Attributes royal power the power and wealth of the Russian state was emphasized: the golden decoration of the palace chambers, the abundance of precious stones, the scale of the buildings, the grandeur of the ceremonies and many objects without which not a single Russian tsar can be imagined.

1

Golden Apple

A golden ball topped with a cross or crown - an orb - was first used as a symbol of Russian autocracy in 1557. Having traveled a long way, the power came to the Russian monarchs from Poland, for the first time taking part in the wedding ceremony of False Dmitry I. In Poland, we note, the power was called an apple, being a biblical symbol of knowledge. In Russian Christian tradition the power symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven. Since the reign of Paul I, the power has been a blue yacht crowned with a cross, studded with diamonds.

2

Shepherd's crook

The scepter became an attribute of Russian power in 1584 during the crowning of Fyodor Ioannovich. This is how the concept of “scepter holder” appeared. The very word “scepter” is ancient Greek. It is believed that the prototype of the scepter was a shepherd's staff, which in the hands of bishops was endowed with the symbolism of pastoral power. With the passage of time, the scepter was not only significantly shortened, but its design no longer resembled a modest shepherd’s crook. In 1667, the scepter appeared in the right paw of a double-headed eagle - the state emblem of Russia.

3

“They were sitting on the golden porch...”

The throne, or throne, is one of the most important symbols of power, first princely, then royal. Just like the porch of a house, which was created for everyone’s admiration and admiration, they approached the creation of a throne with special trepidation, and usually several of them were made. One was installed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - this throne participated in the church procedure for the anointing of the autocrat. The other is in the carved chambers of the Kremlin. The king sat on this throne after the secular procedure of accepting power; on it he also received ambassadors and influential persons. There were also “mobile” thrones - they traveled with the king and appeared in those cases when it was necessary to present the royal power as convincingly as possible.

4

“You are heavy, Monomakh’s hat”

The “golden hat” is mentioned in all spiritual documents, starting from the reign of Ivan Kalita. The symbol-crown of the Russian autocracy was allegedly made by oriental craftsmen at the end of the 13th century. early XIV century and was presented by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh to his grandson Vladimir. The last king to try on the relic was Peter I. Some researchers claim that the Monomakh hat is not a man's, but a woman's headdress - under the fur trim, supposedly, there are devices for temple decorations. And the hat was made 200 years after the death of Vladimir Monomakh. Well, even if the history of the appearance of this attribute of royal power is just a legend, this did not prevent it from becoming the model according to which all subsequent royal crowns were made.

5

Byzantine mantles

The custom of wearing mantles, or barmas, came to Rus' from Byzantium. There they were part of the ceremonial robes of the emperors. According to legend, the Byzantine ruler Alexei I Komnenos sent barmas for Vladimir Monomakh. The chronicle mention of barmas dates back to 1216 - all the princes wore mantles embroidered with gold. Since the middle of the 16th century, barmas have become an indispensable attribute of royal weddings. From a gilded dish in the altar, at a certain moment they were served to the metropolitan by the bishops, who, in turn, received them from the archimandrites. After kissing and worshiping three times, the Metropolitan laid the barmas blessed with the cross on the Tsar, after which the laying of the crown followed.

6

“Oh, it’s early, the security is up.”

On both sides of the throne, anyone entering could see two tall, handsome men, the royal squires and bodyguards - the bell. They were not only a spectacular “attribute” at ceremonies for receiving foreign ambassadors, but also accompanied the king during campaigns and trips. The attire of the bells is enviable: ermine coats, morocco boots, arctic fox hats... Place by right hand was more honorable, hence the concept of “localism”. The fight for the honorary title of Tsar's bell was fought by young men of the best families.

7

Behind seven seals

The first known seal of the 12th century, carved from metal, was the imprint of Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich and his son Vsevolod. TO XVIII century Russian tsars used ring seals, tabletop impressions and pendant seals. The small weight of the latter made it possible to wear them on a cord or on a chain near the belt. Seals were cut into metal or stone. A little later, rock crystal and its varieties became the favorite material. It is interesting that from the 17th century they began to produce seals with a removable legend - text, which allowed the new king to use the seal of his predecessor. At the end of the 17th century, Russian tsars had more than two dozen different seals, and the seal of the European engraver Johann Gendlinger with a mighty double-headed eagle served the Russian monarchs for more than a century, until the end of the reign of Nicholas I.

