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

During times Kievan Rus The great princes had their own princely seals, on which were placed images of an attacking falcon - the family sign of the Rurikovichs.

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

In Muscovite Rus', under Ivan III, who was married by dynastic marriage to the latter’s niece Byzantine Emperor Sophia Paleologue, 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's seal of Ivan III sealed in 1497 his “exchange and allotment” charter for the land holdings of the appanage princes. From this 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, and Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European countries, and its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the first all-Russian Code of Law was adopted - a unified set 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 Garnet 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 St. George the Victorious appeared - one of ancient symbols princely power in Rus'. St. George the Victorious is placed in a shield on the chest of a double-headed eagle, crowned with one or two crowns topped with a cross.

Late 16th – early 17th centuries

During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, the sign of the passion of Christ appears between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle - calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious connotation to the state emblem. The appearance of the Calvary cross in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the establishment of the patriarchate and ecclesiastical independence of Russia in 1589.

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 double-headed eagle with St. George the Victorious on the chest is crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

17th century

It's over Time of Troubles, Russia repelled claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, and the uprisings that flared in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision of the Zemsky Sobor, the Romanov dynasty began to rule in Russia. Under the first king of this dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich - the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, the double-headed eagle was depicted for the first time under three crowns. In 1645, under the second king of the dynasty, Alexei Mikhailovich, the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a double-headed eagle with St. George the Victorious on the chest was crowned with three crowns. From that time on, this type of image was constantly used.

The next stage of changing the State Emblem came after the Pereyaslav Rada, the entry of Ukraine into the Russian state. TO letter of commendation Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky dated March 27, 1654 was given a seal on which for the first time a double-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 came out of the printing press in Moscow - main book Christianity. It is no coincidence that it depicted the State Emblem of Russia and gave a poetic “explanation” of it:

The eastern eagle shines with three crowns,

Shows faith, hope, love for God,

The wings are spread out to embrace all the worlds of the end,

North South, from the east all the way to the west of the sun

Goodness covers with outstretched wings.

In 1667, after a long war between Russia and Poland over Ukraine, the Truce of Andrusovo was concluded. To seal this agreement, a Great Seal with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with St. George on the chest, with a scepter and orb in its paws.

Peter's time

During the reign of Peter I, a new emblem was included in 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 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 insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and the symbol of the Russian Navy. Since 1699, there have been images of a double-headed eagle surrounded by a chain with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew. And next year the Order of St. Andrew is placed on the 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 the eagle imperial crowns.

From the first quarter of the 18th century, the colors of the double-headed eagle became 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.” In 1736, Empress Anna Ioanovna invited a Swiss engraver, who by 1740 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.

IN a short time During the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy - Napoleonic France. After French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took 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 eagle’s chest, under the Maltese crown, was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “indigenous coat of arms of Russia”), superimposed on the Maltese cross.

Paul I did 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 above-described coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the others. 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 appears. The shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The entire composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - a heraldic symbol of sovereignty. From behind the shield with coats of arms emerge two standards with a double-headed and a single-headed eagles. This project has not been finalized.

Soon after ascending 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

Images of the double-headed eagle at this time were very diverse: it could have one or three crowns; in its paws are not only the now traditional scepter and orb, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), and 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 Nicholas Pavlovich the First, the simultaneous existence of two types of state eagle was officially established.

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 orb in its paws. The second type was an eagle with raised wings, on which the titular coats of arms were depicted: on the right - Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, on the left - Polish, Tauride, Finland. For some time, another version was in circulation - with the coats of arms of the three “main” Old Russian Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir and Novgorod lands) and three kingdoms - Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian. An eagle under three crowns, with St. George (as the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Moscow) in a shield on the chest, with a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

Mid-19th century

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, the type of state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. At the same time, St. George on the eagle’s chest, 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 coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Tauride Chersonese and the combined coat of arms of the Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left were 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: Big, Middle 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, Middle and Small state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of the main and lower official places and persons were approved. In total, one hundred and ten drawings were approved in one act. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new coats of arms and the rules for their use.

Large State Emblem of 1882.

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, imperial crowns began to be depicted like real diamond crowns used at coronations.

The design of the Great Coat of Arms of the Empire was finally approved on November 3, 1882, when the coat of arms of Turkestan was added to the title coats of arms.

Small State Emblem of 1883

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two versions of the Small coat of arms were approved. In January 1895, the highest order was given to leave unchanged the drawing of the state eagle made by academician A. Charlemagne.

The latest 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 February Revolution In 1917, Masonic organizations gained power in Russia, which formed their own Provisional Government and, among other things, a commission to prepare a new coat of arms of Russia. One of the leading artists on the commission was N.K. Roerich (aka Sergei Makranovsky), a famous freemason, who later decorated the design of the American dollar with Masonic symbols. The Masons plucked the coat of arms and deprived it of all the attributes of sovereignty - the crown, scepter, orbs, the wings of the eagle were limply lowered down, which symbolized the submission of the Russian state to the Masonic plans.. Subsequently, after the victory of the August revolution of 1991, when the Masons again felt strength, the image of the Double-Headed Eagle , adopted in February 1917, was to again become the official coat of arms of Russia. The 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 an eagle, model February 1917, continued to be used as an official image even after 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 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, secured with a red ribbon with the inscription “Workers 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 republics, was included in the coat of arms of the RSFSR.

In 1992, the last change to 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 almost never carried out, 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 Second Congress of Soviets on January 31, 1924, officially legalized the new coat of arms. At first it had three turns of red ribbon on each half of the wreath. On each turn was placed the motto “Workers of all countries, unite!” in Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian, Turkic-Tatar languages. In the mid-1930s, a round with a motto in Latinized Turkic was added, and the Russian version migrated to the central baldric.

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, Karelo-Finnish, the motto in Finnish was removed from the coat of arms, until the end of the existence of the USSR there were 15 ribbons on the coat of arms with mottos (one of them - the Russian version - on the central sling).

National emblem Russian Federation 1993.

On November 5, 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and 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 occurred 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 preserves historical continuity in the colors of the coats of arms of the late 15th - 17th centuries. The eagle design goes back to images on monuments from the era of Peter the Great. Above the heads of the eagle are depicted three historical crowns of Peter the Great, symbolizing in the new conditions the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, the subjects of the Federation; in the paws there is a scepter and an orb, personifying state power and a unified 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, and the defense of the Fatherland.

The restoration of the double-headed eagle as the State Emblem of Russia personifies 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 Russian history and continues them in the third millennium.

Russian Civilization

The appearance of a double-headed eagle in Rus' under Ivan III

The double-headed eagle is not one of the signs widely known to Russian tradition before the end of the 15th century. There are images of double-headed eagles in Russia, but they are extremely few in number and are not the rule, but the exception.

The first known images date back to the 10th century: these are plaques (costume decorations) from the Gnezdovo burial mound and from the Osipova Hermitage. There is a well-known decorative tile with a double-headed eagle, found on the banks of the Dniester in the town of Vysilevo (Northern Bukovina) - it dates back to the 12th-13th centuries, double-headed eagles in the paintings of the Nativity Cathedral in Suzdal (13th century). A coin dates back to the 14th century and depicts an original figure: a man with two heads and eagle wings.

Researchers have suggested that these rare and atypical images for Russia were probably borrowed from the east. IN X-XIII centuries Russian lands had fairly active trade relations with Persia (Iran) and Arab countries; after the establishment of the power of the Golden Horde over Russia, relations with the Arab, Persian and Central Asian east were carried out through the Horde.

