on the state emblem of Russia: a double-headed eagle

It should be noted that this is a popular symbol that is used as the main one not only by the Russian Federation, but also by Albania, Serbia, Montenegro. The history of the appearance of one of the main elements of our emblem goes back to the time of the Sumerians. There it ancient kingdom he personified God.

Since antiquity, the eagle has been considered a solar symbol associated with the spiritual principle, liberation from bonds. This element of the coat of arms of Russia means courage, pride, the desire for victory, royal origin and greatness of the country. In the Middle Ages, it was a symbol of baptism and rebirth, as well as Christ in his ascension.

In ancient Rome, the image of a black eagle was used, which had one head. Such a bird was brought as a generic image by Sophia Paleolog, the niece of the latter Byzantine emperor Konstantin, whom the grandfather of Ivan the Terrible, Ivan III, known as Kalita, married. In Russia, the history of the famous double-headed eagle dates back to the period of his reign. Together with his marriage, he received the right to this symbol as a state emblem. It confirmed that our country had become the heir of Byzantium and began to claim the right to be a world Orthodox power. Ivan III received the title of Tsar of All Russia, the ruler of the entire Orthodox East.

But during the time of Ivan III, the official emblem in traditional understanding still didn't exist. The bird was emblazoned on the royal seal. It was very different from the modern one and looked more like a chick. This is symbolic, since Russia at that time was a young, fledgling country. The wings and beak of the eagle were closed, the feathers smoothed.

After the victory over the Tatar-Mongol yoke and the liberation of the country from centuries of oppression, the wings open wide, emphasizing the might and power of the Russian state. Under Vasily Ioanovich, the beak also opens, emphasizing the strengthening of the country's position. At the same time, the eagle developed tongues, which became a sign that the country could stand up for itself. It was at this moment that the monk Philotheus put forward a theory about Moscow as the third Rome. Spread wings appeared much later, in the early years of the Romanov dynasty. They showed the neighboring hostile states that Russia was awakened and awakened from sleep.

The double-headed eagle also appeared on the state seal of Ivan the Terrible. There were two of them, a small one and a large one. The first was attached to the decree. It had a rider on one side and a bird on the other. The king replaced the abstract rider with a specific saint. George the Victorious was considered the patron saint of Moscow. Finally, this interpretation will be fixed under Peter I. The second seal was applied and made it necessary to combine two state symbols into one.

So a double-headed eagle appeared with a warrior on a horse depicted on his chest. Sometimes the rider was replaced by a unicorn, as a personal sign of the king. He was also Orthodox symbol taken from the Psalter, like any heraldic sign. Like the hero defeating the snake, the unicorn meant the victory of good over evil, the military prowess of the ruler and the righteous power of the state. In addition, this is an image of monastic life, striving for monasticism and solitude. This is probably why Ivan the Terrible highly valued this symbol and used it on a par with the traditional "rider".

What do the elements of the images on the coat of arms of Russia mean: three crowns

One of them also appears under Ivan IV. She was on top and was decorated with an eight-pointed cross, as a symbol of faith. The cross appeared before, between the heads of the bird.

During the time of Fyodor Ioanovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible, who was a very religious ruler, it was a symbol of the passion of Christ. Traditionally, the image of a cross on the coat of arms of Russia symbolizes the country's gaining ecclesiastical independence, which coincided with the reign of this tsar and the establishment of the patriarchate in Russia in 1589. AT different times the number of crowns changed.

Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, there were three of them, the ruler explained this by the fact that then the state absorbed three kingdoms: Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan. The appearance of three crowns was also associated with the Orthodox tradition, and was interpreted as a sign of the Holy Trinity.

At the moment, it is known that this symbolism on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation means the unity of the three levels of power (state, municipal and regional), or its three branches (legislative, executive and judicial).

Another version suggests that the three crowns mean the brotherhood of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The ribbon of the crown was fastened as early as 2000.

What does the coat of arms of the Russian Federation mean: scepter and orb

They were added at the same time as the crown. In earlier versions, the bird could hold a torch, a laurel wreath, and even a lightning bolt.

Currently, the eagle, which holds a sword and a wreath, is on the banner. The attributes that appeared on the image personified autocracy, absolute monarchy but also pointed to the independence of the state. After the revolution of 1917, these elements, like the crowns, were removed. The provisional government considered them a relic of the past.

Seventeen years ago, they were returned and now adorn the modern state insignia. Scholars agree that in modern conditions this symbolism of the coat of arms of Russia means state power and the unity of the state.

What did the coat of arms of the Russian Empire mean under Peter I

After coming to power, the first Russian emperor decided that the double-headed eagle should not only decorate certain official papers, but also become a full-fledged symbol of the country. He decided that the bird should become black, like the one that was on the banners of the Holy Roman Empire, of which Byzantium was the heir.

On the wings were painted signs of local major principalities and the kingdoms that make up the country. For example, Kyiv, Novgorod, Kazan. One head looked to the West, the other to the East. The headdress was a large imperial crown, which replaced the royal one and hinted at the specifics of the established power. Russia asserted its independence and freedom in rights. Peter I chose this type of crown a few years before he proclaimed the country an Empire, and himself an emperor.

The order of St. Andrew the First-Called appeared on the chest of the bird.

Until Nicholas I, the official emblem of the country retained, established by Peter I species, undergoing only minor changes.

The meaning of the colors on the coat of arms of Russia

Color, as the brightest and simplest sign, is an important part of any symbolism, including the state.

In 2000, it was decided to return the golden color to the eagle. It is a symbol of power, justice, wealth of the country, as well as Orthodox faith and Christian virtues such as humility and mercy. The return to the golden color emphasizes the continuity of traditions, the preservation of historical memory by the state.

The abundance of silver (cloak, spear, horse of George the Victorious) indicates purity and nobility, the desire to fight for a righteous cause and truth at any cost.

The red color of the shield speaks of the blood that was shed by the people in the defense of their land. It is a sign of courage and love not only for the Motherland, but also for each other, it emphasizes that many fraternal peoples peacefully coexist in Russia.

The snake that the rider kills is painted black. Heraldry experts agree that this symbol on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation means the constancy of the country in trials, as well as the memory and sorrow for the dead.

The meaning of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation

The drawing of the modern state symbol was made by St. Petersburg artist Evgeny Ukhnalev. He left the traditional elements, but created a new image. The fact that the signs of different eras were included in the final version emphasizes the long history of the country. The type of this personification of state power is strictly regulated and described in the relevant laws.

The shield is a symbol of the protection of the earth. At the moment, the meaning of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation is interpreted as a fusion of conservatism and progress. Three rows of feathers on the bird's wings refer to the unity of Kindness, Beauty and Truth. The scepter became a sign of state sovereignty. It is interesting that it is decorated with the same double-headed eagle, squeezing the same scepter and so on ad infinitum.

Briefly, we can say that the coat of arms of Russia symbolizes eternity, means the unity of all the peoples of the Russian Federation. The state acts as an emblem of power and integrity.

We hope our article has helped you to penetrate the secrets of state symbols. If you are interested in the history of not only your country, but your family, then you should learn it.

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February 12th, 2013

The word coat of arms comes from the German word erbe, which means inheritance. The coat of arms is a symbolic image that shows the historical traditions of a state or city.

Coats of arms appeared a very long time ago. The totems of primitive tribes can be considered the forerunners of coats of arms. The coastal tribes had figures of dolphins and turtles as totems, the steppe tribes had snakes, the forest tribes had bear, deer, and wolf figures. special role played the signs of the sun, moon, water.

The double-headed eagle is one of the oldest heraldic figures. There is still a lot of obscurity in the appearance of the double-headed eagle as a symbol. It is known, for example, that he was portrayed in the Hittite state, the rival of Egypt, which existed in Asia Minor in the second millennium BC. In the VI century BC. e., as archaeologists testify, the image of a double-headed eagle can be traced in Media, east of the former Hittite kingdom.

With late XIV in. the golden double-headed Eagle, looking at the West and East, placed on a red field, becomes state symbol Byzantine Empire. He personified the unity of Europe and Asia, divinity, greatness and power, as well as victory, courage, faith. Allegorically, the ancient image of a two-headed bird could mean a vigilant guardian who sees everything both in the east and in the west. Golden color, meaning wealth, prosperity and eternity, in last value still used in icon painting.

