State emblem from Ivan III to the first Romanovs. Possible variants of the coat of arms

Russia is unique, among other things, in that over the centuries it has managed to unite in one state the most diverse peoples - each with its own culture, faith and language. Thanks to this, many peoples were not only able to survive as a separate ethnic group, but also were able to further develop their original culture.

A book about the friendship of peoples in a single state should definitely appear in the very near future. The whole current political environment is vehemently demanding it. However, at the moment there is no such book, or it is so deeply hidden that it cannot be found.

In search of such a book, this publication was born. I tried to make a very rough sketch of the history of the unification of peoples in one Russian state. To begin with, I just wanted to mark on the time scale when this or that nation joined, and also to find out, at least superficially, the reasons for such joining, and finally, -  calculate the time spent living together in one state.

The structure of the publication was suggested to me by the Great Emblem of the Russian Empire. I recently stumbled upon it by chance and suddenly discovered that in it, in the form of a kind of map, the very story that I am looking for is encrypted!

Great coat of arms of the Russian Empire

Briefly - about the history of the coat of arms. In Rus', there never existed the concept of a knightly hereditary coat of arms, widely accepted in Western Europe. During the battles, battle banners were carried over the army with embroidered or painted images of the Orthodox cross or saints. The history of the coat of arms of Russia is, first of all, the history of the Grand Duke's press.

Ivan III the Great (1440-1505) eliminated the dependence of Rus' on the Golden Horde and united around Moscow many of the original Russian territories, fragmented since the 12th century. To increase his authority in the eyes of foreign states, Ivan III married Princess Sophia Paleolog, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, and adopted the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - a double-headed eagle. Since then, the double-headed eagle has been the state emblem on the seals of Russian rulers.

A little later, the image of the Moscow coat of arms was added to the emblem: a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear. This rider was first placed on the reverse side of the seal, and then migrated to the chest of the eagle. Then, first, the coats of arms of the kingdoms of Astrakhan, Kazan and Siberia, conquered by Ivan IV the Terrible (1530 - 1584), and then the coats of arms of all the main regions and lands that became part of the empire in the subsequent time were attached to the Moscow coat of arms. Thus, the state emblem became the emblem of its entire territory.

Manifesto of Paul I

The idea of ​​the Great State Emblem, as we know it today, was originally proposed by Paul I (1754-1801), the son of Catherine II. In 1800, he published a manifesto on the "Complete State Emblem of the All-Russian Empire" with a detailed description of all parts of the coat of arms. In particular, this is what he writes:

One of the sheets of the manifesto of Paul I on the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire: a sheet with a list of coats of arms of the lands that are part of Russia.

“The current Russian Imperial Coat of Arms was assigned to our Empire in the fifth for ten centuries from now to our days by the Providence of God the fate of the Kingdoms that determines, at different times different Powers and lands were attached to the Throne of Russia, whose names are included in our Imperial Title; but the coat of arms of Russia and the State seal have hitherto remained in their former form, disproportionate to the space of our possessions. Now we deign to include in the composition of the Russian Coat of Arms, in accordance with our full Title, all the Coats of Arms and signs of the Kingdoms and lands we possess, and therefore, affirming them in the form attached to this, we command the Senate to make their order appropriate in discussing the use of them.

sovereign title

Full title of Alexander II. As you can see, for different lands he can be king, sovereign, grand duke, prince, heir, duke.

Here it is important to pay attention to such a concept as the "imperial title", which Paul I speaks about several times. The title in general is an honorary hereditary title in class societies (baron, count, prince). Sovereign's title  -  this is the most important title, the honorary title of the ruler of the Russian state. This title from the time of Ivan III was supposed to include a listing of all subject lands. This principle of title was preserved by the descendants and was filled with new content in the process of gain or loss of land. Over time, the title more and more turned into a modified, mobile formulation, with the help of which both large-scale and current political tasks were solved. The history of the sovereign's title is the history of the expansion of the territory of the state. When adding a new territory, the sovereign added to his title the title of the former ruler of this territory.

Heraldic reform

Unfortunately, Paul I was killed (not without the participation, by the way, of British intelligence), and he did not have time to bring his manifesto to life. His idea begins to embody his son, Nicholas I (1796-1855). He starts a heraldic reform, inviting Baron B. Kene for this. Again, due to death, Nicholas I did not have time to complete the reform, and his son Alexander II (1818-1881) finished the job. In 1857, the Great State Emblem was “highly affirmed”.

This coat of arms in its original form existed until 1917. Only in 1882, Alexander III (1845-1894) made a slight amendment to the coat of arms: in addition to purely stylistic and compositional changes, a shield was added with the coat of arms of Turkestan, which became part of Russia in 1867.

What is shown on the coat of arms

We will not give a detailed description of the entire emblem, so as not to deviate from our main topic, we will only say that the main shield with the emblem of Moscow is surrounded by shields with the emblems of kingdoms, principalities and regions annexed to Russia at different times.

The main shield is surrounded by nine shields from below. Coats of arms of kingdoms: I. Kazansky, II. Astrakhan, III. Polish, IV. Siberian v. Chersonese Tauride, VI. Georgian. VII. United coats of arms of the great principalities: Kyiv, Vladimirsky and Novgorod. VIII. Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy Finnish. IX. The family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty.

There are six shields above the main shield. X. Shield of the united coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the Great Russian. XI. Shield of the united coats of arms, principalities and areas of the southwestern. XII. Shield of the united coats of arms of principalities and regions of Belarusian and Lithuanian. XIII. Shield of United Coats of Arms regions of the Baltic. XIV. Shield of United Coats of Arms northeastern regions. XV. Coat of arms Turkestan.

It turns out that the state emblem is a kind of map that reflects both the political structure of Russia and its geography. Let's try to figure out what historical event is associated with each of the armorial shields, we will supplement the "map" given to us with historical content. In brackets, next to the name of the shield, we will indicate the number corresponding to the number of this shield in the diagram above.

United coats of arms of the Grand Duchies (VII)

Coat of arms Kyiv ( Saint Michael)
Vladimirsky ( lion leopard),
Novgorod ( two bears and fish).

These are the three most "root" old Russian grand principalities. The Kyiv coat of arms symbolizes the ancestral home of the Russian state Kievan Rus (formed in the middle of the 9th century). Also, Kyiv denotes the south-western Rus' formed a little later, the Vladimir coat of arms - north-eastern Rus', and Novogorodsky - north-western (Novgorod Republic). All three Russ were formed in the XII century as a result of the fragmentation of Kievan Rus and the Tatar-Mongol invasion.