Crown, scepter and orb of the “Great Dress” of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov

Signs of royal, royal and imperial power have been known since ancient times and are generally the same in all states. In Russia, the imperial regalia were: Crown, Scepter, Orb, State Sword, State Banner, Great State Seal and State Shield.

In a broad sense, regalia also included a throne, purple and other ceremonial attire. In Muscovite Rus', the regalia also included barmas (mantles belonging to the decorations of a princely or royal outfit).

One part of the regalia was kept in the Armory Chamber in Moscow, and the other in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, from where it was ceremonially transported to Moscow before the coronation.

Scepter (in the old days "Sceptr", more often "Scepter") belongs to ancient symbols authorities. The prototype for him was the shepherd's crook. It already existed among the Greeks. The Roman Kings adopted the Scepter from the Etruscans; subsequently it was used in Rome by generals during triumphs and by Emperors; its upper end was decorated with an eagle. The Romans often sent the Scepter to allied foreign sovereigns as a sign of friendship.

In Russia, the solemn presentation of the Scepter to the Tsar is first found in the wedding ceremony of Theodore Ioannovich, but, apparently, it was in use before; According to the story of the Englishman Horsey, the Scepter, which served at the wedding of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, was purchased by John IV. When Mikhail Feodorovich was elected Tsar, he was presented with main sign supreme suit, royal staff. During the crowning of the Kingdom and on other solemn occasions, the Moscow Tsars held the Scepter in their right hand; During large exits, the Scepter was carried before the king by special attorneys.

The scepter, which was used by the Russian Emperors in the 19th and 20th centuries, was made for the coronation of Paul I in the form of a golden rod, sprinkled with diamonds and precious stones; Its top is decorated with the famous Orlov diamond worth 2.5 million rubles.

The orb, having the shape of a ball topped with a cross, is a symbol of dominion over the earth.

The later Roman Emperors held in their hands a ball with the image of the goddess of victory. Later, this image was replaced by a cross, and in this form the Power passed to the Byzantine and German Emperors, and then to the rest of the monarchs. The Power came to Russia from Poland, where it was called “Apple”, and in the old days bore the names “Apple of the Tsar’s rank”, “Apple of the Vladom”, “Apple of the Sovereign” (“all-powerful” or “autocratic”) and simply “Apple”, also "The Power of the Russian Kingdom".

The orb, used by Russian Sovereigns since the end of the 18th century, was made for the coronation of Paul I. It is made of gold, its hoops consist of diamond leaves. In the middle is a large almond-shaped diamond. On top, the Power is decorated with an unfinished large oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds, and at the top there is a diamond cross.

One of the oldest medieval Crowns belongs to our imperial regalia - this is the so-called Monomakh's Cap, sent, according to legend, in 988 by the Byzantine Kings Basil II and Constantine IX to the saint Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir on the occasion of his Baptism and marriage to their sister Princess Anna.

This Crown always belonged to the eldest in the family: the princes of the younger line had their own Crowns of various forms. Grand Duchesses, Princesses and Queens also had their own Crowns. Before Peter the Great, Tsars very often wore Crowns, and their number was very significant.

The Great Imperial Russian Crown represents the height of perfection due to the extraordinary number of jewels and their artistic combination. In addition to the large ruby ​​on the bow, it is also decorated with diamonds and pearls. The ruby ​​is attached to a cross consisting of five magnificent diamonds. In front and behind are two laurel branches connected at the bottom with a ribbon. Internal sides The halves are each studded with 27 matte pearls of luxurious size and color. The arc separating the halves of the crown represents oak leaves with acorns. Above the arc at the front is a large octagonal diamond and three tonsil-shaped diamonds. The lower part is decorated with 27 large diamonds surrounded by many small ones. The height of the crown is 26 cm, diameter is from 19 to 21 cm. It is lined with a purple velvet cap.

STATE SEAL

The state seal was attached to state acts as a sign of their final approval by the supreme authority. It was made at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the accession of the Emperor to the throne, according to the highest approved designs, in three types: large, medium and small.

The Great State Seal bears the image of the Great State Emblem, around which is placed the full, or large, imperial title. It was applied: to state laws, institutions and charters; to the statute of orders; to manifestos; To marriage contracts members of the Imperial House; to the spiritual wills of members of the Imperial House when approved by the Sovereign Emperor; to certificates for the title of Imperial Highness and Prince of the Imperial Blood; to diplomas for princely and count dignity; to the powers, accreditations and recalls of diplomatic persons at the eastern courts: to patents for the title of consul.

