The history of the double-headed eagle: how did the coat of arms of Russia change? Coat of arms of the Russian Federation: history and photo of the modern state emblem of Russia. Description and meaning of the elements of the Russian coat of arms

The coat of arms of Russia is one of the main state symbols of Russia, along with the flag and anthem. After the RSFSR was renamed the Russian Federation on December 25, 1991, the country continued to use the old pre-revolutionary coat of arms with the image of a double-headed eagle.

The word coat of arms comes from the German word Erbe, which means inheritance. A coat of arms is a symbolic image that shows the historical traditions of a state or city. The coats of arms themselves appeared a very long time ago; the totems of primitive tribes can be considered their predecessors. Coastal tribes had figurines of dolphins and turtles as totems, steppe tribes had snakes, forest tribes had bears, deer, and wolves. A special role was played by the signs of the Sun, Moon, earth and water...

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 Khan Akhmat 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 all-Russian Code of Law was adopted - a single set of laws of the country - the prototype of the Constitution and codes. Actually, the time of formation of the symbols of Russian statehood can be counted from the reign of Ivan III.

Ivan III married the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus and, to increase his authority in relations with foreign states, adopted the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - a double-headed eagle. The double-headed eagle of Byzantium personified the powerful Roman-Byzantine Empire, covering significant lands in both the East and the West. Emperor Maximilian II, however, spared Sophia his Imperial eagle; the eagle depicted on the banner of Sophia Paleologus did not have the Imperial crown, but only the Caesar's crown.

Nevertheless, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns prompted Ivan III to accept this coat of arms as the heraldic symbol of his state. Having transformed from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking a new coat of arms for his state - the Double-Headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 placed Caesar's crowns on both heads.

After the death of Vasily III, because his heir Ivan IV, who later received the name Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538) began, and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548) began. And here the Russian Eagle undergoes a very comical modification.

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

The return of Ivan the Terrible to the throne causes the appearance of a new Eagle, the heads of which are crowned with one, common crown of a clearly Western design. But that’s not all, on the Eagle’s chest, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, an image of a unicorn appears. Why and why? One can only guess about this. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible. Apparently the tsar realized that such a fairy-tale zoo was inappropriate on the state emblem.

Ivan the Terrible dies and the weak, limited Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich “Blessed” (1584-1587) reigns on the throne. And again the Eagle changes its appearance. During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, the sign of the passion of Christ appears: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious connotation to the state emblem. The appearance of the “Golgotha ​​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, in which a double-headed eagle with a rider on its chest is crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

In connection with the Polish occupation, the Eagle becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing only in its two heads.

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

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repelled the 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 (1613-1645), popularly nicknamed "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle was depicted under three crowns; St. George the Victorious returned on the chest, but no longer in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also, in icons, St. George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman Curia did not abandon their hopes of bringing Rus' to the Catholic faith.

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

In contrast to the Byzantine model and, perhaps, under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle, starting in 1654, began to be depicted with raised wings. And then the eagle “flew up” onto the spiers of the Moscow Kremlin towers.

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 was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with a rider on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

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

In 1696, the throne went to Peter I Alekseevich “the Great” (1689-1725). And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape. The era of great transformations begins. The capital is moved to St. Petersburg and Oryol takes on new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of 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 (at the bottom of the eagle's plumage) 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 already next year the Order of St. Andrew is placed around a shield with a rider.

It is also important to say about another Eagle, which Peter painted as a very young boy for the banner of the Amusing Regiment. This Eagle had only one paw, for: “Whoever has only one land army has one hand, but whoever has a fleet has two hands.”

With minor or significant, but short-term, changes, this image of the coat of arms of Russia existed until the beginning of the reign of Paul I (1796-1801), who made an attempt to introduce 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 cloak. The entire composition is placed against the background of a mantle 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, thank God, was not approved.

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B. Kene, the type of state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the 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, which we, of course, will not present.

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

The Commission of the Provisional Government came to the conclusion that the double-headed eagle itself does not carry any monarchical or dynastic characteristics, therefore, deprived of a crown, scepter, orb, coats of arms of kingdoms, lands and all other heraldic attributes, it was “left in service” - absolutely naked ...