The titles of all the rulers of Russia, starting with Ivan III, always began with a listing of these three lands: “Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod ...” - this is how the title of the last Russian emperor Nicholas II began. Then followed all the other kingdoms, principalities and regions.

The history of Russia as a whole, starting with Kievan Rus, has more than 1000 years. Conventionally, all three Russ formed in the 12th century in connection with the collapse of Kievan Rus (before that, they had been together for 300 years). Under the influence of the Tatar invasion in the XIII century until the middle of the XV century they were separated (200 years), but since then they have been together again (more than 500 years). It will be interesting further to compare with these time intervals the time of the joint life of other peoples, gradually joining Russia.

Coats of arms of Great Russian principalities and regions (X)

Coat of arms Pskov ( golden leopard in the center) , coat of arms Smolensky ( a gun) , coat of arms Tverskoy ( golden throne) , coat of arms Yugorsky ( hands with spears) , coat of arms Nizhny Novgorod ( deer), coat of arms Ryazan ( standing prince) , coat of arms Rostov ( silver deer) , coat of arms Yaroslavsky ( bear) , coat of arms Belozersky ( silver fish) , coat of arms Udorsky ( fox).

As a result of the ensuing war with the Commonwealth, Russia returned the lands lost as a result of the Time of Troubles. And Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676) supplemented the title with a new wording: "Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke of All Great and Small and White Russia Autocrat."

The territory of present-day central Ukraine was part of Russia/USSR from the middle of the 17th century to the end of the 20th (together for more than 300 years).

Pereyaslav Council. Artist Mikhail Khmelko. 1951

In 1654, the scepter and orb first appeared on the royal seal in the paws of an eagle. Forged double-headed eagle mounted on the spire of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. In 1667, Alexei Mikhailovich, in the first ever decree on the coat of arms (“On the royal title and on the state seal”), gave an official explanation of the symbolism of the three crowns over the heads of the eagle:

“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, 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.

More than 100 years later, in 1793, under Catherine II, as a result of the second partition of the Commonwealth, Podolsk and Volyn, along with the entire right-bank Ukraine, were ceded to Russia.

The territory of the current western, right-bank, Ukraine as part of Russia / CCCP since the end of the 18th century (together 200 years).

A significant part of modern Ukraine in the middle of the 14th century was included in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and from the middle of the 16th century - in the Commonwealth (that is, central Ukraine before reunification with Russia was Lithuanian for 200 years and Polish for another 100 years, and the western one - was Lithuanian for 200 years and Polish for another 200 years).

For the first time, Ukraine acquires a formally independent statehood, becoming a Soviet republic within the USSR. At the same time, the territory of modern Ukraine was formed. And the first sovereign state Ukraine forms in 1991 as a result of the collapse of the USSR. Those. This state is just over 20 years old.

Coats of arms of the Baltic regions (XIII)

Coat of arms Estonian ( three leopard lions) Livonian ( silver vulture with sword) , emblems - Courland ( lion) and Semigalsky ( deer) , coat of arms Karelian ( hands with swords).

Peter I (1672-1725) cut a window to Europe. In 1721, according to the Treaty of Nystadt, Estonia (today's server Estonia), Livonia (today's northern Latvia and southern Estonia) and Karelia passed from Sweden to Russia. Accordingly, at that time the title of sovereigns included: "Prince of Livonia, Estland and Karelia." And the phrase of the big title "Great Sovereign, Tsar of All Great and Small and White Russia, Autocrat" changes to "We, Peter the Great, Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia."

Instead of royal crowns, imperial crowns appear on the coat of arms near the eagle, and the order chain of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the patron saint of Russia and the heavenly patron of the tsar himself, appears on his chest. On the wings of an eagle for the first time appear shields with the coats of arms of the Great Kingdoms and Principalities. On the right wing there are shields with coats of arms: Kyiv, Novgorod, Astrakhan; on the left wing: Vladimir, Kazan, Siberian.

"Poltava battle". Louis Caravaque. 1717–1719

In 1795, under Catherine II, as a result, Courland and Semigallia (present-day western Latvia) were ceded to Russia. Catherine II adds "princess of Courland and Semigalle" to the title.

So. From the 13th to the 16th centuries (300 years), the peoples of present-day Estonia and Latvia were under the control of the Germans as part of the Livonian Order. According to the resultsLivonian War from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 18th century (more than 100 more years), the territory of Estonia was part of Sweden, and the territory of Latvia was divided between Sweden and the Commonwealth.

From the beginning of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th centuries, Estonia and Latvia were part of the Russian Empire (200 years), and from the middle to the end of the 20th century they were part of the USSR (another 50 years).

For the first time in their centuries-old history, Estonia and Latvia became independent states in 1918 as a result of the collapse of the Russian Empire. And in 1940 entered to the USSR in connection with the threat of an attack by Nazi Germany. Estonia and Latvia regained their independence in 1991 due to the collapse of the USSR. Thus, the total history of sovereignty among these peoples is about 50 years old.

Coats of arms of Belarusian and Lithuanian principalities and regions (XII)

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy Lithuanian ( silver rider - in the center) , coat of arms Bialystok ( eagle rider) , coat of arms Samogitsky ( bear) , coat of arms Polotsk ( rider on a white background) , coat of arms Vitebsk ( rider on a red background) , coat of arms Mstislavsky ( wolf).

In 1772, under Catherine II, as a result of the first partition of the Commonwealth, Belarusian lands, including Polotsk, Vitebsk and Mstislavl, were ceded to Russia. In 1795, as a result of the third partition of the Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ceded to Russia. In 1807, under Alexander I, according to the Treaty of Tilsit, Bialystok (Belarus) and Samogitia (Lithuania) were ceded to Russia.

It turns out that today's Belarus and Lithuania lived together with Russia/USSR for 200 years. Prior to that, Belarus was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And the Grand Duchy of Lithuania itself was formed in the XIII century. 300 years later, in the middle of the 16th century, it formed the Commonwealth state with Poland and stayed with it until joining Russia for almost 250 years. The history of Lithuanian independence spans over 500 years.

Belarus for the first time gained formal independence within the USSR. And it gained full independence for the first time in 1991 as a result of the collapse of the USSR. This state is just over 20 years old, like Ukraine.