The first image of the Russian state emblem, the double-headed eagle, that has survived to this day dates back to 1497. It is placed on the reverse side of the seal of Ivan III Vasilyevich (1462-1505).

Ivan III is one of the greatest figures Russian history. Its significance is determined by the fact that it created a unified Russian state.

Having established his power in the new, unified Russian state, Ivan III took care to reflect this in the main means of demonstrating his rights - the press. With its help, it was reported that the document was indeed issued on behalf of the one who attached the seal to it. A ruler who had any territories under his control spent a long time trying to gain the right to use his seal, since without this he did not consider his power legitimate and was not recognized by other rulers.

The seal of 1497 is such a seal. It has a front and back side. The front side of the seal of 1497 depicts the sign of the Moscow princes - the rider: a horseman killing a dragon (snake) with a spear. On the reverse side is a double-headed eagle, each head of which is crowned. The double-headed eagle had a fundamentally new meaning. If earlier symbols associated with the prince personally were placed on the reverse sides (for example, the patron saint of the prince), now the reverse side of the seal was occupied by the symbol of the state that the prince controls. This symbol became a double-headed eagle and the seal thus acquired a harmonious logical meaning: the front side spoke about who exactly owned this seal, and the back side spoke about which country the owner of the seal ruled.

Here it is appropriate to ask the question: why the double-headed eagle? What considerations guided Ivan III when he chose this sign as a symbol of our country? The answer to this question is complex: history has not preserved for us sources that would allow us to draw an accurate conclusion. We can only make assumptions and analyze their likelihood.

From the history of the existence of the double-headed eagle in other countries, several assumptions can be made:

The double-headed eagle was adopted following the example of the Holy Roman Empire.

The double-headed eagle was adopted by Russia from the Balkan countries.

The double-headed eagle was borrowed by Russia from Byzantium.

What speaks against the first version is that Russia did not adopt the same form of the double-headed eagle that was adopted in the West. The Russian eagle had attributes unknown to the West - crowns on their heads, and a different color scheme (golden eagle on red, in the West - black eagle on gold).

Russia also actively developed ties with the Balkan countries (Moldova, Wallachia, Bulgaria) and the Balkan influence was especially strong in the cultural sphere. However, in the political environment, the Balkan influence and significance of the Balkan problems was incomparably less than the influence of the Byzantine and Western issues.

The third version is the most preferable. Of course, Ivan III supported the idea of ​​Russia as the heir of Byzantium. It was actively emphasized that after the fall of Byzantium, Russia remained the last stronghold of Orthodoxy. Ivan III married the niece of the last Byzantine emperor, the Russian court tried to follow Byzantine traditions. The sovereign himself began to strive to call himself “tsar.” However, it must be remembered that the double-headed eagle in Byzantium was not in the full sense of the word a state emblem, and did not quite correspond to the nature of the new state sign that Ivan III needed.

Thus, each version of the reasons for Ivan III’s choice of a double-headed eagle as state symbol is solid... and unprovable. It is quite possible that all three factors - Byzantine, Western European and Balkan influence - together contributed to shaping the decision of Ivan III. In fact, something else is important: in those years when the unified Russian state was born, the state emblem of the new country was created. It became the double-headed eagle - and this symbol is inextricably linked with Russia to this day, for more than 500 years.

Already at the very beginning of the development of the Russian coat of arms, we see its intertwining with the history of Rus'. An interesting fact is that the eagle on the seals of John III was depicted with a closed beak and looked more like an eaglet than an eagle. If you look at Russia of that period, you can see that it is a young state that is just beginning to take shape as a centralized one.

Grand Duke Vasily III Ivanovich (1505-1533) turned out to be the successor of his father’s work in all respects. Under him, the expansion and strengthening of the unified Russian state, its symbolic support also developed. It is noteworthy that the double-headed eagle is depicted with open beaks, from which tongues protrude. If we approach it from a purely artistic point of view, we can say that the eagle is starting to get angry. At the same time, having examined Russia at that time, we note that it was strengthening its position and becoming a new center of Orthodoxy.

An important innovation was that the seal with a double-headed eagle gradually began to be used more often, began to stand out among other grand ducal seals and acquired the status of the main - state - seal of the Grand Duke. Most international treaties and documents Vasily III It was certified by a seal with a double-headed eagle.

Under Ivan IV the Terrible (1533-1584), several important changes took place in the state press.

In the 1560s. the double-headed eagle is transferred from the reverse side of the seals to the front and, thus, the sign of the state occupies a more honorable place on the seals than the sign of the ruler himself. At the same time, along with the traditional horseman, it began to be used as a royal sign. new symbol- unicorn. The second important innovation of the 1560s was the combination of state and royal signs in one symbol. For this purpose, the royal sign (horseman or unicorn) was located in the shield on the chest of the double-headed eagle on the front side of the seal.

The next change in the seal occurs in 1577-78. Instead of the two crowns that crowned the eagle's heads, there is one large five-pronged crown with an eight-pointed Orthodox cross above it. All symbols used in the personal symbolism of John IV are taken from the Psalter, which indicates the rooting of Christianity in Rus'.

During the reign of John IV, Rus' won decisive victories over the Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms and annexed Siberia. The growth of the power of the Russian state was also reflected in its coat of arms: twenty-four emblems of the lands that were part of the Russian state began to be placed around it. The very fact of the appearance of territorial emblems on the large state seal is very indicative: for the first time, a Russian sovereign, with the help of a state symbol, tried to demonstrate how great his power was and exactly what main lands were included in it.

The image of the Moscow coat of arms on the chest of an eagle becomes traditional. However, in accordance with the ancient Russian icon painting tradition, St. George is facing the right side of the viewer, which contradicts the heraldic rules.

Tsar Fyodor I Ivanovich (1584-1598), who succeeded Ivan IV, made a change to the state symbol - on his seal (1589) the double-headed eagle is again depicted with two crowns, and between the heads of the eagle an eight-pointed Orthodox cross on Calvary is placed

On both the front and back sides of the seal, the eagle has a shield with a rider on its chest.

Probably, the rejection of the innovations of Ivan IV (one crown, unicorn) could serve as Fyodor Ivanovich’s desire to show that in his reign he intended to rely on the experience of the wise and zealous reigns of his grandfather (Vasily III) and great-grandfather (Ivan III), and not the cruel methods of his father. The appearance of the cross can be explained by the deepest and sincere religiosity characteristic of Fyodor Ivanovich, who wanted to reflect the God-protected state of his state and the primacy of spiritual values ​​over worldly ones.

Tsar Boris Godunov (1598-1605), who reigned after Fyodor I, used the same eagle as under Fyodor Ivanovich (with two crowns and a cross), but a unicorn was occasionally placed in the shield on the eagle’s chest.

The Time of Troubles that followed led to a rapid change of rulers on the Russian throne, of which the most interesting mark on the development of Russian state heraldry was left by Tsar Dmitry (False Dmitry I) (1605-1606).

Having ascended to the Russian throne with the help of Polish-Lithuanian troops, and being in constant contact with the Poles and Lithuanians who arrived in Moscow with him, False Dmitry accepted a seal with a new design of the state symbol. The double-headed eagle was adjusted in accordance with Western European heraldic traditions. On the seal of False Dmitry (1600), a double-headed eagle was depicted with its wings spread and raised upward. The eagle's heads were crowned with two traditional crowns, and above them was a third one - larger in size and with a different design. Finally, the rider in the shield on the chest of the double-headed eagle was turned visually to the left (while traditionally in Russia the rider was depicted visually turned to the right).