The Bolsheviks had a completely different opinion. By decree of the Council of People's Commissars of November 10, 1917, along with estates, ranks, titles and old regime orders, the coat of arms and flag were completely abolished. But making the decision turned out to be easier than implementing it. State bodies continued to exist and function, so for another six months the old coat of arms was used where necessary, on signs indicating government bodies and in documents.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

©flabad
based on materials from WiKi and other free sources

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

In Ancient Rus' Of course, such a coat of arms has never existed before. The Slavs in the 6th-8th centuries AD had intricate ornaments that symbolized this or that territory. Scientists learned about this through the study of burials, some of which preserved fragments of women's and men's clothing with embroidery.

During the times of 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 niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Paleologus, an image appears double-headed Byzantine eagle. On the royal seal of Ivan III, George the Victorious and the Double-Headed Eagle are depicted as equals. The Grand Duke'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 the oldest symbols of 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, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, the sign of the passion of Christ appears - the 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

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repelled the 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. A seal was attached to the charter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky dated March 27, 1654, 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, the main book of Christianity, came out of the printing press in Moscow. 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 was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with St. George on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

Peter's time

During the reign of Peter I, a new emblem 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.

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

On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, 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 the February Revolution of 1917, power in Russia was gained by Masonic organizations, 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, modeled in February 1917, continued to be used as an official image after the October Revolution, until the adoption of the new Soviet coat of arms on July 24, 1918.

State emblem of the RSFSR 1918-1993.

In the summer of 1918, the Soviet government finally decided to break with the historical symbols of Russia, and the new Constitution adopted on July 10, 1918 proclaimed in the state emblem not ancient Byzantine, but political, party symbols: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and the rising sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered by ears of wheat, 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, the Karelo-Finnish republic, the motto in Finnish was removed from the coat of arms; until the end of the existence of the USSR, 15 ribbons remained on the coat of arms with mottos (one of them - the Russian version - on the central sling).

State emblem of the Russian Federation 1993.

On November 5, 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and 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

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

A book about the friendship of peoples in a single state must appear in the very near future. The entire current political climate frantically demands this. However, at the moment there is no such book, or it is hidden so deeply that it cannot be discovered.

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

The structure of the publication was suggested to me by the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire. I recently came across it by accident and suddenly discovered that it contained, in the form of a kind of map, the very story that I was looking for!

Great coat of arms of the Russian Empire

Briefly about the history of the coat of arms. In Rus', the concept of a knightly hereditary coat of arms, widely accepted in Western Europe, never existed. During battles, military banners with embroidered or painted images of the Orthodox cross or saints were carried over the army. The history of the coat of arms of Russia is, first of all, the history of the grand ducal seal.

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

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

Manifesto of Paul I

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

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

“The current Russian Imperial Coat of Arms was assigned to our Empire back in the fifth and tenth century from this time to our days by the providence of God, who determines the fate of the Kingdoms; at different times, various Powers and lands were annexed to the Throne of Russia, the names of which are included in our Imperial Title; but the Russian coat of arms and the State Seal have hitherto remained in their previous form, disproportionate to the space of our possessions. Now we deign that the Russian Coat of Arms should include, in accordance with our full Title, all the Coats of Arms and signs of the Kingdoms and lands that we possess, and therefore, approving them in the attached form, we command the Senate to make a proper disposition in considering the use of them.”

Sovereign title

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

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

Heraldic reform

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

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

What is shown on the coat of arms

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

The main shield is surrounded from below by nine shields. Coats of arms of the kingdoms: I. Kazansky, II. Astrakhansky, III. Polish, IV. Siberian, V. Chersonese Tauride, VI. Georgian. VII. United coats of arms of the great duchies: Kievsky, Vladimirsky And Novgorodsky. VIII. Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy Finnish. IX. Family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty.

There are six shields above the main shield. X. Shield of the united coats of arms of the principalities and regions of Great Russian. XI. Shield of united coats of arms, principalities and regions of the southwestern. XII. Shield of the united coats of arms of the principalities and regions of Belarus and Lithuania. XIII. Shield of united coats of arms Baltic regions. XIV. Shield of united coats of arms northeastern regions. XV. Coat of arms Turkestan.

It turns out that the state emblem is a kind of map that reflects both the political structure of Russia and its geography. Let’s try to figure out what historical event is associated with each of the coat of arms, let’s supplement the “map” given to us with historical content. In parentheses, next to the name of the shield, we will indicate the number corresponding to the number of this shield in the diagram shown above.