"Storm of Prague" (1797). Alexander Orlovsky. The assault was commanded by General-in-Chief Suvorov and received the highest military rank of field marshal for this victory. The storming of Prague ended the suppression of the Polish uprising of 1794.

Coat of arms of Chersonese Tauride (V)

Coat of arms of Chersonese Tauride

As a result of the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774, according to the Kyuchuk-Kaynardzhi peace treaty, under Catherine II, Novorossia and the North Caucasus went to Russia, and the Crimean Khanate came under its protectorate.

And already in 1783, Catherine II (1729-1796) issued a manifesto, according to which the Crimea, Taman and Kuban became Russian possessions. Thus, the Crimea finally became part of the Russian Empire. And Catherine II added to the sovereign title: "Queen of Tauric Chersonesus."

Crimea, North Caucasus and Novorossiya as part of Russia for 200 years.

The modern history of Crimea begins in the middle of the 15th century with the formation on its territory from a fragment of the Golden HordeCrimean Khanate , which quickly became a vassal of the Ottoman Empire (it turns out that Crimea was part of the Khanate for 300 years).

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland (VIII)

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland

As a result of the war with Sweden, under the Friedrichsham Peace Treaty in 1809, the lands of Finland passed from Sweden to Russia on the rights of a union. Alexander I (1777-1825) adds the title "Grand Duke of Finland" to the sovereign.

The territory of present-day Finland, for most of its history, from the 12th century to the beginning of the 19th century (600 years), was part of Sweden. After that, it became part of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland, having existed in this form until the collapse of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century (they were together for 100 years). For the first time, Finland gained an independent statehood in 1917. Those. This state is less than 100 years old.

"Transition of Russian troops through the Gulf of Bothnia in March 1809"
Woodcut by L. Veselovsky, K. Kryzhanovsky after the original by A. Kotzebue, 1870s.

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland (III)

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland

After the final defeat of Napoleon, according to the results of the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the former lands of Poland, which at that moment were under the protectorate of France, went to Russia and formed a union with it as the Kingdom of Poland. Alexander I adds to the sovereign title: "Tsar of Poland". After the coronation of Nicholas I to the Kingdom of Poland in 1829, since 1832, the coat of arms of this kingdom first appears on the wings of an eagle.

Poland was formed as an independent state parallel to Kievan Rus, in the 9th century. In the middle of the 16th century, Poland united with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania to form the Commonwealth, which existed until the end of the 18th century. Then the state completely disappeared, being divided among neighboring states, including Russia. And from the beginning of the 19th century, Poland was revived as the Kingdom of Poland within Russia and existed in this form until the beginning of the 20th century and the collapse of the Russian Empire (100 years together). Before joining Russia, Poland had 900 years of independent history.

Coat of armsGeorgia ( George the Victorious), coat of armsIberia ( galloping horse), coat of armsKartaliniya ( fire-breathing mountain), coat of armsKabardian lands ( hexagonal stars), coat of armsArmenia ( crowned lion), coat of armsCherkassky and Gorsky princes (jumping Circassian).

Trying to protect the country from the raids of Turkey and Iran, the Georgian kings repeatedly asked Russia for patronage. In 1783, under Catherine II, the Treaty of Georgievsky was concluded. Its essence was reduced to the establishment of a protectorate by Russia. In 1800, the Georgian side asked for closer cooperation. And Paul I (1754-1801) issued a manifesto according to which Georgia joined Russia as an independent kingdom. But already in 1801, Alexander I issued a new manifesto, according to which Georgia was directly subordinate to the Russian emperor. Accordingly, Paul I adds to the title: "Sovereign of the Iversky, Kartalinsky, Georgian and Kabardian lands." And Alexander I adds to the title already: "King of Georgia."

The formation of Georgia as a state dates back to the 10th century. From the 13th to the 14th centuries, the state was first invaded by the Mongols, and then by Tamerlane. From XV to XVII Georgia is torn apart by Iran and the Ottoman Empire, turning into an isolated Christian country, surrounded on all sides by the Muslim world. From the end of the 18th century to the end of the 20th century, Georgia was part of Russia/USSR (200 years together). Before that, it turns out that Georgia has an 800-year history of a separate state.

The conquest of Transcaucasia by Russia was completed in the first years of the reign of Nicholas I. As a result of the Russian-Persian war of 1826-1828, the Erivan and Nakhichevan khanates were annexed to Russia, which united into the Armenian region, where about 30 thousand Armenians moved from Persia. As a result of the Russian-Turkish war of 1828-1829, the Ottoman Empire also recognized Russia's power over Transcaucasia, and about 25 thousand Armenians moved to Russia from its territory. As a result of the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, Russia annexed the Kars region, inhabited by Armenians and Georgians, and occupied the strategically important Batumi region. Alexander II (1855-1881) adds to the title: "Sovereign of the Armenian region." The annexation of Turkestan was preceded by the annexation of the Kazakh Khanate (present-day Kazakhstan). The Kazakh Khanate was formed from a fragment of the Golden Horde in the 15th century, and in the 19th century it consisted of three parts: the Younger (west), Middle (center) and Senior (east) zhuzes. In 1731, under the protectorate of Russia - for protection from the Khiva and Bukhara khanates - the Younger zhuz was asked and accepted. In 1740, the Middle Zhuz was adopted under the protectorate to protect against the Kokand Khanate. In 1818 - a part of the Great Zhuz. And in 1822 the power of the Kazakh khans was abolished. Thus, Kazakhstan has been together with Russia for more than 250 years.

"Parliamenters". Artist Vasily Vereshchagin

In 1839, Russia begins the fight against the Kokand Khanate. One of the most important reasons was opposition to the aggressive policy of the British Empire in Central Asia. This confrontation was called "The Great Game". In the 50s and 60s many Kokand cities were taken, and in 1865 Tashkent was taken and the Turkestan region was formed. In 1867, Emperor Alexander III (1845-1894) approved a project on the formation of a new governor-general - Turkestan Territory. This marked the completion of the initial stage of the annexation of the Central Asian territories. Alexander III begins to be titled "Sovereign of Turkestan".