The reign of False Dmitry was short-lived and ended ingloriously. The Time of Troubles ended with the enthronement of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich (1596-1645). This put an end to the Troubles, which, in the period between the death of Ivan the Terrible and the accession to the throne of Mikhail Romanov, undermined the spirit of the Russian people and almost eradicated Russian statehood. Russia was on the path to prosperity and greatness. During this period, the eagle on the coat of arms “started up” and spread its wings for the first time, which could mean the “awakening” of Russia after a long sleep, and the beginning of a new era in the history of the state.

The eagle's heads were crowned with two crowns, but between them an Orthodox cross was alternately placed (until the 1640s), then a third larger crown, which gradually replaced the symbol of Orthodoxy and by the middle of the 17th century became an indispensable attribute of the Russian coat of arms.

By this period, Russia had completely completed its unification and had already managed to become a single and fairly strong state, and the three crowns probably meant the Holy Trinity. However, this was interpreted by many as a symbol of the unity of Great Russians, Little Russians and Belarusians. On the chest of the double-headed eagle there was a shield with a rider (on the seal of 1625, the rider, still according to the tradition of False Dmitry, was visually turned to the left, but since 1627 the rider has turned to the traditional right side for Russia). In 1620 - early 1640s. an image of a unicorn is sometimes placed on one side of the seal on the eagle's chest, but by the mid-1640s. The unicorn finally disappears from the composition of the state emblem.

During the reign of the next sovereign - Alexei Mikhailovich (1645 - 1676) - Russia strengthened, expanded and gathered strength for the breakthrough in development that it was destined to make under his son - Peter the Great (1682-1725). The state symbol is being clarified and, for the first time, purposefully adjusted in accordance with heraldic rules.

The Russian state occupies a fairly significant place next to European states. The state eagle of Alexei Mikhailovich was the prototype of subsequent official images of the Russian armorial eagle. The eagle's wings are raised high and fully open, which symbolized the complete assertion of Russia as a solid and powerful state; Its heads are crowned with three royal crowns, symbolizing God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit. On the chest there is a shield with the Moscow coat of arms, in the paws there is a scepter and an orb

An interesting fact is that before the attributes of monarchical power appeared in the eagle’s paws, the eagle’s claws gradually unclenched, as if in the hope of grabbing something, until they took the orb and the scepter, thereby symbolizing the establishment of absolute monarchy in Rus'.

In 1672, the first official collection of the main state emblems was compiled in Russia. The "Titular Book" opened with the image of a golden double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a scepter and an orb in its paws (without a rider on its chest). The signature under the drawing read “Moscow” - that is, the double-headed eagle was presented as the coat of arms of the Moscow land - the heart of the united Russian state - and, accordingly, the general symbol of all of Russia.

The 17th century left us not only numerous seals, coins and documents, but also a large number of other carriers of images of the state emblem. At this time, the double-headed eagle began to be actively placed in architectural compositions, on state regalia, banners, weapons, various items of palace life and everyday life of the Russian nobility. Numerous decorative and military weapons with double-headed eagles, cups and other ceremonial dishes, household items and gifts (caskets, furniture, etc.). It is likely that such a use of the double-headed eagle took place before (for example, there is information that decorative red tiles with golden double-headed eagles decorated the Faceted Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin under Ivan III), but the merciless passage of time and, especially, the destructive events of the Time of Troubles led to the fact that regalia and household items XV-XVI centuries with the coat of arms have hardly survived to this day.

In 1654, a crowned golden double-headed eagle was installed on the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin, and in 1688 - on the spiers of the Trinity and Borovitskaya towers.

After the death of Alexei Mikhailovich, Russia was ruled for a short time by his eldest son, Tsar Feodor II Alekseevich (1676-1682). After his death, half-brothers Ivan V and Peter I were simultaneously elevated to the throne.

This period is interesting from the point of view of the development of state symbols in that the image on the chest of a double-headed eagle, always understood as a conventional portrait of the Grand Duke or Tsar, now develops into a documentally accurate one, and sometimes the rider is completely replaced by a portrait of the sovereign

Thus, on the regimental Streltsy banner of 1695, on the chest of a double-headed eagle, Tsars Ivan and Peter are depicted sitting on two thrones. On the personal banner of Sofia Alekseevna in the 1680s. A portrait of the ruler was placed on the eagle's chest. On the soldier’s banner of 1696, on the chest of an eagle there is a depiction of a rider who resembles Peter, and on another banner, instead of a rider, the shield on the chest of the eagle is occupied by a horseman with a sword in his hand, whose portrait resemblance to Peter is quite obvious.

After 1700, the conventional rider returns to the chest of the double-headed eagle. The tradition of combining portraits of the king with the state coat of arms has been preserved, but it has received a new development. Officially, the coat of arms remains a double-headed eagle with a rider on its chest. And the portraits of the king superimposed on the coat of arms are used only for decorative and allegorical purposes.

The turn of the 17th-18th centuries became another turning point in the history of our country. The new sovereign, Peter I, decisively directed Russia along the path of Europeanization and ushered in a period of major reforms that affected all aspects of Russian life without exception. The rapid flow of Peter's reforms did not leave aside state symbols.

Almost throughout the reign of Peter, Russia waged incessant wars and the means of warfare - the army - was the object of the autocrat's constant concerns. Peter also thought about a single symbol of the army. St. Andrew's Cross was chosen as such a sign.

The blue St. Andrew's cross placed on a white cloth became the flag of the Russian navy, which to this day bears the name St. Andrew's flag. But it is especially important that the symbolism of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called has become an integral part of the state emblem since the time of Peter I. In Peter's time, the badge of the order was worn on a neck chain consisting of various decorative links

And since 1700, the sign and chain of the order have been included directly in the coat of arms: the chain is depicted surrounding a shield with a rider on the chest of a double-headed eagle, and the sign of the order, attached to the chain, is located directly under this shield.

The second significant change in the state emblem under Peter I is associated with a rethinking of the meaning of the rider on the chest of the double-headed eagle. Since the 1710s. the ancient rider, according to European tradition, is beginning to be defined as an image of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George. The coloring of this element was established: the shield had a red field, the rider was depicted as silver, and the dragon he defeated was black.

Third significant change The coat of arms of Peter's time was the establishment of a certain type of crown crowning the double-headed eagle. Since 1710, first on seals, and then on coins and other symbols, imperial crowns begin to be depicted above the heads of the eagle. At the same time, the middle - large - crown received a traditional heraldic design: with ribbons (infuls) emanating from it, touching the other two crowns. Peter’s choice of imperial crowns was not accidental: this demonstrated the complete independence of Russia and its absolute freedom in its power rights. Note that imperial crowns appeared in the Russian coat of arms more than ten years before Russia was proclaimed an Empire, and Peter himself took the title of Emperor.

Fourth and last change The state emblem in Peter's time began to change colors. In 1721 our country was proclaimed an Empire. In connection with the new state structure, the colors of the state emblem were also changed: following the example of the only empire that existed at that time - the Holy Roman Empire - the double-headed eagle of the Russian coat of arms was made black with golden beaks, tongues, eyes, paws and attributes (scepter, orb in paws and crowns above their heads). The field also turned golden. On the eagle’s chest there is a red shield with an image of a silver horseman - St. George - slaying a black dragon with a spear. The shield on the eagle's chest was surrounded by a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, the sign of which was located on the chain under the shield with St. George

Thus, the coat of arms of our country acquired those basic heraldic characteristics that remained for almost 200 years, until the collapse of the Russian Empire in 1917.