There are many myths and scientific hypotheses about the reasons for the appearance of the double-headed eagle in Russia. According to one of the hypotheses, the main state symbol of the Byzantine Empire - the double-headed Eagle - appeared in Russia more than 500 years ago in 1472, after the marriage of the Grand Duke of Moscow John III Vasilyevich, who completed the unification of the Russian lands around Moscow, and the Byzantine princess Sophia (Zoya) Paleolog - the niece of the last Emperor of Constantinople Constantine XI Palaiologos-Dragas.

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) - milestone formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of Khan Akhmat against Moscow in 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow included Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Tver, Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European states, its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the All-Russian Code of Laws was adopted - a single code of laws of the country.

It was at this time - the time of the successful construction of the Russian statehood.

Double-headed eagle of the Byzantine Empire, c. 15th century

However, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns prompted Ivan III to adopt this coat of arms as the heraldic symbol of his state. Having turned from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking for his state a new coat of arms - the Double-headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 puts Caesar's crowns on both heads, at the same time a shield with the image of the icon of St. George the Victorious appears on the eagle's chest. In 1480 the Tsar of Moscow became Autocrat, i.e. independent and independent. This circumstance is reflected in the modification of the Eagle, a sword and an Orthodox cross appear in its paws.

The twinning of dynasties not only symbolized the succession of the power of the Moscow princes from Byzantium, but also put them on a par with European sovereigns. The combination of the coat of arms of Byzantium and the more ancient one - the coat of arms of Moscow, formed a new coat of arms, which became a symbol of the Russian state. However, this did not happen immediately. Sophia Paleolog, who ascended the Moscow Grand Duke's throne, brought with her not a golden Eagle - the emblem of the Empire, but a black one, meaning the family coat of arms of the dynasty.

This eagle had not an imperial, but only a Caesar's crown above its heads and did not hold any attributes in its paws. The eagle was woven in black silk on a golden banner that was carried at the head of the wedding train. And only in 1480, after “Standing on the Ugra”, which marked the end of the 240-year Mongol-Tatar yoke, when John III became autocrat and sovereign of “All Russia” (in a number of documents he is already called “king” - from the Byzantine “Caesar” ), the former Byzantine golden double-headed Eagle acquires the significance of a Russian state symbol.

The head of the Eagle is crowned with the autocratic hat of Monomakh, he takes in his paws a cross (not a four-pointed Byzantine, but an eight-pointed - Russian) as a symbol of Orthodoxy, and a sword, as a symbol of the ongoing struggle for the independence of the Russian state, which only the grandson of John III, John IV, manages to complete ( Grozny).

On the chest of the Eagle is an image of St. George, who was revered in Russia as the patron of warriors, farmers and the whole Russian land. The image of the Heavenly Warrior on a white horse, striking the Serpent with a spear, was placed on the grand ducal seals, banners (banners) of the princely squads, on the helmets and shields of Russian soldiers, coins and printed rings - insignia of military leaders. Since ancient times, the image of St. George has adorned the coat of arms of Moscow, because St. George himself has been considered the patron of the city since the time of Dmitry Donskoy.

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The liberation from the Tatar-Mongol yoke (1480) was marked by the appearance of the now Russian double-headed eagle on the spire of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. A symbol that personifies the supreme power of the autocratic sovereign and the idea of unifying Russian lands.

Double-headed eagles, found in coats of arms, are not so rare. Since the 13th century, they appear in the coats of arms of the counts of Savoy and Würzburg, on Bavarian coins, and are known in the heraldry of the knights of Holland and the Balkan countries. At the beginning of the 15th century, Emperor Sigismund I made the double-headed eagle the coat of arms of the Holy Roman (later German) Empire. The eagle was depicted in black on a golden shield with golden beaks and claws. The heads of the Eagle were surrounded by halos.

Thus, an understanding was formed of the image of the double-headed Eagle as a symbol of a single state, consisting of several equal parts. After the collapse of the empire in 1806, the double-headed eagle becomes the coat of arms of Austria (until 1919). Both Serbia and Albania have it in their coats of arms. He is in the coats of arms of the descendants of the Greek emperors.

How did he appear in Byzantium? In 326, the emperor of the Roman Empire, Constantine the Great, makes the double-headed eagle his symbol. In 330, he transferred the capital of the empire to Constantinople, and since that time the double-headed eagle has been the state emblem. The empire splits into western and eastern, and the double-headed eagle becomes the coat of arms of Byzantium.

The collapsed Byzantine Empire makes the Russian Eagle the successor of the Byzantine one and the son of Ivan III, Vasily III (1505-1533) puts on both heads of the Eagle one common autocratic Cap of Monomakh. After the death of Vasily III, because. his heir Ivan IV, later called Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538) comes, and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548). And here the Russian Eagle undergoes a very comic modification.

It should be noted that 1497 is considered the year of the emergence of the State Emblem of Russia, despite its quarter-century distance from the marriage of Ivan III and Sophia Paleolog. This year is dated the charter of Ivan III Vasilyevich to his nephews, the princes of Volotsk Fedor and Ivan Borisovich, to the volosts of Buigorod and Kolp in the Volotsk and Tver districts.

The diploma was sealed with a double-sided hanging red wax seal of the Grand Duke, which has been perfectly preserved and has survived to this day. The front side of the seal depicts a rider slaying a snake with a spear, and a circular inscription (legend) “John b (o) with mercy the ruler of all Russia and the great prince (i) z”; on the reverse - a double-headed Eagle with outstretched wings and crowns on their heads, a circular inscription listing possessions.

Seal of Ivan III Vasilyevich, obverse and reverse, late 15th century.

One of the first to pay attention to this seal was the famous Russian historian and writer N. M. Karamzin. The seal differed from the previous princely seals, and most importantly - for the first time (from the material sources that have come down to us) it demonstrated the “reunification” of the images of the double-headed Eagle and St. George. Of course, it can be assumed that such seals were sealed with letters before 1497, but there is no confirmation of this. In any case, many historical research of the last century converged on this date and the 400th anniversary of the Russian coat of arms in 1897 was celebrated very solemnly.

Ivan IV is 16 years old, and he is crowned king, and immediately the Eagle undergoes a very significant change, as if personifying the entire era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1548-1574, 1576-1584). But during the reign of Ivan the Terrible there was a period when he renounced the Kingdom and retired to a monastery, handing over the reins of government to Semyon Bekbulatovich Kasimovsky (1574-1576), and in fact to the boyars. And the Eagle reacted to the ongoing events with another change.

The return of Ivan the Terrible to the throne causes the appearance of a new Eagle, the heads of which are crowned with one common crown of a clearly Western pattern. But that's not all, on the chest of the Eagle, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, the image of the Unicorn appears. Why? This can only be guessed at. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible.

Ivan the Terrible dies and the weak, limited Tsar Fedor Ivanovich “Blessed” (1584-1587) reigns on the throne. And again the Eagle changes its appearance. During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, a sign of the passion of Christ appears: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious coloring to the coat of arms of the state. The appearance of the "Golgotha cross" in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the time of the establishment in 1589 of the patriarchate and church independence of Russia. Another coat of arms of Fedor Ivanovich is also known, which is somewhat different from the above.

In the 17th century, the Orthodox cross was often depicted on Russian banners. The banners of foreign regiments that were part of the Russian army had their own emblems and inscriptions; however, an Orthodox cross was also placed on them, which indicated that the regiment fighting under this banner served the Orthodox sovereign. Before mid-sixteenth In the 1st century, a seal was widely used, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on its chest is crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

Boris Godunov (1587-1605), who replaced Fyodor Ivanovich, could have been the founder of a new dynasty. His occupation of the throne was completely legal, but popular rumor did not want to see him as a legitimate Tsar, considering him a regicide. And the Eagle reflects this public opinion.

The enemies of Russia took advantage of the Troubles, and the appearance of False Dmitry (1605-1606) under these conditions was quite natural, as was the appearance of a new Eagle. I must say that some of the seals depicted another, clearly not a Russian Eagle. Here, events also left their mark on the Orel, and in connection with the Polish occupation, the Orel becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing, perhaps, in a two-headed one.

A shaky attempt to establish a new dynasty in the person of Vasily Shuisky (1606-1610), the painters from the command hut reflected in Orel one deprived of all sovereign attributes and, as if in mockery, either a flower or a cone will grow from the place of fusion of heads. Russian history says very little about Tsar Vladislav I Sigismundovich (1610-1612), however, he was not crowned in Russia, but he issued decrees, his image was minted on coins, and the Russian State Eagle had its own forms with him. And for the first time, the Scepter appears in the paw of the Eagle. The short and essentially fictitious reign of this king actually put an end to the Troubles.