Formulated like this:

"By God's hastening mercy We ( name) , Emperor and Autocrat All-Russian, Moscow, Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod;Tsar Kazansky,Tsar Astrakhan,Tsar Polish,Tsar Siberian,Tsar Chersonis Tauride,Tsar Georgian;Sovereign Pskov andGrand Duke Smolensk, Lithuanian, Volyn, Podolsky and Finnish;Prince Estonian, Livonian, Courland and Semigalsky, Samogitsky, Bialystok, Korelsky, Tver, Yugorsky, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others;Sovereign and Grand Duke Novgorod Nizovsky lands, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Belozersky, Udorsky, Obdorsky, Kondia, Vitebsk, Mstislav and all northern countrieslord and sovereign Iver, Kartalinsky and Kabardian lands and regions of Armenia; Cherkasy and Mountain princes and othershereditary Sovereign and Possessor ; Sovereign Turkestan,Heir Norwegian,duke Schleswig-Holstein, Stornmarn, Dietmar and Oldenburg and others, and others, and others.

Seal of Ivan III the Great

Each state has its own symbols that reflect its internal structure: power, territory, natural features and other priorities. One of the symbols of the state is the coat of arms.

The coat of arms of each country has its own history of creation. There are special rules for drawing up a coat of arms drawing, this is done by a special historical discipline of HERALDY, which developed back in the Middle Ages.

The history of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire is quite interesting and original.

Officially, Russian heraldry begins with the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (XVII century). But the forerunner of the emblem was the personal seals of the Russian tsars, so the primary sources of the Russian emblem should be sought in the 15th century, during the reign of Ivan III the Great. Initially, on the personal seal of Ivan III, George the Victorious was depicted, striking a snake with a spear - a symbol of Moscow and the Moscow principality. double-headed eagle was adopted on the state seal after the wedding in 1472 of Ivan III the Great with Sophia (Zoya) Palaiologos, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Palaiologos. It symbolized the transfer of the heritage of the fallen Byzantium. But before Peter I, the Russian coat of arms was not subject to heraldic rules; Russian heraldry was developed precisely during his reign.

History of the coat of arms double-headed eagle

The eagle in the coat of arms originates from Byzantium. Later he appeared on the coat of arms of Rus'. The image of an eagle is used in the coats of arms of many countries of the world: Austria, Germany, Iraq, Spain, Mexico, Poland, Syria, USA. But the double-headed eagle is present only on the coats of arms of Albania and Serbia. The Russian double-headed eagle has undergone many changes since its appearance and formation as an element of the state emblem. Let's consider these steps.
As mentioned above, coats of arms appeared in Russia a long time ago, but they were only drawings on the seals of the kings, they did not obey heraldic rules. Due to the lack of chivalry in Rus', coats of arms were not very common.
Until the 16th century, Russia was a disparate state, so the state emblem of Russia was out of the question. But under Ivan III (1462-
1505) his seal acted as a coat of arms. On its front side there is a horseman piercing a snake with a spear, and on the reverse side there is a double-headed eagle.
The first known images of a double-headed eagle date back to the 13th century BC. - This is a rock image of a double-headed eagle grabbing two birds with one stone. This was the coat of arms of the Hittite kings.
The double-headed eagle was a symbol of the Median kingdom - an ancient power in the territory of Asia Minor under the Median king Cyaxares (625-585 BC). Then the double-headed eagle appeared on the emblems of Rome under Constantine the Great. After the foundation in 330 of the new capital - Constantinople - the double-headed eagle became the state emblem of the Roman Empire.
After the adoption of Christianity from Byzantium, Rus' began to experience a strong influence of Byzantine culture, Byzantine ideas. Along with Christianity, new political orders and relations began to penetrate Rus'. This influence especially intensified after the marriage of Sophia Paleolog and Ivan III. This marriage had important consequences for the monarchical power in Moscow. As a spouse, the Grand Duke of Moscow becomes the successor of the Byzantine emperor, who was considered the head of the entire Orthodox East. In relations with small neighboring lands, he already bears the title of Tsar of All Rus'. Another title, "autocrat", is a translation of the Byzantine imperial title autocrator; Initially, it meant the independence of the sovereign, but Ivan the Terrible gave it the meaning of the absolute, unlimited power of the monarch.
From the end of the 15th century, the Byzantine coat of arms appeared on the seals of the Moscow sovereign - a double-headed eagle, it is combined with the former Moscow coat of arms - the image of George the Victorious. Thus, Rus' confirmed the continuity from Byzantium.

From IvanIII to PetraI

Great State Seal of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich (the Terrible)

The development of the Russian emblem is inextricably linked with the history of Rus'. The eagle on the seals of John III was depicted with a closed beak and looked more like an eaglet. Russia of that time was still an eaglet, a young state. In the reign of Vasily III Ioannovich (1505-1533), the double-headed eagle is depicted already with open beaks, from which tongues protrude. At this time, Russia was strengthening its position: the monk Philotheus sent a message to Vasily III with his theory that "Moscow is the Third Rome."

In the reign of John IV Vasilyevich (1533-1584), Rus' won victories over the Astrakhan and Kazan kingdoms, annexed Siberia. The power of the Russian state is also reflected in its coat of arms: the double-headed eagle on the state seal is crowned with a single crown with an eight-pointed Orthodox cross above it. Front side of the seal: on the chest of the eagle there is a carved German shield with a unicorn - the personal sign of the king. All symbols in the personal symbolism of John IV are taken from the Psalter. Reverse side of the seal: on the chest of the eagle is a shield with the image of St. George the Victorious.

On February 21, 1613, Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov was elected king by the Zemsky Sobor. His election put an end to the unrest that took place in the period after the death of Ivan the Terrible. The eagle on the coat of arms of this period spreads its wings, which means a new era in the history of Russia, which at that time becomes a single and rather strong state. This circumstance is immediately reflected in the coat of arms: instead of an eight-pointed cross, a third crown appears above the eagle. The interpretation of this change is different: a symbol of the Holy Trinity or a symbol of the unity of Great Russians, Little Russians and Belarusians. There is also a third interpretation: the conquered Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian kingdoms.
Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676) ends the Russian-Polish conflict with the conclusion of the Andrusovo truce with Poland (1667). The Russian state becomes equal in rights with other European states. During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the eagle receives symbols of power: scepter and power.

Great State Seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

At the request of the tsar, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Leopold I sent his king of arms Lavrenty Hurelevich to Moscow, who in 1673 wrote an essay “On the Genealogy of the Russian Grand Dukes and Sovereigns, with an indication of the existing, through marriages, affinity between Russia and the eight European powers, that is Caesar of Rome, the kings of English, Danish, Gishpansky, Polish, Portuguese and Swedish, and with the image of these royal coats of arms, and in the middle of their Grand Duke St. Vladimir, at the end of the portrait of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. This essay marked the beginning of the development of Russian heraldry. The wings of the eagle are raised up and fully opened (a symbol of the complete assertion of Russia as a powerful state; its heads are crowned with three royal crowns; on the chest is a shield with the Moscow coat of arms; in its paws is a scepter and orb.