In 1722, Peter established the office of the king of arms (1722-1796) and the position of king of arms.

The post-Petrine era is characterized by an intense struggle at the top of state power, known as the “era of palace coups,” which in the 30s of the 18th century led to excessive influence in the state of immigrants from Germany, which did not at all contribute to the strengthening of Russia.

In 1740, the Swiss engraver Gedlinger, invited by Anna Ioannovna to Russia in 1736, made a state seal, which was used until 1856 and, in essence, consolidated the classic appearance of the Russian double-headed eagle.

Until the end of the 18th century, there were no fundamental changes in the design of the coat of arms, however, specific features corresponding to the reign of emperors and empresses, especially during the times of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great, were noticeable. At this time, the eagle looks more like an eagle than an eagle. Oddly enough, during the time of Catherine II, the state emblem remained almost unchanged, although, as is known, she carried out a large number of reforms in the field of government and education. He chose to maintain continuity and traditionalism.

New significant changes to the composition of the state emblem were made only at the very end of the 18th century - during the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801).

Paul's innovations in the field of the state emblem affected, first of all, two points.

1. The coat of arms itself was changed. In 1798, the Emperor took under his protection the island of Malta, located in the center of the Mediterranean Sea, on which there existed a sovereign knightly state - the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Paul accepted the title of Master of the Order - head of the Maltese state. In the same year, the main symbols of the Order of Malta were introduced into the Russian state emblem.

The symbols of the order were a white equal-armed cross with widening, deeply chipped ends (“Maltese cross”) and the master’s crown. In the Russian state emblem, the Maltese cross was located on the chest of a double-headed eagle under a shield with a rider. The upper end of the cross was crowned with the crown of the Master of the Order of Malta. At the same time, the insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was excluded from the coat of arms.

2. An attempt was made 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 above-described coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the others. 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 appears. The shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The entire composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - a heraldic symbol of sovereignty. From behind the shield with coats of arms emerge two standards with a double-headed and a single-headed eagles. The large Russian coat of arms was supposed to symbolize the internal unity and power of Russia. However, Paul I's project was not implemented.

Emperor Alexander I Pavlovich (1801-1825), who succeeded Paul I, just two months after ascending the throne - April 26, 1801 - abolished the use of the Maltese cross and crown as part of the state coat of arms and returned the chain and sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. The abolition of Maltese symbols was due to the fact that Alexander I, realizing the groundlessness of his claims to the island of Malta and not seeing the point in supporting the Order of Malta, refused to accept the title of Master and ceased the existence of the order on Russian territory.

Under Alexander, the tradition of freedom of artistic design for the state emblem developed. Not only were various artistic interpretations of the design of the coat of arms used, but also variants of its solution that seriously differed from the approved coat of arms in their heraldic composition.

Along with the traditional solution of the state emblem: an eagle with raised wings, under three crowns, with a scepter and an orb in its paws and surrounded by a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and with a shield with St. George on the chest. The image of the coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with widely spread and downward-pointing wings has become widespread. In such a composition of the coat of arms, instead of three crowns over the heads of the eagle, one was often used, the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was not used, and in the paws of the eagle, instead of a scepter and orb, a sword, a laurel wreath or lightning bolts (peruns) were placed.

Nicholas I

After the death of Alexander I, the throne went to his younger brother, Emperor Nicholas I Pavlovich (1825-1855). During his reign, the issues of using the state emblem were streamlined.

Nicholas I established two types of state symbol. The first - intended for use on state regalia, seals and banknotes - corresponded to the ancient Russian tradition and represented a black double-headed eagle in a golden field with wings spread and raised upward, with golden eyes, beaks, tongues and paws. The eagle was crowned with three imperial crowns, had a scepter and orb in its claws, and on its chest was a red shield surrounded by the chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, with a silver rider placed in it, striking a black dragon with a spear. An innovation of Nicholas I was the placement on the wings of the eagle of six coats of arms (three on each wing) of the main lands that were part of the Russian Empire: Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian (on the right wing), Polish, Tauride and Finland (on the left wing).

The second type of state emblem - intended mainly for military symbols and for decorative purposes - was a double-headed eagle, which came into use under Alexander I: a black double-headed eagle with golden eyes, beaks and paws, had wings spread and pointing downwards, crowned with one gold imperial crown, had a red shield on his chest with a silver horseman in a blue cloak - Saint George, striking a black dragon with a spear, and in his paws - a sword (or a sword and lightning) and a laurel wreath

Both types of state emblem, established under Nicholas I, were used until the end of the Russian Empire. At the same time, the first type (an eagle with raised wings) became increasingly widespread as the main, official version of the coat of arms, and the second type became most widespread in the symbolism of government departments, primarily the army and navy.

At the end of the reign of Nicholas I, attention was paid to streamlining the work of the state heraldic service, which had long before eked out a miserable existence. The service was transformed into a separate department of the Senate, called the Department of Heraldry, and within this department a special department was allocated specifically for heraldry - the Arms Department. Baron B. Köhne was appointed manager of the Armorial Department of the Department of Heraldry, leaving a large and unique mark on the development of Russian heraldry, in particular state heraldry.

The first thing he noticed was the state emblem. According to Köhne, the coat of arms needed improvement in order to bring it into line with the rules of heraldry. The idea of ​​Paul I to create a large coat of arms of the Russian Empire was revived, and Koehne went further, proposing three variations of the state symbol: Large, Middle and Small coats of arms.

Prepared by Köhne and executed by the artist Alexander Fadeev, a new drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia was approved by Emperor Alexander I on December 8, 1856. The main elements of the coat of arms, in general, have been preserved. The number of shields with land emblems on the wings of a double-headed eagle was changed: there were eight such shields. On the right wing were the coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Tauride and Vladimir, Kiev and Novgorod combined in one shield. On the left wing are the coats of arms of Astrakhan, Siberian, Georgian and Finnish. In addition, the turn of the rider on the chest of the double-headed eagle was changed: from now on, St. George began to look to the left

On April 11, 1857, the Great, Middle and Small coats of arms of the Russian Empire, the coats of arms of members of the imperial family, the family coat of arms of the emperor, drawings of the new Large, Middle and Small state seals, arks for seals, drawings of seals for the main and lower offices and officials were approved by the Highest. . In total, one act approved one hundred and ten drawings lithographed by A. Beggrov. For more than half a century - until 1917 - the state symbol of Russia retained the basic features that were given to it in 1856-57.

In its final form, the Great Coat of Arms was formed by 1883 and remained so until 1917. He was depicted on the large state seal, on thrones, canopies, in halls intended for meetings at the Imperial Court and for meetings of the highest government places. By means of heraldic symbolism, it reflects the triune essence of the Russian idea - for the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland.

In the center of the Great Coat of Arms is the state emblem of Russia - a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield. On the eagle's chest is the Moscow coat of arms - St. St. George the Victorious, piercing the serpent. The coat of arms of Russia is crowned with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. On both sides of the coat of arms of Russia there are shield holders: Archangel Michael with a fiery sword and Archangel Gabriel - the heavenly patrons and intercessors of Russia. Around the shield is a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. The central part is covered with a golden canopy in the form of a tent, lined with ermine. The Russian motto is inscribed on the canopy: ‘God is with us’. Above it is placed the imperial crown and the state banner, with a double-headed eagle and an eight-pointed cross. Around the main shield are shields with the coats of arms of the Kingdoms and Grand Duchies, crowned with appropriate crowns. The prototypes of the crowns were the real historical crowns of Russian sovereigns: the Cap of Monomakh, the Kazan Cap of John IV Vasilyevich, the Diamond Cap of Peter 1, the Crown of Anna Ioannovna, etc. In the upper part of the Great Coat of Arms there are shields with the coats of arms of the territories that are part of Russia.