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repulsed the claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, the uprisings blazing in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision of the Zemsky Sobor, the Romanov dynasty began to rule in Russia. Under the first tsar of this dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), nicknamed the “Quiet One” by the people, the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns, George the Victorious returned on his chest, but not in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also, on the icons, George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman curia did not give up their hopes to bring Russia to the Catholic faith.

In 1645, under the son of Mikhail Fedorovich, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on his chest was crowned with three crowns. Since that time, this type of image has been constantly used.

The next stage in the change of the State Emblem came after the Pereyaslav Rada, the entry of Ukraine into the Russian state. At the celebrations on this occasion, a new, unprecedented three-headed Eagle appears, which was supposed to symbolize the new title of the Russian Tsar: "All Great and Small, and White Russia Tsar, Sovereign and Autocrat."

To the charter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky and his descendants on the city of Gadyach dated March 27, 1654, a seal was attached, on which for the first time a two-headed eagle under three crowns is depicted holding symbols of power in its claws: a scepter and an orb.

In contrast to the Byzantine model, and possibly under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle began to be depicted with raised wings starting from 1654.

In 1654, a forged double-headed eagle was installed on the spire of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible came out from under the printing press in Moscow - main book Christianity. It is no coincidence that the State Emblem of Russia was depicted in it and its poetic “explanation” was given:

The eastern eagle shines with three crowns,
Faith, hope, love for God shows,
The krill is extended, embraces all the worlds of the end,
North, south, from east to sunset
He covers well with outstretched wings.

In 1667, after long war Russia and Poland because of Ukraine, the Andrusovo truce was concluded. To seal this treaty, a Great Seal was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with a rider on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

In the same year, the first Decree in the history of Russia dated December 14 “On the royal title and on the state seal” appeared, which contained an official description of the coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the sovereign Grand Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Small and White Russia of the autocrat, His Tsarist Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms. On the Persians (chest) the image of the heir; in pasnoktyah (claws) a scepter and an apple, and reveals the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich dies and the short and unremarkable reign of his son Fyodor Alekseevich (1676-1682) begins. The three-headed Eagle is replaced by the old two-headed Eagle, and at the same time does not reflect anything new. After a short struggle with the boyar choice for the kingdom of the young Peter, under the regency of his mother Natalya Kirillovna, the second tsar, the weak and limited John, is elevated to the throne. And behind the double royal throne stands Princess Sophia (1682-1689). The actual reign of Sophia brought to life a new Eagle. However, he did not last long. After a new outbreak of unrest - the Streltsy rebellion, a new Eagle appears. Moreover, the old Eagle does not disappear, and both of them exist for some time in parallel.

In the end, Sophia, having been defeated, goes to the monastery, and in 1696 Tsar John V also dies, the throne goes solely to Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" (1689-1725).

And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape. The era of great transformations begins. The capital is transferred to St. Petersburg and Orel acquires new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of higher state awards Russia. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the heavenly patrons of Peter Alekseevich, was declared the patron saint of Russia.

The blue oblique St. Andrew's Cross becomes the main element of the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and a symbol navy Russia. Since 1699, images of a double-headed eagle surrounded by a chain with the sign of the St. Andrew's Order have been found. And already in next year The Order of St. Andrew is placed on an eagle, around a shield with a rider.

From the first quarter of the 18th century, the colors of the double-headed eagle were brown (natural) or black.

It is also important to say about another Eagle, which Peter painted as a boy for the banner of the Amusing Regiment. This Eagle had only one paw for: "Who has only one ground army has - one hand has, but whoever has a fleet has two hands.

AT short reign Catherine I (1725-1727), the Eagle changes its forms again, the ironic nickname "Queen of the Swamp" went everywhere and, accordingly, the Eagle simply could not help but change. However, this Eagle lasted a very short time. Menshikov, drawing attention to him, ordered to withdraw it from use, and by the day of the coronation of the Empress, a new Eagle appeared. By decree of Empress Catherine I of March 11, 1726, the description of the coat of arms was fixed: “A black eagle with outstretched wings, in a yellow field, on it is a rider in a red field.”

Under Empress Catherine I, the colors of the coat of arms were finally established - a black Eagle on a gold (yellow) field, a white (silver) Rider on a red field.

State banner of Russia, 1882 (Reconstruction by R.I. Malanichev)

After the death of Catherine I in the short reign of Peter II (1727-1730) - the grandson of Peter I, Orel remained virtually unchanged.

However, the reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) and Ivan VI (1740-1741) - the great-grandson of Peter I, does not cause practically any change in the Eagle, with the exception of an exorbitantly elongated body. However, the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth (1740-1761) entails a radical change in the Eagle. Nothing remains of the imperial power, and George the Victorious is replaced by a cross (moreover, not Orthodox). The humiliating period of Russia added the humiliating Eagle.

For a very short and extremely insulting reign for the Russian people Peter III(1761-1762) The eagle did not react in any way. In 1762, Catherine II "The Great" (1762-1796) came to the throne and the Eagle changed, acquiring powerful and grandiose forms. In the minting of coins of this reign there were many arbitrary forms of the coat of arms. Most interesting shape- An eagle that appeared in the time of Pugachev with a huge and not quite familiar crown.

The Eagle of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) appeared long before the death of Catherine II, as if in opposition to her Eagle, to distinguish the Gatchina battalions from the entire Russian Army, to be worn on buttons, badges and headdresses. Finally, he appears on the standard of the Tsarevich himself. This Eagle is created by Paul himself.

During the short reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy - Napoleonic France. After French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took Order of Malta under his patronage, becoming the Grand Master of the Order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem. On the chest of the eagle, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “root coat of arms of Russia”) superimposed on the Maltese cross.

Paul I made an attempt to introduce the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire. On December 16, 1800, he signed the Manifesto, which described this complex project. Forty-three coats of arms were placed in the multi-field shield and on nine small shields. In the center was the coat of arms described above in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the rest. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appeared. The supporters, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The whole composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - the heraldic symbol of sovereignty. Two standards with two-headed and one-headed eagles emerge from behind the shield with coats of arms. This project has not been finalized.

As a result of the conspiracy, on March 11, 1801, Pavel fell at the hands of palace regicides. The young Emperor Alexander I "Blessed" (1801-1825) takes the throne. By the day of his coronation, a new Eagle appears, already without the Maltese emblems, but, in fact, this Eagle is quite close to the previous one. The victory over Napoleon and almost complete control over all processes in Europe causes the emergence of a new Eagle. He had one crown, the wings of an eagle were depicted lowered (spread out), and in the paws not the traditional scepter and orb, but a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns) and a torch.

In 1825, Alexander I dies (according to the official version) in Taganrog and takes the throne. strong-willed and awareness of the duty to Russia Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855). Nicholas contributed to the powerful, spiritual and cultural revival of Russia. This revealed a new Eagle, which changed somewhat over time, but still carried all the same strict forms.

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B.Kene, the type of the state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the emblems of Kazan, Poland, Tauric Chersonesos and the combined emblem of the Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left - shields with the emblems of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland.

On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Large, Medium and Small, coats of arms of members imperial family, as well as "titular" coats of arms. At the same time, drawings of the Large, Medium and Small state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of the main and lower government places and persons were approved. In total, one act approved one hundred and ten drawings lithographed by A. Beggrov. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.

Also known is another Eagle of Emperor Alexander II (1855-1881), where the gleam of gold returns to the Eagle again. The scepter and orb are replaced by a torch and a wreath. In the course of his reign, the wreath and torch are replaced several times by the scepter and orb, and several times they return again.

On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire in Peterhof, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, the imperial crowns began to be depicted like real diamond crowns used during the coronation.

The large Russian state emblem, approved by the Highest on November 3, 1882, has a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, crowned with two imperial crowns, above which is the same, but in bigger view, crown, with two fluttering ends of the ribbon of the St. Andrew's Order. The state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb. On the chest of the eagle is the coat of arms of Moscow. The shield is crowned with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The namet is black with gold. Around the shield is the chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called; on the sides of the image of the saints Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel. The canopy is golden, crowned with the imperial crown, dotted with Russian eagles and lined with ermine. On it is a scarlet inscription: God is with us! Above the canopy is the state banner, with an eight-pointed cross on the staff.