Lavrentiy Khurelevich in 1667 for the first time gave an official description of the Russian 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, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian kingdom, on which three corunas are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest of His Tsar's Majesty the most merciful Sovereign and command ... on the Persians the image of the heir; in pasonkteh, a scepter and an apple, and they reveal the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.

From Peter I to Alexander II

Coat of arms of Peter I

Peter I ascended the Russian throne in 1682. During his reign, the Russian Empire became equal among the leading powers of Europe.
Under him, according to heraldic rules, the coat of arms began to be depicted in black (before that, it was depicted in gold). The eagle has become not only an adornment of state papers, but also a symbol of strength and power.
In 1721, Peter I assumed the imperial title, and instead of royal crowns, imperial crowns began to be depicted on the coats of arms. In 1722, he established the King of Arms office and the position of King of Arms.
The state emblem under Peter I underwent other changes: in addition to changing the color of the eagle, shields with coats of arms were placed on its wings
Great principalities and kingdoms. On the right wing there were shields with coats of arms (from top to bottom): Kyiv, Novgorod, Astrakhan; on the left wing: Vladimir, Siberian, Kazan. It was under Peter I that a set of attributes of the coat of arms eagle developed.
And after Russia entered the “spaces of Siberia and the Far East”, the double-headed eagle began to symbolize the inseparability of European and Asian Russia under one imperial crown, since one crowned head looks to the west, the other to the east.
The era after Peter I is known as the era of palace coups. In the 30s of the XVIII century. immigrants from Germany dominated the leadership of the state, which did not contribute to the strengthening of the country. In 1736, Empress Anna Ioannovna invited a Swiss-born Swedish engraver I.K.

Until the end of the XVIII century. there were no special changes in the design of the coat of arms, but during the time of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great, the eagle looked more like an eagle.

Coat of arms of Catherine I

Pavel I

Coat of arms of Russia with the Maltese cross

After becoming emperor, Paul I immediately tried to modify the Russian coat of arms. By decree of April 5, 1797, the double-headed eagle becomes an integral part of the coat of arms of the imperial family. But since Paul I was the master of the Order of Malta, this could not but be reflected in the state emblem. In 1799, Emperor Paul I issued a decree on the image of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross on its chest. The cross was placed on the chest of the eagle under the Moscow coat of arms ("the root coat of arms of Russia"). Also, the emperor is making an attempt to develop and introduce a complete coat of arms of the Russian Empire. At the upper end of this cross was placed the crown of the Grand Master.
In 1800, he proposed a complex coat of arms, on which forty-three coats of arms were placed in a multi-field shield and on nine small shields. However, they did not manage to accept this coat of arms before Paul's death.
Paul I was also the founder of the Great Russian coat of arms. The Manifesto of December 16, 1800 gives its full description. The large Russian emblem was supposed to symbolize the internal unity and power of Russia. However, the project of Paul I was not implemented.
Alexander I, having become emperor in 1801, abolished the Maltese cross on the state emblem. But under Alexander I, on the coat of arms, the wings of an eagle are widely spread to the side, and the feathers are lowered down. One head is more tilted than the other. Instead of a scepter and an orb in the paws of an eagle, new attributes appear: a torch, thunderbolts (thunder arrows), a laurel wreath (sometimes a branch), a lictor bundle intertwined with ribbons.

Nicholas I

Coat of arms of Nicholas I

The reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855) was emphatically firm and resolute (the suppression of the Decembrist uprising, limiting the status of Poland). Under him, from 1830, the armorial eagle began to be depicted with sharply raised wings (this remained so until 1917). In 1829, Nicholas I was crowned the kingdom of Poland, therefore, since 1832, the coat of arms of the Polish kingdom has been included in the Russian coat of arms.
At the end of the reign of Nicholas I, the head of the department of heraldry, Baron B.V. Kene, tried to give the coat of arms the features of Western European heraldry: the image of the eagle should have become more strict. The coat of arms of Moscow was supposed to be depicted in a French shield, the horseman should have been turned, according to heraldic rules, to the left side of the viewer. But in 1855, Nicholas I died, and Kene's projects were implemented only under Alexander II.

Large, Medium and Small coats of arms of the Russian Empire

Large State Emblem of the Russian Empire 1857

The large state emblem of the Russian Empire was introduced in 1857 by decree of Emperor Alexander II (this is the idea of ​​Emperor Paul I).
The large coat of arms of Russia is a symbol of the unity and power of Russia. Around the double-headed eagle are the coats of arms of the territories that are part of the Russian state. In the center of the Great State Emblem is a French shield with a golden field, on which a double-headed eagle is depicted. The eagle itself is black, crowned with three imperial crowns, which are connected by a blue ribbon: two small ones crown the head, a large one is located between the heads and rises above them; in the paws of an eagle - a scepter and orb; on the chest is depicted "the coat of arms of Moscow: in a shield scarlet with gold edges, the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in silver weapons and an azure volk on a silver horse." The shield, on which an eagle is depicted, is topped with the helmet of the holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, around the main shield is a chain and the order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the sides of the shield there are shield holders: on the right side (on the left of the viewer) - the holy Archangel Michael, on the left - the Archangel Gabriel. The central part under the shadow of a large imperial crown and the state banner above it.
To the left and to the right of the state banner, on the same horizontal line with it, six shields are depicted with the combined coats of arms of the principalities and volosts - three to the right and three to the left of the banner, almost creating a semicircle. Nine shields crowned with the coats of arms of the Grand Duchies and kingdoms and the coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty are the continuation and most of the circle that the combined coats of arms of the principalities and volosts began. Coats of arms counterclockwise: Astrakhan kingdom, Siberian kingdom, Family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty, combined coats of arms of the Grand principalities, coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland, coat of arms of Chersonis-Tauride, coat of arms of the Polish kingdom, coat of arms of the Kazan kingdom.
The upper six shields from left to right: the combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the Great Russian, the combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the South-Western, the combined coats of arms of the Baltic regions.
At the same time, the Middle and Small state emblems were adopted.
The average state coat of arms was the same as the Bolshoi, but without state banners and six coats of arms above the canopy; Small - the same as the Middle, but without a canopy, images of saints and the family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty.
Adopted by the decree of Alexander III of November 3, 1882, the Great State Emblem differed from that adopted in 1857 in that it added a shield with the coat of arms of Turkestan (became part of Russia in 1867), the coats of arms of the principalities of Lithuania and Belarusian.
The large state emblem is framed by laurel and oak branches - a symbol of glory, honor, merit (laurel branches), valor, courage (oak branches).
The Great State Emblem reflects "the triune essence of the Russian idea: For the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland." Faith is expressed in the symbols of Russian Orthodoxy: many crosses, the holy Archangel Michael and the holy Archangel Gabriel, the motto "God bless us", an eight-pointed Orthodox cross over the state banner. The idea of ​​an autocrat is expressed in the attributes of power: a large imperial crown, other Russian historical crowns, a scepter, an orb, a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
The Fatherland is reflected in the coat of arms of Moscow, the coats of arms of Russian and Russian lands, in the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The circular arrangement of the coats of arms symbolizes equality between them, and the central location of the coat of arms of Moscow symbolizes the unity of Rus' around Moscow, the historical center of the Russian lands.