The circular arrangement of the coats of arms emphasizes the equality between them, and the central location of the coat of arms of Moscow - the desire for the unity of Rus' around Moscow - the historical center. The large coat of arms creates a monumental image of the great, united and indivisible Russia, which it was at that time. Here we find another obvious relationship between heraldry and state history.

The large coat of arms of Russia is framed by laurel and oak branches. They symbolize glory, honor, merit (laurel branches), valor and courage (oak branches).

Under Emperor Alexander III in 1882-83, the drawings of the Greater and Middle State Emblems were refined: they were supplemented with the coats of arms of the new lands that became part of Russia and the imperial title, and the outlines of the details were slightly changed (including the shield holders - the archangels Michael and Gabriel). The color of the imperial crowns crowning the double-headed eagle also changed - they became silver.

The reign of Ivan Vasilyevich (1462-1505) was the most important stage in the process of creating a unified Russian state. This is the time of the formation of the main territory of Russia, its final liberation from the Mongol yoke and the formation of the political foundations of a centralized state.

In the 15th century, the term “Russia” appeared for the first time in written sources. From then on, we began to be called Ros State.

In January 1478, the Novgorod authorities capitulated, the veche was cancelled, the veche bell was removed and taken to Moscow, instead of posadniks and thousanders, Moscow governors now ruled in Novgorod.

Ivan III also began streamlining legislation. In 1497, a new collection of laws was published - the Code of Laws. The new collection of laws established a unified procedure for judicial and administrative activities. Laws on land use, especially the law on St. George's Day, occupied an important place in the Code of Laws. In Rus' there was an old custom: in the fall, after harvesting, peasants could move from one owner to another. By the beginning of the 16th century. this custom took on the character of a disaster: the peasants left their master even before the harvest, and often the fields remained unharvested. The Code of Law of Ivan III limited the right of peasants to transfer from one owner to another to two weeks a year - before and after St. George's Day (November 26). The formation of serfdom began in Rus'.

Under Ivan III, important changes took place in the system government controlled: the process of forming an unlimited monarchy began. The reasons for the formation of an unlimited monarchy are Mongol and Byzantine influence.

Ivan III was the first of the Russian princes to pursue a policy of increasing the power of the Grand Duke. Before this, appanage princes and boyars were free servants. At their own request, they could serve the Moscow Grand Duke or go to serve in Lithuania and Poland. Now they began to swear allegiance to the Moscow prince and sign special oaths.

In 1497, Ivan III for the first time, as the coat of arms of the Moscow state, adopted the unofficial coat of arms of Byzantium - the double-headed eagle - a sacred religious symbol (By this time, the double-headed eagle in Byzantium symbolized the unity of spiritual and secular power, in our country: the interests of the Russian state extend in both directions ). Under him, signs of grand-princely dignity were adopted: the “Monomakh cap”, which became a symbol of autocracy, precious mantles - barmas and a scepter. A private seal was also introduced. After adopting the coat of arms and seal, he forced himself to be called “Sovereign of All Rus'.”

At the end of his life, I III realized that all his efforts could fail. The consequence of this was the decree on succession to the throne: power is transferred to the eldest son, then to the middle one, etc.

The growing state from now on had no right to share with its capital in Moscow. The remaining princes were given lands on the outskirts. The land cannot be divided after the death of the prince.

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

Seal of Ivan III

Seal of Ivan III

Historians who studied ancient seals - this area of ​​​​science is studied by scientists who devoted themselves to sphragistics - drew attention to the unusual seal that sealed the grant, exchange and allotment charter of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III (1440-1505), given in 1497 to the Volotsk princes - brothers Fedor and Ivan Borisovich.

The charter made it possible to resolve issues of ownership and use of land, and also provided some privileges to one and the other brother, whose father was younger son Tsar Vasily the Dark - Boris. Boris was the brother of Ivan III, and the Volotsk princes - Fedor and Ivan - were nephews of the Grand Duke of Moscow. Three years before this letter was given to Fyodor and Ivan, their father died, and it became necessary to resolve the issues that arose between the orphaned brothers, their uncle and guardian Ivan III Vasilyevich. However, this letter would remain one of hundreds of its kind if it were not for the seal attached to it.

It is impossible not to pay attention to this seal. It differed from all previous princely seals primarily in color (the imprint was made not of black or light wax, but of red), and also exclusively high quality imprint and a circular legend containing the full title of the Grand Duke of Moscow, established by 1490. The main difference between the seal was its visual components. On the front side there is a horseman in military armor and a flowing cloak, striking a dragon (winged serpent) in the neck with a spear. The circular inscription denotes the title of Ivan III: “John B(O)BY THE LIVING GRACE LORD OF ALL Rus' AND THE GREAT KN(I)Z.” The reverse side of the seal is occupied by a double-headed eagle with crowns on its heads and with outstretched wings lowered down. It is surrounded by a legend, which is a continuation of the title on the front side: “AND THE GREAT KN(Y)Z. VLAD. And MOS. AND NEW. And PSK. AND TVE. And UGO. AND VYAT. AND PER. AND BOL.”

Let us restore the abbreviations made in the text on the reverse side of the seal: “And the Grand Duke of Vladimir, and Moscow, and Novgorod, and Pskov, and Tver, and Ugric, and Vyatka, and Perm, and Bulgaria.”

Icon of St. George from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. XII century

The designation of the prince's full title on the state seal, of course, was a very important circumstance. But even more significant was the fact that on both sides of the seal both St. George the Victorious, defeating the serpent, and the double-headed eagle appeared simultaneously - emblems that until then had existed in Rus' completely independently of each other. Subsequently, they will be combined in the State Emblem.

Highly appreciating the significance of this seal, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin in “History of the Russian State” accepted Vasily Nikitich Tatishchev’s version about Ivan III’s borrowing of the Byzantine eagle and wrote: “The Grand Duke began to use this coat of arms in 1497.”

Karamzin’s interpretation of V.N. Tatishchev’s version of the origin of the Russian state emblem turned out to be so accepted by Russian society that it turned into a political doctrine. In 1897, the 400th anniversary of the coat of arms was even celebrated, and a hundred years later, in 1997, already in new Russia, – its 500th anniversary.

Historians are still arguing: “Which and whose double-headed eagle - Byzantine or Western European - is depicted on the seal of Ivan III?” Arguing in favor of one version or another, few dispute the fact that the first image of a double-headed eagle on a state seal appeared in 1497. As well as the fact that two elements of the future State Emblem of Russia - St. George the Victorious and the double-headed eagle - are indicated together in the same place, although, of course, the seal could have appeared earlier. Academician Nikolai Petrovich Likhachev, for example, believed that the seal appeared in 1489, but the earliest document that fell into the hands of researchers, which was certified by it, was a letter from Ivan III to the Volotsk princes Fyodor and Ivan, dated 1497.

It was no coincidence that the dragon-slaying holy warrior George appeared on the front side of this state seal: George the Victorious was extremely popular in Rus' and was considered the heavenly patron of the Russian army. This holy great martyr was famous throughout the Christian world, although written evidence about him appeared much later than the time in which he lived, and dates back to the 4th–5th centuries.