United coats of arms of the great duchies (VII)

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

These are the three most “root” ancient Russian great principalities. The Kiev coat of arms symbolizes the ancestral home of the Russian state, Kievan Rus (formed in the middle of the 9th century). Also, Kyiv denotes the southwestern Rus' that formed a little later, the Vladimir coat of arms stands for the northeastern Rus', and the Novogorod coat of arms stands for the northwestern (Novgorod Republic). All three Rus were formed in the 12th century as a result of the fragmentation of Kievan Rus and the Tatar-Mongol invasion.

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

The history of Russia as a whole, starting with Kievan Rus, goes back more than 1000 years. Conventionally, all three Rus emerged in the 12th century in connection with the collapse of Kievan Rus (before that they were together for 300 years). Under the influence of the Tatar invasion in the 13th century until the middle of the 15th century, they were separated (200 years), but since then they have been together again (more than 500 years). It will be interesting to further compare with these time intervals the time of living together of other peoples gradually joining Russia.

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

Coat of arms Pskovsky ( golden leopard centered) , coat of arms Smolensky ( a gun) , coat of arms Tverskoy ( golden throne) , coat of arms Yugorsky ( hands with spears) , coat of arms Nizhny Novgorod ( deer), coat of arms Ryazansky ( standing prince) , coat of arms Rostovsky ( silver deer) , coat of arms Yaroslavsky ( bear) , coat of arms Belozersky ( silver fish) , coat of arms Udorsky ( fox).

As a result of the ensuing war with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Russia regained the lands lost as a result of the Time of Troubles. And Alexei Mikhailovich (1629-1676) added a new wording to the title: “Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke of All Great and Little and White Russia, Autocrat.”

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

Pereyaslavskaya Rada. Artist Mikhail Khmelko. 1951

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

“The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of all Great, Little and White Russia, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great glorious kingdoms of Kazan, Astrakhan, and Siberia. On the chest (chest) there is an image of the heir; in the grooves (claws) there is a scepter and an apple, and reveals the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.”

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

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

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

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

Coats of arms of the Baltic regions (XIII)

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

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

On the eagle's coat of arms, instead of royal crowns, imperial ones appear; on its chest appears the order chain of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the patron saint of Russia and the heavenly patron of the tsar himself. For the first time, shields with the coats of arms of the Great Kingdoms and Principalities appear on the eagle’s wings. On the right wing there are shields with the coats of arms: Kyiv, Novgorod, Astrakhan; on the left wing: Vladimir, Kazan, Siberian.

"Battle of Poltava". Louis Caravaque. 1717–1719

In 1795, under Catherine II, as a result, Courland and Semigallia (present-day western Latvia) ceded to Russia. Catherine II adds “Princess of Courland and Semigallia” to the title.

So. From the 13th to the 16th centuries (300 years), the peoples of what is now Estonia and Latvia were ruled by the Germans as part of the Livonian Order. According to the resultsLivonian War from the end of the 16th to the beginning of the 18th century (another 100+ years), the territory of Estonia was part of Sweden, and the territory of Latvia was divided between Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

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

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

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

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

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

It turns out that present-day Belarus and Lithuania lived together with Russia/USSR for 200 years. Before this, Belarus was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And the Grand Duchy of Lithuania itself was formed in the 13th century. 300 years later, in the middle of the 16th century, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth formed with Poland and remained with it for almost 250 years before joining Russia. The history of Lithuania's independence goes back more than 500 years.

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

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

Coat of arms of Chersonese Tauride (V)

Coat of arms of Chersonese Tauride

As a result of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774, according to the Kuchuk-Kainardzhi Peace Treaty, under Catherine II, New Russia and the North Caucasus went to Russia, and the Crimean Khanate came under its protectorate.

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

Crimea, the North Caucasus and Novorossiya have been part of Russia for 200 years.

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

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

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland

As a result of the war with Sweden, according to the Treaty of Friedrichsham in 1809, the lands of Finland passed from Sweden to Russia as a union. Alexander I (1777-1825) adds the sovereign title: “Grand Duke of Finland.”