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two variants of the Small Coat of Arms were approved. In January 1895, the royal command was given to leave unchanged the drawing of the state eagle, made by Academician A. Charlemagne.

The most recent act - "The Basic Provisions of the State Structure of the Russian Empire" of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions relating to the State Emblem, but with all the strict contours it is the most elegant.

With minor changes made in 1882 by Alexander III, the coat of arms of Russia lasted until 1917.

The Commission of the Provisional Government came to the conclusion that the double-headed eagle itself does not carry any monarchical or dynastic signs, therefore, deprived of a crown, scepter, orb, emblems of kingdoms, lands and all other heraldic attributes "left in the service."

The Bolsheviks held a completely different opinion. By a decree of the Council of People's Commissars of November 10, 1917, along with estates, ranks, titles and old regime orders, the emblem and flag were abolished. But the decision turned out to be easier than the execution. State bodies continued to exist and function, so for another half a year the old coat of arms was used where necessary, on signboards with the designation of authorities and in documents.

The new coat of arms of Russia was adopted along with the new constitution in July 1918. Initially, the ears did not crown five pointed star, it was introduced a few years later, as a symbol of the unity of the proletariat of the five continents of the planet.

It seemed that the double-headed eagle was finally dismissed, but as if doubting this, the authorities were in no hurry to remove the eagles from the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. This happened only in 1935, when the Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks decided to replace the old symbols with ruby stars.

In 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and the State Flag of the RSFSR. After a comprehensive discussion, the Government Commission proposed to recommend to the Government a coat of arms - a golden double-headed eagle on a red field.

The eagles were removed from the Kremlin towers in 1935. The revival of the Russian Eagle became possible after the collapse of the USSR and with the return of Russia to true statehood, although the development of state symbols of the Russian Federation had been carried out since the spring of 1991, when the USSR existed.
Moreover, from the very beginning, there were three approaches to this issue: the first was to improve the Soviet symbolism, alien to Russia, but which has become familiar; the second - the adoption of fundamentally new, without ideology, symbols of statehood (birch leaf, swan, etc.); and finally the third - recovery historical traditions. The image of the two-headed Eagle with all its traditional attributes of state power was taken as a basis.

However, the symbolism of the coat of arms was rethought and received a modern interpretation, more in line with the spirit of the times and democratic changes in the country. AT modern meaning Crowns on the State Emblem of the Russian Federation can be considered in the same way as symbols of the three branches of power - executive, representative and judicial. In any case, they should not be identified with the symbols of empire and monarchy. The scepter (originally as a shock weapon - a mace, a mace - a symbol of military leaders) can be interpreted as a symbol of the protection of sovereignty, orb - to symbolize the unity, integrity and legal nature of the state.

The Byzantine Empire was a Eurasian power; Greeks, Armenians, Slavs, and other peoples lived in it. The eagle in her coat of arms with heads looking to the West and to the East symbolized, among other things, the unity of these two principles. This is also true for Russia, which has always been a multinational country, uniting the peoples of both Europe and Asia under one coat of arms. The sovereign eagle of Russia is not only a symbol of its statehood, but also a symbol of our ancient roots, a thousand-year history.

As early as the end of 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a Decree on the creation of the State Emblem and the State Flag of the RSFSR. Many specialists were involved in the preparation of proposals on this issue. In the spring of 1991, officials came to the conclusion that the State Emblem of the RSFSR should be a golden double-headed Eagle on a red field, and the State Flag should be a white-blue-red flag.

In December 1991, the Government of the RSFSR at its meeting considered the proposed options for the coat of arms, and the approved projects were sent for revision. Created in February 1992, the State Heraldic Service of the Russian Federation (since July 1994 - the State Heraldry under the President of the Russian Federation) headed by the Deputy Director of the State Hermitage for scientific work(State King of Arms) G.V. Vilinbakhov had one of the tasks to participate in the development of state symbols.

The final version of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation was approved by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of November 30, 1993. The author of the sketch of the coat of arms is the artist E.I. Ukhnalev.

The restoration of the centuries-old, historical symbol of our Fatherland - the Double-Headed Eagle - can only be welcomed. However, a very important point should be taken into account - the existence of a restored and legalized coat of arms in the form in which we now see it everywhere imposes a considerable responsibility on the state.

He also writes about this in his recently published book “The Origins of Russian Heraldry”, A.G. Silaev. In his book, the author, based on a painstaking study of historical materials, very interestingly and widely reveals the very essence of the origin of the image of the Double-Headed Eagle, its basis - mythological, religious, political.

In particular, we are talking about artistic expression current coat of arms of the Russian Federation. Yes, indeed, to work on the creation (or recreation) of the coat of arms new Russia many specialists and artists were involved. It was suggested a large number of beautifully executed projects, but for some reason the choice fell on a sketch made by a person who is actually far from heraldry. How else to explain the fact that in the current image of the double-headed eagle there are a number of annoying, noticeable to any professional artist, flaws and inaccuracies.

Have you ever seen narrow-eyed eagles in nature? What about parrot beaks? Alas, the image of a double-headed eagle is not decorated with very thin paws and rare plumage. As for the description of the coat of arms, unfortunately, it remains inaccurate and superficial from the point of view of the rules of heraldry. And all this is present in the State Emblem of Russia! Where, after all, is the respect for one's national symbols and one's own history?! Was it really so difficult to more carefully study the heraldic images of the predecessors of the modern eagle - the old Russian emblems? After all, this is the richest historical material!

sources

http://ria.ru/politics/20081130/156156194.html

http://nechtoportal.ru/otechestvennaya-istoriya/istoriya-gerba-rossii.html

http://wordweb.ru/2011/04/19/orel-dvoeglavyjj.html

And I will remind you

The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy is made -

It was approved in 1993 by decree of the country's first president, Boris Yeltsin. However, the symbols that are depicted on the coat of arms of Russia have much more long history, rooted in the period of the formation of the Moscow principality. The coat of arms of the Russian Federation depicts a double-headed eagle spreading its wings. What does it symbolize on the coat of arms of Russia?

Any state emblem is not only an image on banknotes, documents and police chevrons. First of all, the coat of arms is a national symbol designed to unite people living in a given territory.

What does the state emblem of the Russian Federation mean? When did he appear? Was there a coat of arms medieval Russia similar to modern? Why does the Russian eagle have two heads?

The history of the coat of arms of Russia is rich and interesting, but before talking about it, one should give a description of this national symbol.

Description of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation

The emblem of the Russian Federation is a red heraldic shield with the image of a golden double-headed eagle spreading its wings.

Each head of the eagle is crowned with a crown, in addition, there is another larger crown above them. The three crowns are connected by a golden ribbon. The double-headed eagle holds a scepter in its right paw, and an orb in its left paw. On the chest of the double-headed eagle there is another red shield depicting a rider slaying a dragon with a silver spear.

As it should be according to heraldic laws, each of the elements of the Russian coat of arms has eigenvalue. The double-headed eagle is a symbol of the Byzantine Empire, its image on the Russian coat of arms emphasizes the continuity between the two countries, their cultures and religious beliefs. It should be noted that the double-headed eagle is used in the state emblems of Serbia and Albania - in countries whose state traditions were also strongly influenced by Byzantium.

Three crowns in the coat of arms signify the sovereignty of the Russian state. Initially, the crowns meant three kingdoms conquered by the Moscow princes: Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan. The scepter and orb in the paws of an eagle are symbols of the supreme state power (prince, king, emperor).

The horseman slaying the dragon (serpent) is nothing but the image of St. George the Victorious, a symbol of the bright principle that conquers evil. He personifies the warrior-defender of the Motherland and has been very popular in Russia throughout its history. No wonder George the Victorious is considered the patron saint of Moscow and is depicted on its coat of arms.

The image of a rider is traditional for the Russian state. This symbol (the so-called rider) was in use back in Kievan Rus, he was present on the princely seals and coins.

Initially, the rider was considered an image of the sovereign, but during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the tsar on the coat of arms was replaced by St. George.

History of the coat of arms of Russia

The central element of the Russian coat of arms is a double-headed eagle; this symbol first appeared during the reign of Ivan III, at the end of the 15th century (1497). The double-headed eagle was depicted on one of the royal seals.

Prior to this, seals most often depicted a lion tormenting a snake. The lion was considered a symbol of the Vladimir principality and passed from Prince Vasily II to his son Ivan III. Around the same time, the horseman became a common state symbol (later he would turn into George the Victorious). For the first time, the double-headed eagle as a symbol of princely power was used on a seal, which was sealed with a letter of ownership of land. Also in the reign of Ivan III, the eagle appears on the walls of the Faceted Chamber of the Kremlin.