Conclusion

The modern coat of arms of the Russian Federation

In 1917, the eagle ceased to be the coat of arms of Russia. The coat of arms of the Russian Federation is known, the subjects of which were autonomous republics and other national entities. Each of the republics, subjects of the Russian Federation, had its own national emblem. But there is no Russian coat of arms on it.
In 1991 there was a coup d'etat. Democrats headed by BN Yeltsin came to power in Russia.
On August 22, 1991, the white-blue-red flag is re-approved as the State Flag of Russia. On November 30, 1993, President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin signs a decree "On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation". The double-headed eagle is again the coat of arms of Russia.
Now, as before, the double-headed eagle symbolizes the power and unity of the Russian state.

The word coat of arms comes from the German word erbe, which means inheritance. The coat of arms is a symbolic image,
which shows the historical traditions of the state or city. By themselves, coats of arms appeared a very long time ago -
totems of primitive tribes can also be considered their predecessors. Coastal tribes as totems
there were figurines of dolphins, turtles, among the tribes of the steppes - snakes, among the forest tribes - bears, deer, wolves. special
the role was played by the signs of the sun, moon, earth and water ...

How the coat of arms changed in the Russian Federation

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505)
Ivan III married the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleolog and to increase his authority in relations
with foreign countries it adopts the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - the double-headed eagle.

The double-headed eagle of Byzantium personified the powerful Roman-Byzantine Empire, covering significant
lands in both East and West. Emperor Maximilian II, however, took pity on Sophia for his Imperial eagle,
the eagle depicted on the banner of Sophia Palaiologos did not have an Imperial but only a Caesar's crown.

However, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns at once prompted Ivan III to accept this
coat of arms as a heraldic symbol of their 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.

Ivan IV, later called Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya is coming
(1533-1538), and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548). And here the Russian Eagle undergoes
very comical twist.

When Ivan IV turns 16 years old, and he is crowned king, the Eagle immediately undergoes a very significant
change, as if personifying the entire era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1548-1574, 1576-1584).

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.
clearly Western. But that's not all, on the chest of the Eagle, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious appears
image of a unicorn. Why and why? This can only be guessed at. True, in fairness
note that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible. Apparently the king guessed that such a fabulous zoo
on the state emblem is inappropriate.

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 two-headed
eagle appears a sign of the passion of Christ: 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
Russia coincides with the time of the approval in 1589 of the patriarchate and church independence of Russia.

Until the middle of the 17th century, a seal was widely used, on which a double-headed eagle with a rider on his chest was crowned
two crowns, and between the heads of the eagle rises an Orthodox eight-pointed cross.

In connection with the Polish occupation, the Eagle becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing, perhaps, in a two-headed one.

An attempt to establish a new dynasty in the person of Vasily Shuisky (1606-1610), the painters from the command hut reflected in
An eagle deprived of all sovereign attributes and, as if in mockery, from the place of the fusion of heads, either a flower or
that's a bump.

Under the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), popularly nicknamed "The Quietest" -
The state emblem is somewhat different. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns,
George the Victorious was returning on his chest, but not in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield.

In contrast to the Byzantine pattern, and possibly influenced by the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle
since 1654 he began to be depicted with raised wings. And then the eagle "flyed" on the spiers of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1667, the first Decree in the history of Russia dated December 14 "On the royal title and on the state seal" appeared.
which contained the official description of the coat of arms: "The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the sovereign Great Sovereign, Tsar and
Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great, Lesser and White Russia, Autocrat, His Tsarist Majesty
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 pasnoktah (claws) a scepter and an apple,
and reveals the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.

In 1696, the throne goes to Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" (1689-1725). And almost immediately the State Emblem
abruptly changes its form. The eagle acquires new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one,
and on the chest is the 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 the highest state awards in Russia. 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 (below in the plumage of an eagle) becomes the main element of the badge of the Order of St. Andrew
First-Called and a symbol of the Russian Navy. Since 1699, there are images of a double-headed eagle,
surrounded by a chain with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew. And next year, the St. Andrew's Order is placed around the shield
with a rider.

With minor, or significant, but short-term, changes, this image of the coat of arms of Russia existed
until the beginning of the reign of Paul I (1796-1801), who made an attempt to introduce a full coat of arms of the Russian Empire.

Forty-three coats of arms were placed in the multi-field shield and on nine small shields. In the center was the emblem described above
in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the rest of the size. Shield with coats of arms superimposed over Maltese
cross, and under it again appeared the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Shield holders, archangels Michael and Gabriel,
support the imperial crown over a knight's helmet and cloak. The whole composition is placed against the background of a mantle with a dome -
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 approved.

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, the type of the state eagle was changed under the influence of the German
samples. 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 "titular"
emblems on the wings. On the right were shields with the coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Tauric Chersonesos and the combined coat of arms
Grand Principalities (Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left - shields with the coats of arms 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 of the imperial family, as well as "titular" coats of arms.
On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III in Peterhof approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, 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 at the coronation.

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 his crown, scepter, powers, coats of arms of kingdoms,
lands and all other heraldic attributes "left in the service" - completely naked ...

The Bolsheviks held a completely different opinion. Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of November 10, 1917, together with the estates,
ranks, titles and old regime orders, the coat of arms and the flag were completely abolished. But the decision turned out to be
easier than doing. State bodies continued to exist and function, so another six months
the old emblem 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
a 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.