The average state seal has an image of the Middle State Emblem; on its edges the middle title of His Imperial Majesty is placed. It was attached: to letters to cities and societies confirming rights and benefits; to diplomas for baronial and noble dignity; to ratifications of treaties with foreign powers and to charters to eastern rulers; to the charters of the khans of Khiva and the emirs of Bukhara.

The Small State Seal has an image of the Small State Emblem and a small imperial title. She certified the following documents: certificates of granted lands; rank patents; letters of favor for services and gifts rendered by any class; letters to monasteries for a gracious dacha; certificates for hereditary honorary citizenship; certificates of Tarkhan dignity; sheets to the Chinese Tribunal: letters of reply, credits, treaties with foreign governments and passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The state seals of the reigning Emperor were kept in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the key of the chancellor, vice-chancellor, minister or manager of the ministry. An official protocol was necessarily drawn up regarding any application of the State Seal.

SWORD OF STATE

On the blade of the State Sword, near the hilt, there is a double-headed eagle stamped in gold on one side, holding a writhing dragon in its claws, and on the other, a neck with a naked sword. At the top of the handle there are eagle heads under a crown; roofs with eagle heads.

The scabbard of the state sword is covered with gold glaze. The state sword is mentioned among the regalia already under Emperor Peter I Alexievich.

During the rite of the Holy Coronation, the State Sword, the State Seal and the State Banner were first used by Empress Elizabeth and since then have always been carried out during solemn processions.

STATE SHIELD

STATE BANNER

The Russian state banner was used during the rite of the Holy Coronation of Emperors and during the burial of Sovereigns. It served as an emblem or symbol of the unity of the State, although composed of different lands and nationalities. The state banner was made of gold fabric, on which images of the State eagle and all the coats of arms placed in the Great State Emblem were embroidered. The pole of the State Banner, the border and fringe of the canvas were painted in state colors. The shaft is topped with a golden Apple (Power) with a State eagle.

On the St. Andrew's ribbons that adorned the State Banner, significant dates were indicated: 862 (foundation of the State by Grand Duke Rurik), 988 (baptism of Rus' by Grand Duke Vladimir), 1497 (acceptance of the royal title by Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible) and 1721 (acceptance of the imperial title by Peter I Alexievich).

Prepared
Tatiana VINOGRADOVA

Based on the book: Sovereign Russia.
Ceremony, attributes and structure of supreme power from the Great Ones
Princes to Emperors. M., 2007.

Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 1 Kuznetsov Alexander

Regalia of royal power: crown, scepter, orb

A crown, scepter, orb are regalia, signs of royal, royal and imperial power, generally accepted in all states where such power exists. The regalia owes its origin mainly to the ancient world. So, the crown originates from the wreath, which in ancient world placed on the head of the winner in competitions. Then it turned into a sign of honor given to a military leader or official who distinguished himself in war, thus becoming a sign of service distinction (imperial crown). From it the crown (headdress) was formed, which became widespread in European countries as an attribute of power back in the early Middle Ages.

IN Russian literature There has long been a version that among the Russian royal regalia belongs one of the oldest medieval crowns, allegedly sent as a gift to the Grand Duke of Kyiv Vladimir Monomakh by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomakh. Together with the “Monomakh cap” from Byzantine Emperor supposedly a scepter was also sent.

Monomakh's hat

The origins of this attribute of power and dignity of European monarchs also lie in antiquity. The scepter was considered necessary accessory Zeus (Jupiter) and his wife Hera (Juno). As an indispensable sign of dignity, the scepter was used by ancient rulers and officials (except emperors), for example, Roman consuls. The scepter, as an obligatory regalia of power, was present at the coronation of sovereigns throughout Europe. In the sixteenth century. it is also mentioned in the wedding ceremony of Russian tsars