Why it was during this period that the Moscow tsars began to use the double-headed eagle is still a matter of controversy among historians. The canonical version is that Ivan III took this symbol for himself because he married the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Palaiologos. In fact, for the first time this theory was put forward by Karamzin. However, it raises serious doubts.

Sophia was born in Morea - the outskirts of the Byzantine Empire and was never close to Constantinople, the eagle first appeared in the Moscow principality a few decades after the marriage of Ivan and Sophia, and the prince himself never declared any claims to the throne of Byzantium.

The theory of Moscow as the “Third Rome” was born much later, after the death of Ivan III. There is another version of the origin of the double-headed eagle: having chosen such a symbol, the Moscow princes wanted to challenge the rights to it from the strongest empire of that time - the Habsburg Empire.

There is an opinion that the Moscow princes borrowed the eagle from the South Slavic peoples, who quite actively used this image. However, traces of such borrowing have not been found. And the appearance of the Russian "bird" is very different from its South Slavic counterparts.

In general, why a double-headed eagle appeared on the Russian coat of arms, historians still do not know exactly. It should be noted that around the same time, a single-headed eagle was depicted on the coins of the Novgorod Principality.

The double-headed eagle becomes the official state emblem under the grandson of Ivan III - Ivan the Terrible. Initially, the eagle is complemented by a unicorn, but soon it is replaced by a horseman slaying a dragon, a symbol usually associated with Moscow. Initially, the rider was perceived as a sovereign (“great prince on horseback”), but already during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, they begin to call him George the Victorious. Finally, this interpretation will be fixed much later, in the reign of Peter the Great.

Already during the reign of Boris Godunov, the coat of arms of Russia for the first time receives three crowns located above the heads of an eagle. They meant the conquered Siberian, Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms.

From about the middle of the 16th century, the Russian double-headed eagle is often drawn in the “armed” position: at the same time, the beak of the bird is open, the tongue is stuck out. Such a double-headed eagle seems aggressive, ready to attack. This change is the result of the influence of European heraldic traditions.

AT late XVI - early XVII century in the upper part of the coat of arms, between the heads of the eagle, the so-called Calvary cross often appears. Such innovation coincides with the moment when Russia gained ecclesiastical independence. Another version of the emblem of that period is the image of an eagle with two crowns and an eight-pointed Christian cross between its heads.

By the way, all three False Dmitrys during the Time of Troubles actively used seals depicting the Russian coat of arms.

The end of the Time of Troubles and the accession of the new Romanov dynasty led to some changes in the state emblem. According to the then heraldic tradition, the eagle began to be depicted with spread wings.

In the middle of the 17th century, during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the State Emblem of Russia for the first time receives an orb and a scepter, the eagle holds them in its paws. These are traditional symbols of autocratic power. At the same time, the first official descriptions of the coat of arms appeared, they have survived to this day.

During the reign of Peter I, the crowns over the heads of the eagle acquire the well-known "imperial" look, in addition, the coat of arms of Russia changes its color scheme. The body of the eagle became black, and its eyes, beak, tongue and paws were golden. The dragon also began to be depicted in black, and George the Victorious - in silver. This design has become traditional for the entire period of the Romanov dynasty.

The coat of arms of Russia underwent relatively serious changes during the reign of Emperor Paul I. This was the beginning of the era of the Napoleonic Wars, in 1799 Britain captured Malta, whose patron was the Russian emperor. A similar act of the British led Russian emperor infuriated and pushed for an alliance with Napoleon (which later cost him his life). It is for this reason that the coat of arms of Russia received another element - the Maltese cross. Its significance was that the Russian state claims this territory.

During the reign of Paul I, a draft of the Great Coat of Arms of Russia was prepared. It was made entirely in accordance with the heraldic traditions of its time. Around the state emblem with a double-headed eagle, the emblems of all 43 lands that were part of Russia were collected. The shield with coats of arms was held by two archangels: Michael and Gabriel.

However, soon Paul I was killed by conspirators and the large coat of arms of Russia remained in the projects.

Nicholas I adopted two main versions of the state emblem: full and simplified. Prior to this, the coat of arms of Russia could be depicted in different versions.

Under his son, Emperor Alexander II, a heraldic reform was carried out. Heraldmeister Baron Köhne was engaged in it. In 1856, a new small Russian coat of arms was approved. In 1857, the reform was finally completed: in addition to the small one, the medium and large emblems of the Russian Empire were also adopted. They remained virtually unchanged until the events February Revolution.

After the February Revolution, the question arose of a new coat of arms of the Russian state. To solve it, a group of the best Russian heraldry experts was assembled. However, the question of the coat of arms was rather political, so they recommended that before the convocation of the Constituent Assembly (where they were supposed to adopt a new coat of arms) use the double-headed eagle, but without the imperial crowns and George the Victorious.

However, six months later, another revolution happened, and the Bolsheviks took up the development of a new coat of arms for Russia.

In 1918, the Constitution of the RSFSR was adopted, and along with it, a draft of a new coat of arms of the republic was approved. In 1920, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee adopted a version of the coat of arms, drawn by the artist Andreev. The final coat of arms of the Russian Soviet socialist republic was accepted on All-Russian Congress in 1925. The coat of arms of the RSFSR was used until 1992.

The current state emblem of Russia is sometimes criticized for the abundance of monarchical symbols, which are not very appropriate for a presidential republic. In 2000, a law was passed that establishes exact description coat of arms and regulates the procedure for its use.

If you have any questions - leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them.

; the eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon; in the paws of an eagle - a scepter and orb; on the chest of an eagle on a red shield - a silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking silver spear a black dragon overturned and trampled by a horse.

History of the coat of arms of Russia

Old Russian seals

The very concept of a knightly hereditary coat of arms, widely accepted in Western Europe, did not exist in Russia. During the battles, most often embroidered or painted images of Christ, the Virgin, saints or the Orthodox cross served as banners. The images found on ancient Russian military shields were also not hereditary. Therefore, the history of the coat of arms of Russia is, first of all, history grand ducal seal.

On their seals old Russian princes they depicted, first of all, their patron saints (as, for example, St. Simeon is depicted on the seal of Simeon the Proud, and St. Demetrius is depicted on the seal of Dmitry Donskoy), as well as an inscription indicating exactly who this seal belongs to (usually in the form “Seal (great) prince such and such"). Starting with Mstislav Udatny and the grandchildren of Vsevolod the Big Nest, the "rider" - a symbolic image of the ruling prince - began to appear on seals (as well as on coins). The rider's weapon could be different - a spear, a bow, a sword. On the coins of the time of Ivan II the Red, for the first time, a foot warrior appears, striking a snake (dragon) with a sword. The image of the rider was inherent in the seals not only of the princes of Vladimir and Moscow, but also of others. In particular, during the reign of Ivan III, the image of a horseman slaying a snake was not on the seal of the Grand Duke of Moscow (there was just a rider with a sword), but his brother-in-law, Grand Duke of Tverskoy Mikhail Borisovich. Since the Moscow prince became the sole ruler of Russia, the rider on horseback, slaying the dragon with a spear (a symbolic image of the victory of good over evil) has become one of the main symbols of the Russian state along with the double-headed eagle.

In addition to Russia, the "rider" became a symbol of the neighboring state - the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, however, the rider was depicted there with a sword galloping to the right and without a snake (see Chase).

Coat of arms of the Russian state

For the first time, a double-headed eagle as a state symbol of the Russian state is found on the reverse side of the state seal of Ivan III Vasilyevich in 1497, although images of a double-headed eagle (or bird) were found in ancient Russian art and on Tver coins before.

The placement of the rider on the chest of the eagle can be explained by the fact that there were two sovereign seals: Large and Small. The small one was bilateral and attached to the document, on each side of it were placed an eagle and a rider separately. The Great Seal was one-sided and applied to the document, and therefore it became necessary to combine the two symbols of the state in one. For the first time, such a combination is found on the large seal of Ivan the Terrible in 1562. Then, instead of the horseman, the unicorn began to appear. Although the tsar did not consider the unicorn a necessary symbol of the state, he nevertheless met on some seals of Boris Godunov, False Dmitry (1605-1606), Mikhail Fedorovich, Alexei Mikhailovich.