The double-headed eagle was finally retired, leaving only to "sit" on the towers of the Moscow Kremlin.
The Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks replaced them with ruby ​​stars only in 1935.

In 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and the State Flag.
RSFSR. After a comprehensive discussion, the Government Commission proposed to recommend the coat of arms to the Government -
golden double-headed eagle on a red field. In 1993, by decree of President B.N. Yeltsin, the two-headed Eagle was back
approved as the state emblem. And only in 2000 the double-headed Eagle was finally approved
State Duma. The coat of arms of Peter I is taken as the basis of the modern coat of arms. But the double-headed eagle is golden in color, and not
black, and placed on a red heraldic shield.

The history of the coat of arms of Russia from the time of the Dnieper Slavs to the present day. George the Victorious, double-headed eagle, Soviet coat of arms. Emblem changes. 22 images

In ancient Rus' as such a coat of arms, of course, did not yet exist. The Slavs in the 6th-8th centuries AD had intricate ornaments that symbolized a particular territory. Scientists learned about this through the study of burials, in some of which fragments of women's and men's clothing with embroidery have been preserved.

During the Kievan Rus the grand dukes had their own princely seals, on which images of an attacking falcon were placed - the ancestral sign of the Rurikovich.

In Vladimir Rus' Grand Duke Alexander Yaroslavovich Nevsky has an image on his princely seal George the Victorious with a spear. Subsequently, this sign of the spearman appears on the front side of the coin (penny) and it can already be considered the first real full-fledged coat of arms of Rus'.

In Muscovite Rus', under Ivan III, who was combined in a dynastic marriage with the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Paleolog, an image appears double-headed Byzantine eagle. On the royal seal of Ivan III, George the Victorious and the Double-Headed Eagle are depicted as equals. The Grand Duke seal of Ivan III, sealed in 1497 his "exchange and allotment" charter for the land holdings of specific princes. From that moment on, the Double-Headed Eagle becomes the state emblem of our country.

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) is the most important stage in the formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of the Mongol Khan 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 first all-Russian Sudebnik was adopted - a single code of laws of the country. At the same time, images of a gilded double-headed eagle on a red field appeared on the walls of the Pomegranate Chamber in the Kremlin.

Mid 16th century

Beginning in 1539, the type of eagle on the seal of the Grand Duke of Moscow changed. In the era of Ivan the Terrible, on the golden bull (state seal) of 1562, in the center of the double-headed eagle, an image of George the Victorious appeared - one of the oldest symbols of princely power in Rus'. George the Victorious is placed in a shield on the chest of a double-headed eagle crowned with one or two crowns surmounted by a cross.

Late 16th - early 17th centuries

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 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 Calvary 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.

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. Until the middle of the 17th century, a seal was widely used, on which a two-headed eagle with George the Victorious on his chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

XVII century.

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, the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns. In 1645, under the second king of the dynasty, Alexei Mikhailovich, the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a two-headed eagle with George the Victorious 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. To the letter of commendation of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky 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: scepter and orb.

From that moment on, the eagle began to be depicted with raised wings .

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, the main book of Christianity, came out from under the printing press in Moscow. 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,

Wings outstretched, embraces all the worlds of the end,

North South, from east to sunset

Goodness covers with outstretched wings.

In 1667, after a long war between Russia and Poland over 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 George on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

Peter's time

During the reign of Peter I, a new emblem entered the state heraldry of Russia - the order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1698, became the first in the system of the highest state awards in 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 the symbol of the Russian Navy. 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 next year, the St. Andrew's Order is placed on an eagle, around a shield with a rider.

It should be noted that already from 1710 (a decade earlier than Peter I was proclaimed emperor (1721), and Russia - an empire) - they began to depict imperial crowns.

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

The era of palace coups, Catherine's time

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 St. George the Victorious in a red field." Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1736 invited a Swiss engraver, who by 1740 had engraved the State Seal. The central part of the matrix of this seal with the image of a double-headed eagle was used until 1856. Thus, the type of double-headed eagle on the State Seal remained unchanged for more than a hundred years. Catherine the Great did not make changes to the state emblem, preferring to maintain continuity and traditionalism.

Pavel the First

Emperor Paul I, by decree of April 5, 1797, allowed members of the imperial family to use the image of a double-headed eagle as their coat of arms.

During the short reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy for itself - Napoleonic France. After the French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, 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.

Shortly after accession to the throne, Emperor Alexander I, by decree of April 26, 1801, removed the Maltese cross and crown from the coat of arms of Russia.

First half of the 19th century

The images of the double-headed eagle at that time are very diverse: it could have one and three crowns; in the paws - not only the scepter and orb that have already become traditional, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), a torch. The wings of an eagle were depicted in different ways - raised, lowered, straightened. To a certain extent, the image of the eagle was influenced by the then European fashion, common to the Empire era.

Under Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich the First, the simultaneous existence of two types of state eagle was officially fixed.

The first type is an eagle with spread wings, under one crown, with the image of St. George on the chest and with a scepter and an orb in its paws. The second type was an eagle with raised wings, on which the title coats of arms were depicted: on the right - Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, on the left - Polish, Tauride, Finland. For some time, another version also circulated - with the emblems of the three "main" ancient Russian Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir and Novgorod lands) and three kingdoms - Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberia. An eagle under three crowns, with St. George (as the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Moscow) in a shield on his chest, with a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, with a scepter and orb in his paws.

Mid 19th century

In the years 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, the type of the state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. Then St. George on the chest of an eagle, in accordance with the rules of Western European heraldry, began to look to the left. 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 of the 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. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.

Large State Emblem of 1882.

On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, 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 final drawing of the Great Emblem of the Empire was approved on November 3, 1882, when the coat of arms of Turkestan was added to the title emblems.

Small State Emblem of 1883

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

The most recent act - "Basic Provisions of the State Structure of the Russian Empire" of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions relating to the State Emblem.

State Emblem of the Provisional Government

After the February Revolution of 1917, Masonic organizations gained power in Russia, which formed their Provisional Government, including a commission to prepare a new coat of arms of Russia. One of the leading artists in the commission was N. K. Roerich (aka Sergei Makranovsky), a well-known freemason who later decorated the design of the American dollar with Masonic symbols. Masons plucked the coat of arms and deprived it of all sovereign attributes - a crown, a scepter, powers, the wings of an eagle were limply lowered down, which symbolized the obedience of the Russian state to Masonic plans. , adopted in February 1917, was to become the official coat of arms of Russia again. Masons even managed to place the image of their eagle on the obverse of modern Russian coins, where it can be seen to this day. The image of the eagle, the sample of February 1917, continued to be used as official after the October Revolution, until the adoption of the new Soviet coat of arms on July 24, 1918.