The territory of present-day Finland for most of its history, from the 12th century to the beginning of the 19th century (600 years), was part of Sweden. After which it became part of Russia as the Grand Duchy of Finland, existing in this form until the collapse of the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century (they were together for 100 years). Finland gained independent statehood for the first time since 1917. Those. this state is no more than 100 years old.

“The passage of Russian troops through the Gulf of Bothnia in March 1809.”
Woodcut by L. Veselovsky, K. Kryzhanovsky based on the original by A. Kotzebue, 1870s.

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland (III)

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland

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

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

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

Trying to protect the country from attacks by Turkey and Iran, the Georgian kings repeatedly asked Russia for protection. In 1783, under Catherine II, the Treaty of Georgievsk was concluded. Its essence boiled down to the establishment of a protectorate on the part of Russia. In 1800, the Georgian side asked for closer cooperation. And Paul I (1754-1801) issued a manifesto according to which Georgia joined Russia as an independent kingdom. But already in 1801, Alexander I issued a new manifesto, according to which Georgia submitted directly to the Russian emperor. Accordingly, Paul I adds to the title: “Sovereign of Iveron, Kartalinsky, Georgian and Kabardian lands.” And Alexander I adds to the title: “Tsar of Georgia.”

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

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

"Parliamentarians". Artist Vasily Vereshchagin

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

It was formulated like this:

"By God's hastening mercy We ( name) , Emperor and Autocrat All-Russian, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod;Tsar Kazansky,Tsar Astrakhansky,Tsar Polish,Tsar Siberian,Tsar Chersonis Tauride,Tsar Georgian;Sovereign Pskovsky andGrand Duke Smolensk, Lithuanian, Volyn, Podolsk and Finland;Prince Estlyandsky, Livlyandsky, Kurlandsky and Semigalsky, Samogitsky, Bialystoksky, Korelsky, Tver, Yugorsky, Perm, Vyatsky, Bulgarian and others;Sovereign and Grand Duke Novagorod of Nizovsky lands, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Belozersky, Udorsky, Obdorsky, Kondiysky, Vitebsk, Mstislavsky and all northern countrieslord and sovereign Iverskaya, Kartalinsky and Kabardian lands and regions of Armenia; Cherkasy and Mountain princes and othershereditary Sovereign and Possessor ; Sovereign Turkestan,Heir Norwegian,Duke Schleswig-Golstinsky, Stornmarsky, Ditmarsky and Oldenburgsky and so on, and so on, and so on.”

In the XII-XIV centuries, grand ducal and city, and later noble coats of arms began to appear. The ancient Moscow coat of arms was a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear, and already from the 16th century the Moscow coat of arms began to be depicted in the center of the Russian state emblem, emphasizing the leading role of Moscow in the unification of Russian lands.

The double-headed eagle gradually began to play a major role in Russian heraldry. This symbol itself has a very ancient origin. It is found both in the Hittite state and in Media. The eagle, looking to the West and East, becomes the main state symbol of the Byzantine Empire. The two-headed bird was supposed to personify the unity of Europe and Asia, divinity and the greatness of power.

Coat of arms of the Russian kingdom

How the eagle got on the coat of arms of Russia

But what interests us most is how such an exotic bird became the main symbol of the Russian state. There are plenty of legends and myths about this. The preferred version is that the double-headed eagle “flew” to us more than 500 years ago. It was at this time, in 1472, that the marriage of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III Vasilyevich and the Byzantine princess Sophia (Zoe) Paleologus took place. It was under Ivan III that the unification of the Russian lands was completed, dependence on the Golden Horde was finally destroyed, and ties with various European countries began to actively develop. In 1497, the all-Russian Code of Law was adopted - a unified set of laws of the country.

Small coat of arms of the Russian Empire

The desire and opportunity to be on an equal footing with all European rulers prompted the Grand Duke to adopt a new coat of arms as a symbol of the state. Having become related to the Byzantine dynasty, the Moscow sovereigns could talk about the continuity of power. By combining the coat of arms of Byzantium and the coat of arms of Moscow, they received a new coat of arms, which became the symbol of the Russian state. And this symbol once again emphasized the priority idea for that era: “Moscow is the third Rome.”

In the 17th century, the two-headed bird began to hold a scepter and an orb in its paws - regalia accepted in all monarchical states. But the son Fyodor Ioannovich placed an Orthodox cross between the crowned heads of the eagle. This is due to the fact that in 1589 there was ecclesiastical independence of Russia.