Ivan III and his seal. 1497

State seal of Ivan III

Official Christian literature believes that George was born in Asia Minor (Cappadocia), belonged to the local nobility, and had a high military rank. The Roman Emperor Diocletian (284–305) fought against Christians. They forced him to renounce his faith in Christ and George, but, despite the cruel torment, he only renounced his military rank. According to legend, George was beheaded on April 23, 303. Such a death put him next to others Christian martyrs from the military class - Feodor Stratilat, Dmitry Solunsky. All of them were considered patrons of the “Christ-loving army.”

Popular rumor embellished the life of St. George with many legends. Among them is “The Miracle of George on the Dragon,” which has become one of the most beloved in Rus' and more famous than his church “Life.” This legend told how a giant man-eating dragon settled in a lake. Young men and girls were given to him to be eaten, until finally the lot fell on the king’s daughter. Standing on the shore, she waited for death, and at that time George rode up to the lake to water his horse. Contrary to the old tradition, when a hero defeats a monster in battle, George does not raise a weapon against the cannibal, but forces the dragon to submit by the power of prayer, drawing a cross on the ground.

As the legend says, George, “looking up to heaven,” turned to God with a prayer: “Listen to me, your unworthy servant, and show me your former mercies, and cast this fierce beast at my feet.” As soon as the serpent appeared from the water, Saint George exclaimed: “In the name of Jesus Christ, the son of God, submit, you cruel beast, and follow me.” The serpent fell at the feet of the saint, the princess threw her belt around the neck of the weakened monster and led him into the city on a leash, “like the most obedient dog.” Seeing their daughter alive and unharmed, and the monster tamed, the king and queen and all the pagan townspeople exclaimed, turning to the holy warrior: “Through you we believe in the one God Almighty and in his one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Life-Giving One.” Spirit". Then Saint George “drew his sword and cut off the head of the fierce beast.” And the king ordered to build a church in the name of George and decorated that church with gold, and silver, and expensive stones.

Saint George. Icon. 1st half XIV century

Note that in the described situation, George acts not just as a warrior, but as a holy preacher, whose strength is not only in weapons, but also in words.

George also performed other miracles. One of the Byzantine legends says that he protected livestock from theft, increasing their number. The Russian peasant considered the holy warrior the patron saint of cattle breeders and farmers (the name George in Greek means “farmer”), calling on him for help when their livestock was sick. The holy warrior and thieves were punished, compensating the victim a hundredfold for the stolen property. In a word, his exploits were varied, and that is why he gained the love of princes, peasants, and warriors.

This is expressed people's love in Russian verses “About Yegor the Brave.” By the will of the creators of the poems, George in them is the son of Sophia the Wise, reigning in Holy Rus'. From the “king of Demyanishch” he endures many torments for his faith, including 30 years of imprisonment in a dungeon. Then he is miraculously freed from captivity and walks through the Russian land, defending the faith of Christ. Proof of the nationwide veneration of St. George is the numerous stone, copper, wooden and even bone icons that have survived to this day, depicting him mainly as a dragon slayer. It is also represented on icons.

Icon of St. St. George the Victorious. XV–XVI centuries

Saint George was a model of class honor: in Byzantium - for the military nobility, in Western Europe- for chivalry, in Slavic countries- for princes. In the 11th century, he came to Kievan Rus primarily as a patron of princes, who began to consider him their heavenly intercessor, especially in military matters. One of the first Christian princes, Yaroslav Vladimirovich the Wise (baptized George), did especially a lot to glorify his holy patron: in Kiev he built a chapel in his honor in the Church of St. Sophia, opened a monastery, founded the city of Yuryev in Chudi, where he also built the St. George Church. The face of St. George also adorned the silver coins issued in Novgorod - silver coins (“Yaroslavl silver”).

Yaroslav Vladimirovich minted silver coins in Novgorod for a very short time - in 1014 - early 1015 - and did not resume their production during his reign in Kyiv. However, a unique metal seal (bulla) of Yaroslav the Wise, recently found in Novgorod, with his portrait and the inscription “YAROSLAV PRINCE OF RUSSIAN”, like a piece of silver, bears (on the reverse side) the image of the holy warrior George. According to academician V.L. Yanin, it dates back to the time of the final reign in Kyiv (1019–1054) of Yaroslav the Wise, who was considered “the prince of the entire Russian land.” Thus, the beginning of Russian statehood is recorded by official attributes depicting the face of St. George. George the warrior was always depicted with weapons: with a shield and a spear, sometimes with a sword.

Srebrenik of Yaroslav the Wise

If we consider that the name George belonged to the favorite names of Russian princes in baptism, then one can imagine how often Saint George the warrior “decorated” their signs of power. Thus, images of George are found on the seals of Yuri Dolgoruky and Grand Duke Yuri Vsevolodovich, who died on the City River in 1238, as well as many Russian princes whose proper name was not Yuri or George.

After the victory on the Kulikovo Field in 1380, the image of the holy dragon slayer undoubtedly became especially attractive for the Moscow princes. It is unlikely that they ignored his popularity among the people as an assistant in worldly affairs and a defender of Christianity. And the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III also singled him out as his patron.

Modern researchers write that by fighting for the unification of Russian lands, as well as for the right to be called “tsar,” Ivan III, as we would say now, “formed his image.” A special role was to be played by the prince’s struggle for the purity of faith, opposing it to infidels and apostates. The Church strongly supported Ivan III in this, calling on him to “stand firmly for Orthodox Christianity,” “defend your fatherland... from godless barbarians... godless lack of faith,” just as his great-grandfather (Dmitry Donskoy) “showed courage and bravery behind the Don... over those same as raw raw materials.”

The image of the defender of Orthodoxy corresponded perfectly to the image of George the Dragon Slayer, beloved in Rus'. There is much evidence of the special attention of Ivan III to this saint. For example, under his leadership, the main gates of the Kremlin are decorated with a sculpture of St. George the Victorious, and not without his knowledge, wooden sculptures of a dragon slayer are created, which, as researchers suggest, were intended for churches in the Moscow region. Finally, for his main seal, which differed from all previous ones, the Grand Duke of Moscow chose the image of the holy warrior George the serpent fighter, known throughout Rus'.

Saint George. Wooden sculpture. XV century;

However, according to the church canon, in any form of Russian art of this time (whether it be painting - iconography, small sculpture, sculpture) Saint George the Dragon Slayer has typical characteristic features: above the head there is a halo, left hand bent and holding the horse's reins, he hits the dragon in the mouth with a spear; The saint wears long clothes that almost cover his legs, making them appear short. In a similar way, George the Dragon Slayer was depicted on numerous images made of stone, metal, bone, wood and in sculptural monuments, not to mention icons.

On the seal of Ivan III - a red wax print - Saint George is not so canonical: there is no halo above his head, his hair seems to be pulled together by a wide bandage, both hands of the warrior embrace a spear, which strikes the dragon not in the throat, as in the Russian versions of “The Miracle of George on the Serpent” that time, but in the neck. The rider appears to be very long-legged due to his short military robe. Human power, will, pressure, desire to defeat the monster - this is what distinguishes the horseman depicted on the seal from the Russian icon-painting tradition. On the seal of Ivan III, Saint George the Serpent Fighter most closely resembles his incarnation in works of Western European art of the Renaissance, primarily Italian. In a similar form, St. George defeating the dragon is known not only in painting and sculpture, but also on Italian coins and medals.