Emblem of the Russian Empire

Emblem of the Russian Republic (1917-1918)

The sketch of the temporary emblem of Russia (since September 14, 1917 - the Russian Republic) was developed by a group of specialists, which included famous heraldists and artists V. K. Lukomsky, S. N. Troinitsky, G. I. Narbut and I. Ya. Bilibin. Considering that only the Constituent Assembly could approve the new emblem of the Russian state, they proposed using the two-headed eagle of the era of Ivan III without the attributes of royal power as a temporary emblem.

The drawing of the emblem, made by I. Ya. Bilibin, was approved by the chairman of the Provisional Government, Prince G. E. Lvov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, P. N. Milyukov, as a model for printing. Although the emblem was never officially approved, it was in circulation until the adoption of the Constitution of the RSFSR on July 10, 1918, which introduced the coat of arms of the new state. On the territory controlled by white forces, this emblem was also used later - in particular, it was present on banknotes issued by the Ufa Directory.

Russian state (1918-1920)

Coat of arms of the Russian state (project by G. A. Ilyin). 1918

Although the coat of arms was not officially approved and existed in several variations, it was used on documents and banknotes issued by the Russian government of Kolchak.

Coat of arms of the RSFSR (1918-1991)

With minor changes, this coat of arms lasted until 1991.

Emblem of the Russian Federation

On November 5, 1990, the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the organization of work on the creation of a new state flag and emblem of the RSFSR and instructed the Committee for Archives under the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR to develop a concept for new state symbols and, together with the Ministry of Culture of the RSFSR, create projects for new state emblems and flags of the RSFSR. At the beginning of 1991, a number of projects were proposed for consideration by the commission for the creation of new state symbols of the RSFSR (including a hybrid version: it was proposed to depict a golden or white double-headed eagle on the coat of arms of the RSFSR (the coat of arms of 1917, but with the color of the eagle replaced by another one); coat of arms it was proposed to surround with wreaths of ears of corn or birch branches tied with a ribbon with the motto "Unity and sovereignty".) Following the consideration of proposals, the Committee for Archives of the Council of Ministers of the RSFSR recommended using the golden double-headed eagle on a red field as the coat of arms of the RSFSR, but the introduction of relevant bills to the Supreme Council RSFSR, it was decided to postpone until the end of the election campaign for the election of the President of the RSFSR. The tricolor state flag was approved in November 1991 by the Congress of People's Deputies, but the coat of arms remained unchanged. And after the renaming of the RSFSR to the Russian Federation on December 25, 1991, the old coat of arms continued to be used.

Article 136

(2) The Russian State Emblem has a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, crowned with two crowns, above which is a third, in a larger form, the same crown; the state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb; on the breast of the eagle is the coat of arms of Moscow.

This coat of arms was also preserved in the draft Constitution of the Russian Federation, the main provisions of which were approved on April 18, 1992 by the VI Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation, but the style of the description was changed: the term "Russian State Emblem", taken directly from the Basic State Laws of 1906, was replaced the term "State Emblem of the Russian Federation", used in the current legislation, and in relation to the coat of arms on the eagle, a clarification was made that this historical The Moscow coat of arms, since the Soviet coat of arms of Moscow that existed at that time was radically different from the pre-revolutionary one; in addition, several changes of a purely editorial nature were made, changing only the presentation of the description, but not the proposed coat of arms itself. Thus, the provision of the draft Constitution on the State Emblem was stated as follows:

(2) The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, crowned with two crowns, above which there is a third similar crown in a larger form; the state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb; on the chest of the eagle is the historical Moscow coat of arms.

However, at the meeting of the VII Congress of People's Deputies that took place the next day (December 5), this proposal was not approved, since the proposal did not get the required number of votes, only 479 deputies voted for the double-headed eagle.

By May 1993, a compromise was prepared, combining the projects of the Constitutional Commission and the government of the Russian Federation: it was proposed to approve a golden double-headed eagle on a red field as the coat of arms of the Russian Federation (as in the options presented by the government of the Russian Federation), but three crowns were supposed to be placed above the eagle, and on the chest of an eagle, in a red shield - a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear. This coat of arms composition was supported working group The Constitutional Commission, which proposed to introduce the following description of the coat of arms into the official (“parliamentary”) draft Constitution (subsequently repeated almost verbatim in the presidential decree on this issue):

However, in subsequent (dated July 16, 1993 and August 1993) editions of the draft Constitution of the Russian Federation, prepared by the Constitutional Commission, the description of the coat of arms was now completely absent (as it was in drafts before March 17, 1992), and instead it was fixed that

(2) The description of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation and the procedure for its official use are established by federal law.

In the draft Constitution, prepared by a group of lawyers on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation by the end of April 1993 and finalized at the Constitutional Conference on July 12, 1993, there was no description of state symbols (coat of arms, flag and anthem), they were supposed to be fixed by federal constitutional laws. After the events of September-October 1993, the issue of state symbols returned only in November 1993. The President of the Russian Federation was presented with two projects of the coat of arms, depicted by E. I. Ukhnalev. The drawing of both was identical, but the colors were different: one of them was the current emblem (a golden eagle on a red shield, above the eagle - golden crowns connected by a golden ribbon, in the paws of the eagle - a golden scepter and orb, on the chest of an eagle in a red shield - a silver a rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon overturned and trampled on his horse), the other was based on the colors of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire and at the same time differed from it (a black eagle on a golden shield, above the eagle - golden crowns (not imperial ones) , tied with a red ribbon, in the paws of an eagle - a golden scepter and orb, on the chest of an eagle in a red shield - a silver horseman in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon overturned and trampled by a horse).

However, this proposal was also repeatedly rejected by the Duma.

Article 1 The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is the official state symbol of the Russian Federation.
The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is a quadrangular, with rounded lower corners, pointed at the tip, a red heraldic shield with a golden double-headed eagle that raised its spread wings. The eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon. In the right paw of the eagle is a scepter, in the left - orb. On the chest of the eagle, in a red shield, there is a silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon overturned and trampled by a horse.
Article 2 Reproduction of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation is allowed without a heraldic shield (in the form of the main figure - a two-headed eagle with the attributes listed in Article 1), as well as in a one-color version.

The three crowns represent the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, the subjects of the federation. The scepter with an orb, which the double-headed eagle holds in its paws, symbolizes state power and a single state.

Attentive attitude to the image in the shield on the chest of the double-headed eagle.
The shield on the chest of the double-headed eagle depicts a rider slaying a dragon with a spear. This image is often erroneously called the image of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George and is identified with the coat of arms of Moscow. This position is incorrect. The rider of the State Emblem is not an image of St. George and differs from the coat of arms of Moscow: - the image of the saint should be accompanied by an attribute of holiness - a halo or a spearhead in the form of a cross; these elements are not in the State Emblem; - the rider of the coat of arms of the city of Moscow has weapons different from the rider of the State Emblem (armament in this case- a generalized term that includes both the actual weapon and the costume); - the horse of the rider of the State Emblem stands on three legs, with one front leg raised (while the horse of the Moscow rider gallops - that is, it rests only on two hind legs); - the dragon of the State Emblem is overturned on its back and trampled on by a horse (in the Moscow emblem, the dragon stands on four legs and turns back).
In this regard, it must not be allowed that when using the image of the State Emblem in the shield on the chest of the double-headed eagle, an image of the coat of arms of the city of Moscow or another image that does not correspond to the approved one is placed.