There is a well-known story from the Englishman Horsey, an eyewitness to the coronation of Fyodor Ivanovich, the son of Ivan the Terrible: “On the king’s head there was a precious crown, and in his right hand there was a royal staff, made of one-horned bone, three feet and a half long, set with expensive stones, which was bought by the former king from the Augsburg merchants in 1581 for seven thousand pounds sterling." Other sources report that the crowning of Fyodor Ivanovich was in every way similar to the “seating on the table” of Ivan the Terrible, with the only difference being that the Metropolitan handed the scepter into the hands of the new tsar. However, the image of a scepter on the seals of this time was not accepted, as were the powers (otherwise - “apple”, “sovereign apple”, “autocratic apple”, “apple of the royal rank”, “power of the Russian kingdom”), although as an attribute of power it was known to Russian sovereigns from the 16th century. During the crowning of Boris Godunov on September 1, 1598, Patriarch Job presented the Tsar with the usual regalia and an orb. At the same time, he said: “As we hold this apple in our hands, so hold all the kingdoms given to you from God, keeping them from external enemies.”

“Big outfit” by Mikhail Fedorovich (hat, scepter, orb). 1627–1628

The crowning of the founder of the Romanov house, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, took place according to a clearly drawn up “scenario”, which did not change until the 18th century: along with the cross, barms and royal crown, the metropolitan (or patriarch) handed over the scepter to the king in his right hand, and the orb to his left . At the crowning of Mikhail Fedorovich, before handing over the regalia to the Metropolitan, the scepter was held by Prince Dmitry Timofeevich Trubetskoy, and the orb was held by Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky.

TO letter of commendation Tsar Bogdan Khmelnitsky dated March 27, 1654, was given a seal of a “new type”: a double-headed eagle with open wings (on the chest in the shield there is a rider slaying a dragon), in the eagle’s right paw there is a scepter, in the left there is an orb, above the eagle’s heads there are three crowns almost on the same line, the middle one with a cross. The shape of the crowns is the same, Western European. Under the eagle is a symbolic image of the reunification of Left Bank Ukraine with Russia. A seal with a similar design was used in the Little Russian Order.

Seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. 1667

Circle to big state seal Tsars John and Peter Alekseevich. Master Vasily Kononov. 1683 Silver

After the Truce of Andrusovo, which ended the Russian-Polish War of 1654–1667 and recognized the annexation of the lands of Left Bank Ukraine to Russia, a new large state seal was “created” in the Russian state. She is famous for the fact that her official description, included in Full Assembly laws of the Russian Empire, is also the first resolution Russian legislation about form and meaning State emblem. Already on June 4, 1667, in the article of the order given to the translator Ambassadorial order Vasily Boush, who went with the royal letters to the Elector of Brandenburg and the Duke of Courland, is emphasized: “If in the Courland land the Prince Yakubus or his relatives are told, also in the Brandenburg land the Elector or his close people or their bailiffs will tell him why now of His Royal Majesty in the seal above the eagle there are three crowns with other images? And Vasily tell them: the double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the power of our great sovereign, His Royal Majesty, above which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great: Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest of His Royal Majesty, our most merciful sovereign power. and command." Next comes the description, which several months later was announced not only “to the surrounding states”, but also Russian citizens. On December 14, 1667, in the personal decree “On the royal title and on the state seal” we read “Description of the seal Russian state: “The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Little and White Russia, the Autocrat, His Tsarist Majesty of the Russian Kingdom, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great, Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, glorious Kingdoms, repenting to the God-protected and highest power and command of His Royal Majesty the Most Gracious Sovereign; on the right side of the eagle there are three cities, and according to the description in the title, Great and Little and White Russia, on the left side of the eagle three cities with their writings form the Eastern, Western and Northern; under the eagle is the sign of the father and grandfather (father and grandfather - N.S.); on the perch (on the chest - N.S.) image of the heir; in paznok-teh (in the claws – N.S.) scepter and apple (power – N.S.), represent the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty, Autocrat and Possessor.”

The most experienced codifier and jurist Mikhail Mikhailovich Speransky, a luminary of the Russian bureaucracy, based on the text of the decree, subsequently unambiguously qualified this image as a “sovereign coat of arms.” A similar seal with a corresponding new name was used by Tsars Fyodor Alekseevich, Ivan Alekseevich in a joint reign with Peter Alekseevich, and Peter Alekseevich himself - Peter I.

Great power See also " Foreign policy", "Nation" A big empire, like a big pie, begins to crumble at the edges. Benjamin Franklin The smaller the citizens, the larger the empire appears. Stanislaw Jerzy Lec Other nations “use force”; we Brits are demonstrating