The famous art historian Viktor Nikitich Lazarev, who studied Italian and Old Russian art for many years, devoted a lot of research to the artistic image of St. George. In it, V.N. Lazarev emphasized that it was Italian masters, who arrived in Moscow in the last quarter of the 15th century, brought the traditions of the Northern Italian Renaissance, “which were skillfully used to strengthen the authority of the Moscow Grand Duke.” Of course, first of all, this refers to the stone construction in the Kremlin, which was carried out by Italian architects. The Grand Duke of Moscow entrusted them with the improvement of the shrine of Moscow - the Kremlin, where the Italians erected the Assumption and Archangel Cathedrals, the Spasskaya and Tainitskaya towers, and the Faceted Chamber.

Georgy Zmeeborets. White stone sculpture from the Frolovskaya (Spasskaya) tower of the Moscow Kremlin. 1464

But the Italians were engaged in more than just construction in Moscow. There were many of them among the foreign silversmiths whom Ivan III invited to work in the capital. And the “architects” themselves (the builders of the Kremlin cathedrals) knew coinage and carving. It is known, for example, that the great Aristotle Fioravanti was also a carver of coin stamps, and in his youth, according to the requirements of his era, he acquired thorough knowledge in the field of coinage.

Ivan Vasilyevich, the Grand Duke of Moscow, who entrusted the improvement of the Kremlin to Italian architects, could entrust Italian medalists with the production of a new seal, the symbolism of which corresponded to his power aspirations during the creation of a unified Russian state.

It was in Northern Italy, with which the Moscow princes established contacts since the middle of the 15th century and from where the “architects” mainly came to Moscow, that the image of St. George the Victorious was especially widespread at that time. His courageous appearance is depicted on many coins and medals of Lombardy and its neighboring regions.

A picturesque image of St. George.

The absence of a canon in the image of George the Victorious on the seal of Ivan III Vasilyevich and the seals of subsequent Russian sovereigns made George, in the minds of the Russian people, a “man on a horse,” a “king,” if the rider wore a crown.

Only at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century, when coats of arms came to Russia - one of the Western innovations - did saints under their own names appear in secular emblems - St. George the Victorious, St. Apostle Paul, Archangel Michael. The heads of holy warriors began to be decorated with helmets with plumes; the head of St. George the Victorious is also decorated with a helmet. This is how it has been customary to depict it on the chest of a double-headed eagle since the 18th century, and in this form it is also placed in the coat of arms of the city of Moscow.

Saint George. Image on coins from the late 15th century to the beginning. XVI century Italy. Lombardy (top) St. George on the obverse of the seal of Ivan III. 1497 (bottom)

It should also be said about the double-headed eagle - the emblem of the reverse side of the seal of Ivan III. Scientists date the appearance of the double-headed eagle emblem to the 3rd millennium BC. e. Primary research artistic form This emblem showed that it is a product of fantasy and mythology - the doubling of a person, an animal or its individual parts is characteristic, in particular, of the ancient Sumerian culture. How mythological creature, sacred symbol and artistic image the double-headed eagle (as opposed to the single-headed one), for example, the “Roman” eagle, was found in ancient times, primarily in Western Asia. Among the Arabs and Seljuks, the double-headed eagle appeared as a result of their borrowing elements of the art of the Persian kingdoms and everything from Central Asia. cultural heritage. In Byzantium, the two-headed bird became widely known as an oriental ornament from the 11th century. However, many researchers emphasize that such an image is in no way a coat of arms, since Byzantium did not know coats of arms. Although they admit that the Morean despots Palaiologi, who managed to unite the entire Morea (Byzantine possessions on the Peloponnese peninsula), which became its stronghold on the eve of the fall of Byzantium and prolonged the existence of the state for some time, used the double-headed eagle as a coat of arms. This fact served as the starting point for the myth about the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire in the form of a double-headed eagle.

Image of a double-headed eagle: on the fabric of the clothes of medieval Bulgarian rulers, on a slab embedded in the floor in the temple of the city of Mystras (XIV-XV centuries), on a slate slab from Stara Zagora (Bulgaria, 11th century), on an Italian coin (late 15th century) c.), on the seal of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. XVI century.

The coat of arms - the double-headed eagle - became a symbol of power among the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. In Sicily, at the very beginning of the 13th century, it was placed on coins with the corresponding title by Frederick II Staufen, king of the Kingdom of Sicily and then Holy Roman Emperor. The double-headed eagle was established as the emblem of the empire during the reign of Sigismund I (1368–1437). In 1410, Sigismund I became Holy Roman Emperor, where the coat of arms of the kings remained the single-headed eagle, but as soon as the king inherited the imperial throne, a double-headed eagle appeared on the seals.

Ivan III became acquainted with such a seal when, in the late 80s of the 15th century, he established contacts and diplomatic relations with the house of Habsburg, the first most important monarchs of the then Europe, as a result of which the exchange of embassies, letters, and negotiations “for friendship and love” began. With all his strength and power, Ivan III, as a man of an exclusively pragmatic mind, could not help but understand that at the new level of Russian statehood, purely external attributes would be required that would confirm the strength and strength of his power “in the eyes of the world community.” Hence the new spelling of the title on the seal in the Western European style, and the new symbolism, similar to the European one. Evidence of Ivan Vasilyevich’s desire to place himself on an equal footing with the first monarch of Europe is well known. Nikolai Petrovich Likhachev, mentioned above, once wrote about this: the Grand Duke of Moscow “wanted to be equal in everything - in titles, and in the formulas of letters, and in the appearance of bulls - to the Caesar and the King of Rome.”

Seal of Vasily

However, we cannot talk about simple imitation of a noble foreign sovereign. The double-headed eagle would hardly have taken a place on the seal of the Russian sovereign if the latter had not known that the emblem symbolizes the high position of European monarchs. Ivan III, through the mouths of ambassadors sent to Western emperors, repeatedly declared his noble and high origin. The Russian ambassadors said: “Both the Caesar and his son Maximian are great sovereigns, and our sovereign is a great sovereign.” Nobility of origin was associated with a certain emblem, which is the double-headed eagle. In fact, the double-headed eagle was used by Ivan III Vasilyevich to prove his right to be called Caesar (emperor).

Such a detailed examination of the emblems of the seal of 1497 and the interpretation of its images is not accidental. It seems that this is necessary, because due to the lack of direct messages in written sources, the reasons for the appearance of the first armorial figures, which were preserved in the Russian coat of arms for many centuries, remain unclear in the minds of contemporaries.

After the death of Ivan III in 1505, his son, Vasily III Ivanovich, reigned on the throne, ruling until 1533. He did not bear the official title of “tsar”, but was the same “zealot” of autocracy as his father. In the book of a contemporary of Vasily III, the Austrian diplomat Sigismund Herberstein, “Notes on Muscovy,” the Russian sovereign is depicted under a “quote” that reveals his ideas about his own power: “I am the king and master by right of paternal blood, I did not ask for sovereign titles from anyone, I did not buy ; there is no law according to which I would be anyone's subject. But, believing only in Christ, I reject the rights (asked from) others.” Vasily III was also called “tsar” by foreign “correspondents”, and he, in turn, “introduced” into the consciousness of the first monarchs of Europe the idea of ​​equality with them, therefore he sealed the letters sent abroad with a golden seal (bull) “in the image and likeness” of his father seal of 1497.