Coat of arms of Russia under the Romanovs

Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov added St. George the Victorious to the emblem - his image was placed on the chest of the eagle. Paul I could not resist making changes. Under him, the Maltese cross and crown appeared on the coat of arms. A few years later, Alexander I removed the Maltese symbols. After the victorious Patriotic War of 1812, the eagle began to be depicted with lowered, spread wings. In the paws, instead of a scepter and orb, a wreath, lightning bolts and a torch appeared.

The most serious changes affected the state symbol under Alexander II. Under him, a special Stamp Department was created. It changed the image of the eagle and St. George the Victorious. On April 11, 1857, the emperor approved the new coat of arms of the Russian Empire; a month later, the Senate published a decree describing the new coats of arms and the norms for their use. The new coat of arms lasted until 1917; instead, the hammer and sickle became the emblem of the USSR.

USSR coat of arms

After 1991, the question of the symbol of the new state arose again. Since 1993, the coat of arms of the Russian Federation has once again become a golden eagle with spread wings and royal regalia in its paws. The modern coat of arms has three crowns, as in the coat of arms.

History of the Coat of Arms of Russia

Nevertheless, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns prompted Ivan III to accept this coat of arms as the heraldic symbol of his state. Having transformed from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking a new coat of arms for his state - the Double-Headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 placed Caesar's crowns on both heads.

After the death of Vasily III, because his heir Ivan IV, who later received the name Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538) began, and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548) began. And here the Russian Eagle undergoes a very comical modification.

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

The return of Ivan the Terrible to the throne causes the appearance of a new Eagle, the heads of which are crowned with one, common crown of a clearly Western design. But that’s not all, on the Eagle’s chest, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, an image of a unicorn appears. Why and why? One can only guess about this. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible. Apparently the tsar realized that such a fairy-tale zoo was inappropriate on the state emblem.

Ivan the Terrible dies and the weak, limited Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich “Blessed” (1584-1587) reigns on the throne. And again the Eagle changes its appearance. During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, the sign of the passion of Christ appears: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious connotation to the state emblem. The appearance of the “Golgotha ​​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, in which a double-headed eagle with a rider on its chest is crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

In connection with the Polish occupation, the Eagle becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing only in its two heads.

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

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repelled the 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 (1613-1645), popularly nicknamed "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle was depicted under three crowns; St. George the Victorious returned on the chest, but no longer in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also, in icons, St. George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman Curia did not abandon their hopes of bringing Rus' to the Catholic faith.

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

In contrast to the Byzantine model and, perhaps, under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle, starting in 1654, began to be depicted with raised wings. And then the eagle “flew up” onto the spiers of the Moscow Kremlin towers.

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 was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with a rider on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

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

In 1696, the throne went to Peter I Alekseevich “the Great” (1689-1725). And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape. The era of great transformations begins. The capital is moved to St. Petersburg and Oryol takes on new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of 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 (at the bottom of the eagle's plumage) 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 already next year the Order of St. Andrew is placed around a shield with a rider.

It is also important to say about another Eagle, which Peter painted as a very young boy for the banner of the Amusing Regiment. This Eagle had only one paw, for: “Whoever has only one land army has one hand, but whoever has a fleet has two hands.” But I couldn’t find any images of this eagle.

With minor or significant, but short-term, changes, this image of the coat of arms of Russia existed until the beginning of the reign of Paul I (1796-1801), who made an attempt to introduce 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 cloak. The entire composition is placed against the background of a mantle 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, thank God, was not approved.

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B. Kene, the type of state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the 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, which we, of course, will not present.

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

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

The Commission of the Provisional Government came to the conclusion that the double-headed eagle itself does not carry any monarchical or dynastic characteristics, therefore, deprived of a crown, scepter, orb, coats of arms of kingdoms, lands and all other heraldic attributes, it was “left in service” - absolutely naked ...

The Bolsheviks had a completely different opinion. By decree of the Council of People's Commissars of November 10, 1917, along with estates, ranks, titles and old regime orders, the coat of arms and flag were completely abolished. But making the decision turned out to be easier than implementing it. State bodies continued to exist and function, so for another six months the old coat of arms was used where necessary, on signs indicating government bodies and in documents.

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

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

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

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

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