Differences in the description of the coat of arms in 1993 and 2000

The description of the coat of arms of Russia in the Regulation of the same name approved by Decree of the President of Russia of November 30, 1993 No. 2050 “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation” differs from the description of the coat of arms of Russia in the Federal Constitutional Law of December 25, 2000 No. 2-FKZ “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation ”, however, in both laws, in the annexes, the same drawing of the coat of arms of Russia by Evgeny Ukhnalev is given.

coat of arms element	Description in the "Regulations..." 1993	Description in the 2000 law
heraldic shield	Red heraldic shield	Quadrangular, with rounded lower corners, a red heraldic shield pointed at the tip
double-headed eagle	golden double-headed eagle	Golden double-headed eagle with outstretched wings
Crowns over an eagle	Three historical crowns of Peter the Great (above the heads - two small ones and above them - one larger one)	The eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon
Objects in the paws of an eagle	In the paws of an eagle - a scepter and orb	In the right paw of the eagle - a scepter, in the left - orb
Rider	Rider	Silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse
Rider's Spear	A spear	Silver spear
Serpent	Serpent	Black serpent overturned and trampled by a horse

Chronology of coats of arms of Russia

Dates	Name	Dates	Name
15th century	Reverse side of seal of Ivan III, 1497	mid 16th century	Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich, 1577-1578
1580s-1620s	Coat of arms from the Middle State Seal (with a cross) Tsar Fyodor I Ivanovich, 1589	1620s-1690s	Coat of arms with the Great State Seal Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, 1667 (drawing from the Tsar's titular book)
1st quarter of the 18th century	Coat of arms of Peter I	-60s of the XVIII century	Coat of arms of the times of Catherine I
August 10 (21)	Coat of arms of Russia under Paul I (with the Maltese cross)	1st quarter XIX century	Coat of arms of Nicholas I
Mid 19th century		- gg.	Small coat of arms of the Russian Empire
- gg.	Great coat of arms of the Russian Empire	- gg.	Emblem of the Russian Republic
-	Emblem of the RSFSR	-	Coat of arms of Russia
-	Emblem of the RSFSR	-	Emblem of the RSFSR
-	Coat of arms of the Russian Federation - Russia	With	Emblem of the Russian Federation

Notes

Decree of the President of Russia of November 30, 1993 No. 2050 "On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation"
Federal constitutional law "On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation" of December 20, 2000
Silaev A. G. The origins of Russian heraldry. - M.: FAIR-PRESS, 2003. - p. 35-38. - ISBN 5-8183-0456-6
, with. 227-229
, with. 29
, with. 231-232
No. 76. Record of False Dmitry Grishka Otrepyev to the Sendomir governor Yuri Mnishka // Collection of state letters and agreements stored in state collegium foreign affairs. Part two / ed. Count N. P. Rumyantsev and A. F. Malinovsky. - M., 1819. - S. 162.
, with. 235
, with. 32
421. About the Tsar's title and about the State seal Russian Empire. Collection One / Edited by M. M. Speransky. - St. Petersburg. , 1830. - T. I. 1649 - 1675 - S. 737-738. - 1072 p.
Komarovsky E. A. Heraldry of Russia // Slater S. Heraldry. Illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Eksmo Publishing House, 2005. - p. 212. - ISBN 5-699-13484-0.
Belavenets P. A. Colors of the Russian state national flag. - St. Petersburg, 1910.
Act on the formation of the All-Russian supreme power, adopted at a state meeting in Ufa
Regulations on the temporary structure of state power in Russia, approved by the Council of Ministers on November 18, 1918
Heraldry - State Emblem of Kolchak. kolchakiya.narod.ru. Archived from the original on February 2, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
Tsvetkov V. Zh. White business in Russia. 1919 (formation and evolution of political structures white movement in Russia). - 1st. - Moscow: Posev, 2009. - S. 38 - 39. - 636 p. - 250 copies. - ISBN 978-5-85824-184-3
Flags of Russia-VEXILLOGRAPHIA
Double-headed eagle: flying again? What to be the state symbols of Russia
Rodina Magazine: Vernissage
Law of the Russian Federation of April 21, 1992 No. 2708-I "On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution (Basic Law) of the RSFSR" // Gazette of the Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR and Supreme Council RSFSR. - 1992. - No. 20. - Art. 1084. This law entered into force from the moment of publication in Rossiyskaya Gazeta on May 16, 1992.
RIA Novosti media library:: Gallery:: Ruslan Khasbulatov's press conference
Kommersant-Vlast - Heraldic hearings in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Draft Constitution of the Russian Federation for March 17, 1992
For example, in the 1978 Constitution itself (Article 180)
Draft Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted as a basis by the VI Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation on April 18, 1992
as amended on May 5, 1993 - article 128
as amended on May 5, 1993: "is"
as amended on May 5, 1993: "state eagle"
Anthologies. The limits of power. No. 2-3. Chronicle of the Second Russian Republic: December 1991 - December 1992
Kommersant-Gazeta - Parliament
From the history of the creation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Constitutional Commission: transcripts, materials, documents (1990-1993): in 6 vols. T. 3: 1992. Book Two (July-December 1992) / Ed. ed. O. G. Rumyantseva.

The coat of arms of Russia was approved on November 30, 1993.

Description of the coat of arms

Based on the Regulations on state emblem Russian Federation, item 1:

"The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is an image of a golden double-headed eagle placed on a red heraldic shield; above the eagle - three historical crowns of Peter the Great (above the heads - two small ones and above them - one larger one); in the paws of an eagle - a scepter and orb; on the chest of the eagle on a red shield is a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear."

Symbolism

Three crowns mean the sovereignty of the country. The scepter and orb are a symbol of state power and the unity of the state. The author of the most common image of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation is the national artist Ukhnalev Evgeny Ilyich. For the first time, the symbol of the double-headed eagle appeared in the history of Russia in 1497, although it was found on Tver coins even earlier. The double-headed eagle is the symbol of the Byzantine Empire. The borrowing of this symbol, as well as from Serbia, Albania from Byzantium is explained by economic, diplomatic, and also cultural closeness. The heraldic shield became red for the reason that the image of an eagle on red belongs to the Byzantine heraldic tradition, and the image of an eagle on yellow is closer to the Roman heraldic tradition (the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire).

Possible variants of the coat of arms

All of the above coats of arms are acceptable for use. Most often, the coat of arms is depicted in full color with a shield, as well as in black and white without a shield (on seals).

The history of the origin of the coat of arms of Russia

Coat of arms of Russia 1497

The process of uniting the disparate principalities began before John III. It was his father - Vasily II Vasilyevich (ruled from 1435 to 1462) who began the process of uniting the Russian lands.

Under John III of Moscow, the principality finally gained strength and subjugated Pskov, Novgorod, Ryazan. Tver during this period significantly weakened as a center for the unification of lands.

During the reign of John III, the traditions of government began to change. All the nobility in the subject lands lost their privileges. It was during the reign of John III veche bell Novgorod was dismantled and brought to Moscow.

John III also built a new diplomatic policy. He took the title "Sovereign of All Russia".

During this period, John III marries the Byzantine queen Sophia (Zinaida) Fominichnaya Paleolog.

"John III wisely adopted for Russia the symbolic coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire: a black double-headed eagle on a yellow field and connected it with the Moscow coat of arms - a rider (St. George) in white clothes on a white horse, striking a snake. The state emblem, according to state law, is recognized as a visible symbol hallmark the state itself, emblematically depicted on the state seal, on a coin, on a banner, etc. And as such a symbol, the coat of arms of the state expresses the distinctive idea and foundations to implement, which the state considers itself called upon.

Due to the use by King John III coat of arms Byzantine together with Moscow on the seals of internal and external state acts that have been preserved since 1497, this year is considered to be the year of the adoption and merging of the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire with the coat of arms of the Russian kingdom". / E.N. Voronets. Kharkov. 1912. /

Thus, the coat of arms appeared at the time of the emergence of the modern Russian state.

It is definitely impossible to say that the coat of arms appeared in 1497, since the matrices for printing coins served for 5-15 years. On a coin of 1497, a spearman was reflected on one side, and a double-headed eagle on the other. But we can definitely say that this period can be limited from 1490 to 1500.

Theories of the appearance in Russia of the double-headed eagle as an official symbol

There are several points of view on the appearance in Russia (Rus) of images of a double-headed eagle. Firstly, the eagle was originally used on the coins and seals of Tver and Moscow. Secondly, the eagle began to be used at about the same time - approximately the end of the 15th century, together with images of a spearman.

Currently, there are three theories explaining the appearance of a double-headed eagle on the seals of kings.

Byzantine theory

This theory was actively supported by the monarchists of Russia and many historians. In most sources, it remains the only one. According to this theory, the double-headed eagle began to be used after the marriage of John III with Byzantine queen Sofia (Zinaida) Fominichnaya Paleolog.

This theory is also supported by the fact that the marriage of monarchs coincided with the appearance in Russia of coins combining the image of a spear-bearer on one side and a double-headed eagle on the other.

Symbol borrowing theory in the Holy Roman Empire

In the Holy Roman Empire, until 1440, an ordinary eagle is used. After this period, it changes to a double-headed eagle.

Some historians and heraldists note that in Muscovy the double-headed eagle could have been adopted for use under the influence of the Holy Roman Empire.

Theory of borrowing a symbol in the Balkan countries

The third version of the borrowing of the symbol is the borrowing of the double-headed eagle of a number of Balkan countries: Bulgaria, Serbia.