Vasily III and the “coat of arms” of Muscovy

During the reign of Vasily Ivanovich, a number of journalistic works appeared that reflected the self-affirmation of the ruling dynasty of Rus' in the eyes of Europe. By order, apparently, of Vassian Patrikeev, who occupied a prominent position at the court of Vasily III, the enlightened writer known as Spiridon-Sava, a widely educated man who was interested not only in church, but also in contemporary historical and political literature, wrote the work featured in entitled “Message on the Crown of Monomakh.” It gave form to the literary legend of how Vladimir Monomakh received the royal crown from the Byzantine emperor. The author argued that since ancient times Russian princes owned the regalia of imperial dignity. In addition, the “Message”, as well as another monument of this time - “The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir”, contains the rationale high position Rurikovich, descended from the Roman Emperor Augustus (like other European sovereigns) through Prus, who was allegedly a relative of Rurik. Thus, in the presentation of Spiridon-Sava, Vasily III, like Vladimir Monomakh, was a “free autocrat” and a king.

Such a “theoretical” justification for the nature of the power of the Russian sovereign prompted Ivan the Terrible, the son of Vasily III, to take practical action. At the age of 16 (before getting married), he announced to his entourage that he “wants to look for his former ancestors of the ranks,” that is, he started talking about officially accepting the royal title. On January 16, 1547, the young ruler of Muscovy was crowned king. Since that time, both in art and in the paraphernalia of power, the idea has been noticeably manifested - to reinforce, justify, glorify the rule and actions of the first “crowned autocrat”. In 1551, a monument of Russian art appeared - the Tsar's Place, otherwise Monomakh's Throne. Twelve bas-reliefs decorating the walls of the throne illustrate the history of the transfer of Byzantine imperial regalia to the Russian princes. The royal seat, placed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, was visible proof of the legitimacy of the royal rank of the Russian sovereign Ivan IV.

In this context, obviously, other attributes of power should be considered, in particular, the seals of the first Russian Tsar. Throughout his reign, Ivan the Terrible used a seal, a sample of which was created by his grandfather, Ivan III, and then used by his father, naturally, with an appropriate legend. Thus, the symbols adopted by Ivan III for printing, as it later turned out, national, acquire a hereditary feature, which is characteristic of the coat of arms as special sign. In addition to this seal, Ivan IV used a whole series of completely new seals.

“Monomakh Throne” is the place of worship of Ivan the Terrible in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. 1551

Even during the Monetary Reform of 1535–1538, when Elena Vasilyevna Glinskaya, the mother of Ivan the Terrible, ruled, a penny appeared in Russia. This was the name of the silver coins, which depicted “a great prince on a horse, and having a spear in his hand, and from then on they were called spear money.” On the back, in a lowercase inscription, it was reported that this was the Grand Duke; Then, when Ivan IV took the title of Tsar, the inscription on the kopeck changed to read: “Tsar and Sovereign of All Rus'.” The composition presented on the penny is very reminiscent of the image of “George’s Miracle on the Dragon”, only there is no dragon under the horse’s hooves. The crown on the kopeck rider indicated that the sovereign was depicted. The same crown with five teeth can be seen on the rider, who, during the time of Ivan IV, “moved” onto the chest of the double-headed eagle. It was Ivan the Terrible who ordered the Dragon Slayer, decorated with a crown, to be placed on the chest of a double-headed eagle. Thus, from the time of Ivan IV, the double-headed eagle and the dragon-slayer warrior were reunited in one figure.

Seals of Ivan IV Vasilyevich the Terrible. XVI century

The creation of a new press seemed so important event, that this is recorded in the chronicle: on February 3, 1561, a seal was “made” - “a double-headed eagle, and in the middle of it is a man on a horse, and on the other side is a double-headed eagle, and in the middle of it is an inrog” (a unicorn is a mythical beast with a straight horn) .

An outstanding historical monument from the time of Ivan the Terrible is another seal that invariably attracts the attention of domestic and foreign historians, the most likely date of creation of which is 1577.

The “Dictionary of the Old Russian Language” indicates that the word “coat of arms” in the 16th century was used only in embassy affairs, when it came to other countries with which Russia maintained diplomatic ties. By order of the tsar, a seal of the Livonian land was made in 1564 (it sealed the agreement between Russia and Sweden). This is what the chronicle says about it: “and on the seal it is glued: a double-headed eagle, and on the eagle’s right legs is the coat of arms of the master of Livonsky, and on the left legs is the coat of arms of the Yurievsky biscup; near the seal there is a signature: the royal majesty of the boyar and the Bethlyan lands of the boyar and the governor and the governor’s seal.” The use of this seal was strictly regulated: it was used to seal “letters of peace with the king of Sweden... and letters to other states.” The composition of the drawing (a double-headed eagle tramples with its paws the emblems symbolizing the annexed Baltic lands) is such that it cannot raise doubts about the purpose of the seal, which was supposed to illustrate the successes of the Russian Tsar in the Livonian War. This task was the main one when creating the seal, so the images of the coats of arms of the Baltic lands were not accurate: the emblems did not correspond in detail to the coats of arms of the Livonian Order and Dorpat.

In general, it should be noted that Ivan the Terrible was very attentive to emblems, title writing and other symbols, especially when it came to foreign policy contacts. There is a well-known disagreement between Ivan Vasilyevich and the Swedish king over the title “Livonian” during the Livonian War. In 1572, when the Russians achieved certain successes in Livonia, Ivan IV demanded not only that he be called “Sveisky” in the title, but also “send a sample of the Sveisky coat of arms, so that that coat of arms would be in the Tsar’s Majesty’s seal.” In response, he apparently received some comments from Johan III, which forced the Russian Tsar to angrily object to the Swedish King: “What did you write about the Roman kingdom seal, and we have our own seal from our ancestors, and the Roman seal We are not wild: we are related to Augustus Caesar.”

Indeed, the first Russian tsar used the seal and emblems of his ancestors and the “Roman seal” - the image of a double-headed eagle, and also “built” new seals, for example, the seal of 1577, according to the type of seals of those states with which he entered into diplomatic contacts.

Seal of the royal governor in Livonia. 1564

Seal of False Dmitry. 1604

Ivan the Terrible's successors corrected some elements of his numerous seals on their signs of power (seals), but did not change them as a whole.

During the Time of Troubles, False Dmitry I, having become the Russian Tsar in 1605, used the seal matrix of 1577, sealing letters to the Polish magnate J. Mniszko. A new state seal was also prepared for him in advance. Apparently, it was made in Poland, because it was carved in accordance with Western European artistic canons. The wings of a double-headed eagle, crowned with a third crown, are raised upward on the seal, the rider on the eagle’s chest is turned to the left of the viewer - according to the rules of Western European heraldry. A similar composition appears on the silver coronation medals that arrived in Moscow with False Dmitry I.

In 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected the first tsar from the Romanov family, Mikhail Fedorovich (1596–1645). With him, the double-headed eagle with the Dragon Slayer on its chest received an “addition”: a third crown appears above the eagle’s heads (rather, between the heads), crowned with crowns. The date of the “adding” was reported in a letter sent from the center to the governor of Turinsk I. I. Baklanovsky in February 1625. It talked about changing the royal seal: it was made larger in size than the previous one, because “on the previous seal... The state title was not fully described; now, before the previous seal, it has been added to the seal in the signature, in... The state naming: Autocrat;... and now... above the heads of the eagle there is a crown.” From March 25, 1625, it was prescribed to affix various documents with a new seal: charters, orders, travel documents, etc.

The seal of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich with the image of the State Emblem. 1625