State Emblem of the RSFSR 1918-1993

In the summer of 1918, the Soviet government finally decided to break with the historical symbols of Russia, and the new Constitution adopted on July 10, 1918 proclaimed in the state emblem not ancient Byzantine, but political, party symbols: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and the rising sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered by ears of wheat, fastened with a red ribbon with the inscription "Proletarians of all countries, unite." Later, this image of the coat of arms was approved in the Constitution of the RSFSR.

60 years later, in the spring of 1978, the military star, which by that time had become part of the coat of arms of the USSR and most of the republics, entered the coat of arms of the RSFSR.

In 1992, the last change in the coat of arms came into force: the abbreviation above the hammer and sickle was replaced by the inscription "Russian Federation". But this decision was hardly implemented, because the Soviet coat of arms with its party symbols no longer corresponded to the political structure of Russia after the collapse of the one-party system of government, the ideology of which it embodied.

State Emblem of the USSR

After the formation of the USSR in 1924, the State Emblem of the USSR was adopted. The historical essence of Russia as a power passed precisely to the USSR, and not to the RSFSR, which played a subordinate role, therefore it is the coat of arms of the USSR that should be considered as the new coat of arms of Russia.

The Constitution of the USSR, adopted by the II Congress of Soviets on January 31, 1924, officially legalized the new coat of arms. At first, he had three turns of a red ribbon on each half of the wreath. On each turn was placed the motto "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" in Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian, Turko-Tatar languages. In the mid-1930s, a coil with a motto in Latinized Turkic was added, and the Russian version migrated to the central band.

In 1937, the number of mottos on the coat of arms reached 11. In 1946 - 16. In 1956, after the liquidation of the sixteenth republic within the USSR, Karelian-Finnish, the motto in Finnish was removed from the coat of arms, until the end of the existence of the USSR, 15 ribbons remained on the coat of arms with mottos (one of them - the Russian version - on the central sling).

State Emblem of the Russian Federation 1993.

On November 5, 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and the State Flag of the RSFSR. A government commission was created to organize this work. After a comprehensive discussion, the commission proposed to recommend to the Government a white-blue-red flag and a coat of arms - a golden double-headed eagle on a red field. The final restoration of these symbols took place in 1993, when, by Decrees of President B. Yeltsin, they were approved as the state flag and coat of arms.

On December 8, 2000, the State Duma adopted the Federal Constitutional Law "On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation". Which was approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on December 20, 2000.

The golden double-headed eagle on a red field retains historical continuity in the colors of the coats of arms of the late 15th-17th centuries. The drawing of the eagle goes back to the images on the monuments of the era of Peter the Great. Three historical crowns of Peter the Great are depicted above the heads of the eagle, symbolizing in the new conditions the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, subjects of the Federation; in the paws - a scepter and an orb, personifying state power and a single state; on the chest is an image of a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear. This is one of the ancient symbols of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, the defense of the Fatherland.

The restoration of the double-headed eagle as the State Emblem of Russia embodies the continuity and continuity of Russian history. Today's coat of arms of Russia is a new coat of arms, but its components are deeply traditional; it reflects different stages of national history and continues them in the third millennium.

Russian Civilization

History of the Coat of Arms of Russia

Nevertheless, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns at once prompted Ivan III to accept 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.

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 comical modification.

When Ivan IV turns 16 and is crowned king, the Eagle immediately undergoes a very significant change, as if personifying the entire era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1548-1574, 1576-1584).

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, an image of a unicorn appears. Why and why? This can only be guessed at. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible. Apparently the king guessed that such a fabulous zoo on the state emblem is inappropriate.

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.

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. Until the middle of the 17th century, a seal was widely used, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on its chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

In connection with the Polish occupation, the Eagle 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 Rus', 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 Quietest" 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 Rus' 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.

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, starting from 1654, began to be depicted with raised wings. And then the eagle "flyed" on the spiers of the towers of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1667, after a long war between Russia and Poland over 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 the state seal" appeared, which contained the 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, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted that signify the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms. On the Persians (chest) the image of the heir; in the paws (claws) a scepter and an apple, and reveals the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor".

In 1696, 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 the highest state awards in 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 (below in the plumage of an eagle) becomes the main element of the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and a symbol of the Russian Navy. 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 next year, the St. Andrew's Order is placed around the shield with the rider.

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: "Whoever has only one land army has one hand, but whoever has a fleet has two hands." Only I did not find the image of this eagle.

With minor, or significant, but short-term changes, this image of the coat of arms of Russia existed until the beginning of the reign of Paul I (1796-1801), who made an attempt to introduce a 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 shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and cloak. The whole composition is placed against the background of a mantle 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, thank God, was not approved.

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 Chersonesus 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 of the 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, which, of course, we will not cite.

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.

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, power, emblems of kingdoms, lands and all other heraldic attributes, “left in the service” - completely naked ...

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 completely abolished. But the decision turned out to be easier than the execution. State bodies continued to exist and function, so for another six months the old coat of arms was used where necessary, on signboards with the designation of government bodies and in documents.

The double-headed eagle was finally retired, leaving only to "sit" on the towers of the Moscow Kremlin. The Politburo of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks replaced them with ruby ​​stars only in 1935.

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. In 1993, by decree of President B.N. Yeltsin, the double-headed Eagle was back approved as the state emblem. And only in 2000 the double-headed Eagle was finally approved by the State Duma. The coat of arms of Peter I is taken as the basis of the modern coat of arms. But the double-headed eagle is golden in color, not black, and it is placed on a red heraldic shield.

Throughout the history of our state, each ruler contributed to the formation of the coat of arms, and, often, the historical events taking place at that moment were reflected on it. The character and political views were also reflected in his image. All the details of the formation of the image of the state can be found in the history of its state symbols...

Initially, the eagle appeared in Russia from the collapsed mighty Roman Empire. It was necessary for the then very young Russian state, as a symbol of power. The stronger Russia became, the more confident and stronger the eagle looked on the coat of arms.

Over time, having become a huge and independent state, Russia appeared on the coat of arms with all the attributes of statehood and power: a crown, a scepter and an orb, which even now partly personify the modern Russian state.