Each of the theories has its own right to exist.

You can read more about the appearance of the double-headed eagle on the coats of arms of the world in a separate article: the eagle in heraldry.

Since 1539, the influence of the Central European heraldic tradition has been felt in the heraldry of Russia. In accordance with it, the beaks of the eagle are open, the tongue is sticking out. This position of the bird is called: "armed"

During this period, the double-headed eagle is transferred from the reverse of the seal to the obverse. Its significance in the heraldry of Russia is fixed.

On the reverse side, a mythological animal appears for the first time: the unicorn.

From this period, a shield appears on the chest of the double-headed eagle (at first, a baroque heraldic form), on which there is a rider with a spear, striking a dragon on one side (main) and a unicorn on the shield on the other (reverse side).

This version of the coat of arms differs from the previous one in that there is now one jagged crown above the heads of the eagle, which symbolizes the unity and supremacy of the Moscow prince Ivan IV the Terrible over the Russian lands.

On this seal, on each side, there are emblems of 12 Russian lands (in total, 24 emblems on both sides).

Unicorn on state seals

For the first time, the unicorn as one of the symbols of state power appeared in 1560. The meaning of this symbol is still not clear. It appeared on state seals several more times - during the reign of Boris Godunov, False Dmitry, Mikhail Fedorovichi and Alexei Mikhailovich. After 1646, this symbol was not used.

During the Time of Troubles, the state emblem was brought into line with the European heraldic tradition for a short period of time. The spearman was turned to the left, crowns were again placed above the heads of the eagles. The wings of an eagle began to be depicted straightened.

After the end of the Time of Troubles and the reign of the new Romanov dynasty in Russia, the state seal, coat of arms and other symbols are modified.

The main changes were that, in accordance with the European heraldic tradition, the wings of the eagle are now spread out. In accordance with the Russian emblematic tradition, the spearman is turned to the right. Three crowns finally settled over the heads of the eagle. The beaks of the eagle's heads are open. The scepter and orb are clamped in the paws.

It was during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich that the description of the state emblem first appeared.

"The eastern eagle shines with three crowns:
Faith, Hope, Love for God shows.
Krill extended - embraces all the worlds of the end:
north, south, from east to sunset
covers with outstretched wings"("Slavic Bible" 1663, poetic form of description).

The second description is given in the state normative act: the decree "On the title of the royal and state seal" of December 14, 1667:

"The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the sovereign Grand Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All the Great, and Malaya, and White of Russia Self-Jerker, His Royal Majesty of the Russian Kingdom, on which (the coat of arms - ed.) three korunas are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest of His Royal Majesty, the Most Gracious Sovereign, the power and command ... on the Persians (on the chest - ed.) the image of the heir (this is how the rider was interpreted - ed.); in paznoktah (claws - ed. note) a scepter and an apple (orb - ed. note), and reveals the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor".

Coat of arms of Russia during the reign of Peter the Great

Beginning in 1710, the rider on the coat of arms of Russia is increasingly associated with George the Victorious, rather than a simple spear-bearer. Also during the reign of Peter the Great, the crowns on the head of an eagle began to be depicted in the form of imperial crowns. Petal and other crowns were no longer used from this point on.


Master - Haupt	Matrix of the state seal of 1712 Master - Becker

It was under Peter I that the coat of arms took on the following color design: the double-headed eagle became black; beak, eyes, tongue, paws, attributes of golden color; the field became golden; the stricken dragon turned black; George the Victorious was depicted in silver. This color scheme was followed by all subsequent rulers from the Romanov dynasty.

Under Peter the Great, the coat of arms received the first official description. Under the leadership of Count B.Kh. von Minich can be found at the present time: "The State Emblem in the old way: a double-headed eagle, black, on the heads of the crown, and at the top in the middle is a large Imperial crown- gold; in the middle of that eagle is George on a white horse, defeating a serpent: an epancha (cloak - ed.) and a yellow spear, a crown (crown crowning St. George - ed.) yellow, a black serpent; the field around (that is, around the double-headed eagle - ed.) is white, and in the middle (that is, under St. George - ed.) is red.

In the 17th century, the state emblem underwent a large number of changes and variants.

Coats of arms of Russia under Paul I

After Peter the Great, the coat of arms of Russia changed significantly under Paul I. It was under this ruler that all variants of the coat of arms of Russia were unified and brought to one form

This year, the Maltese cross appears on the coat of arms of Russia. Russia this year took under the protection of the island of Malta. The following year, Britain captured this island. Pavel ordered to transfer the Order of Malta to Russia. The fact that the Maltese cross remained on the coat of arms of Russia meant its claim to this territory.

Also, under Paul I, the Full Coat of Arms with shield holders appears, made in accordance with the traditions of that time. At this time, the "Manifesto on the full coat of arms of the All-Russian Empire" was prepared. On the big coat of arms 43 coats of arms of the lands that were part of it were placed. The archangels Michael and Gabriel became the holders of the shield. The manifesto never came into effect for the reason that the head of state was killed.

Under Alexander I first appeared this species emblem. It differed from the standard coat of arms. The main difference was that the emblems of dependent territories (Finland, Astrakhan, Kazan, etc.) were not placed on the military coat of arms. The shield on the chest of the eagle had an excellent heraldic form of the French shield. The wings were not raised.

Under the next emperor, Nicholas I, this tradition was consolidated.

This emblem existed during the reign of Nicholas I.

Reform of Koehne (1857)

Köhne Bernhard was born in 1817 in Berlin. In 1844 he was appointed curator of the numismatic department of the Hermitage. In 1857, Koene was appointed to the post of head of the herald department of the department of heraldry.

Under the editorship of Koene, the book "The Armorial of the Russian Empire" (XI-XIII) is published.

It is Bernhard Koehne who organizes the coats of arms of the territories of the Russian Empire. It is believed that it was under the influence of Köhne that the state receives a new state black-yellow-white flag. Although, in fact, Köhne used only the already developed historical materials(It is worth paying attention to the draft of the large full coat of arms of the Russian Empire from 1800; on it, the shield holders support a yellow flag with a black eagle with their free hand).

Koehne, in accordance with the heraldic tradition prevailing at that time, brought all the coats of arms into line. The first coat of arms corrected by Koehne was the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. It was under him that three versions of the coat of arms were formed: large, medium, small.

As mentioned above, under the leadership of Köhne, the artist Alexander Fadeev created a new drawing of the coat of arms.

The main changes in the coat of arms:

drawing of a double-headed eagle;
added the number of shields (increased from six to eight) on the wings of an eagle;
the rider slaying the dragon is now directed heraldically to the right (towards the right wing of the eagle).

A year later, under the leadership of Köhne, the middle and large coats of arms were also prepared.

In this coat of arms, the main elements of the coat of arms of the previous version were left. The color of the crowns has changed - now it has become silver.

On the seal, all the attributes of monarchical affiliation were removed, the shields were removed.

The sketch of the emblem-coat of arms was made by Vladislav Lukomsky, Sergey Troinitsky, Georgy Narbut, Ivan Bilibin.

An interesting fact is that the emblem was used on the reverse of coins issued by the Central Bank of Russia at the end of the 20th century. - early XXI. Many mistakenly consider this emblem to be the state emblem, which is a delusion.

Common misconceptions about the coat of arms of Russia

The coat of arms of Moscow is not placed on the chest of the eagle, although the elements are very similar to the coat of arms of Moscow. No less important is the fact that the rider of the state emblem is not an image of St. George. On the coat of arms of Moscow there is a rider "jumping", and on the state emblem - "riding". On the coat of arms of Moscow, the rider has a headdress. On the coat of arms of Russia, the dragon is defeated (lying on its back), and on the city coat of arms, the dragon stands on four legs.

Use of coat of arms on facades

Sources

Coats of arms of cities, provinces, regions and towns of the Russian Empire, included in the complete collection of laws from 1649 to 1900 / compiled. P. P. fon-Winkler;
"How did the black, yellow and white colors of Russian heraldic symbolism come about and what do they mean" E.N. Voronets. Kharkov. 1912
Manifesto of Emperor Paul I on the full coat of arms All-Russian Empire. Approved December 16, 1800;
Website of the Heraldic Council under the President of the Russian Federation;
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of November 30, 1993 N 2050 (as amended on September 25, 1999);
Decree "On the title of the royal and state seal" of December 14, 1667.
"Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron".
Some of the photos were provided by Oransky A.V. and prohibited from copying.