The history of the creation of the Russian coat of arms is brief. History of the state emblem of Russia

The history of the coat of arms of Russia is very ancient and interesting; it contains many facts related to its creation. The first information can be dated back to 1497, since scientists proved that it was at that time that the seal of Ivan III, which he received from Vasily the Dark, had the designation of a lion tormenting a snake (the lion at that time was the symbol of the Vladimir principality).

To form the ideology of the united country, by the end of the 15th century, a new symbol of power was chosen. The history of the coat of arms of Russia indicates that St. George the Victorious was chosen as the designation of statehood (previously it was used in Kievan Rus). The double-headed eagle was chosen as another symbol.

The history of the Russian coat of arms indicates that de facto this symbol challenged the right of the Habsburg Empire to be called the strongest state in Western Europe. In addition, there was a formal reason for this, because the wife of Ivan III was the daughter of the head of the Morean Despotate, and the double-headed eagle was their family sign.

With the final liquidation and cessation of dependence on the Golden Horde, the first grand ducal seal appeared. Historians have come to the conclusion that the history of the coat of arms of Russia begins with the state emblem depicted on the seal, which was sealed with the charter of appanage princes for land holdings in 1497. At the same time, images appeared in the Kremlin on the walls in the form of a gilded double-headed eagle on a red field.

In 1539-1589. under Ivan the Terrible, the double-headed eagle was transferred to the coat of arms of Russia. The story mentions the addition of a unicorn in the center. Then he was replaced by a snake fighter rider - the Moscow symbol. Later, Orthodox symbols appeared, which reflected the role of the official religion.

The horseman was identified with the sovereign, and since the time of Ivan the Terrible he has appeared on Russian seals and coins. The image symbolizing the Grand Duke was perceived this way until the beginning of the 18th century. Only under Peter I (in 1710) did they begin to call him “Saint George”. In those years, the imperial emblem was established.

Times of Russian Troubles in 1604-1606. made their own changes to the state symbols. The traditions of Western European heraldry were used: the rider was turned to the right, and instead of a cross, a third crown appeared for the first time. After 1625, a double-headed eagle with three crowns, signifying the conquered Astrakhan, Siberian and Kazan kingdoms, adorns the coat of arms of Russia.

The history of the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich makes its own adjustments, which are expressed in the appearance of After 1699, elements of the Order of St. Andrew appear on the coat of arms, which were introduced at the insistence of the ruler. The eagle acquires a black color in the manner of Western European coats of arms. By decree of 1704, the image of the rider (St. George the Victorious) is called “sovereign”. This is confirmed in documents dating back to the 1730s.

History of the coat of arms 1730-1740 receives a permanently fixed form. A Swedish engraver, Swiss by origin, invited by Empress Anna Ioannovna, in 1740 engraved the State Seal with minor changes, which was used until 1856.

Emperor Paul I, after Napoleon's conquest of Malta, became the head and the history of the coat of arms continued to undergo changes, and a cross was placed on the eagle's chest. During his time, a complex consisting of 43 small ones was developed, which they did not have time to approve during his lifetime. In 1830, various other options appeared, but the emperor adopted 2 official types.

In 1856, the small coat of arms was approved, and the heraldic reform of Alexander II in 1857 adopted a whole set of samples, consisting of 110 designs. Subsequently, until the February revolution, no changes occurred in this important state issue.

After the Provisional Government came to power in 1917, all attributes of the coat of arms were lost, except for the eagle. In this form it existed until 07/24/1918, until a new Soviet model was adopted. In 1978, a red star was added to it. In 1992, the inscription “RSFSR” was abolished on the symbol of statehood, replacing it with another one - “Russian Federation”. The adoption of the modern state emblem occurred in 1993.

On November 12, 1472, the wedding of Sophia Paleologus took place. It was then, wanting to emphasize the relationship with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI, Ivan III ordered to depict a double-headed eagle - the coat of arms of Byzantium - on the back of the princely seal. On the front side there was an image of a horseman killing a snake.

During the time of the tsar, the image of St. George the Victorious began to be placed on the chest of the eagle, in the center. Later, three crowns appeared, and after its establishment, he ordered the addition of a chain to the coat of arms as a symbol of the order. The eagle became black, and the background became yellow. In the summer of 1798, after the surrender of the island of Malta to the French, the Order of Malta turned to the Russian Emperor for protection. It was this circumstance that was the reason for the appearance in the same year of the Maltese cross on the coat of arms of the Russian Empire. The final type of coat of arms with a golden double-headed eagle, orb and scepter was established in the 17th century. The orb symbolized the unity and integrity of the empire, and the scepter symbolized the protection of sovereignty.

The emperor ordered to abolish the heraldic coat of arms and give the coat of arms a completely arbitrary form. The eagle's wings spread out to the sides and down. With his right paw he held a torch and arrows entwined with ribbons, and with his left - a laurel crown. The shield with the rider acquired a pointed shape towards the top. But five years after the death of Alexander I and accession to the throne in 1830, the coat of arms was returned to its traditional appearance, supplemented with small coats of arms of the largest Russian lands, which were located on the wings of an eagle.

During the reign, the image of the coat of arms was brought into accordance with the rules of international heraldry. From that period until the February Revolution of 1917, it remained unchanged. Afterwards, the Provisional Government decided to leave the double-headed eagle as the symbol of the coat of arms, removing the imperial crowns above its heads.

The decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars after the October Revolution abolished such concepts as the flag and coat of arms of the state, but already in 1918, a description of the coat of arms of the RSFSR appeared in the Constitution of the RSFSR, the symbols of which were a five-pointed star and a crossed hammer and sickle surrounded by golden ears of corn. In November 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the coat of arms of the RSFSR. In 1993, President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin by his decree he finally approved the heraldic image of the State Emblem. On a red background there is a golden double-headed eagle, above the eagle there are three crowns, in the paws there is a scepter and an orb, on the chest there is a shield with a rider killing a dragon. The current coat of arms of the Russian Federation is a new coat of arms, but its parts reflect different periods of the history of the fatherland and personify its continuity.

Various structures, countries and even people. How is this word interpreted? How did coats of arms appear? What types of them exist?

A coat of arms is... Definition of the word

Coats of arms have been around for a very long time and were usually used as a sign of identification. Now they, together with the flag and anthem, form the basis of the national symbols of any modern country in the world. The word "coat of arms" means a distinctive sign or emblem that is inherited. It displays the main features, objects, colors characteristic of the owner, and can relate to a person, clan, region, class, country, etc.

A coat of arms is a compositional image that may include several figures that have symbolic meaning for its owner. The use, status and image of the coat of arms are determined in accordance with the historically established order. The history and meaning of coats of arms is studied by the special science of heraldry.

Where does the term "coat of arms" come from? The meaning of the word from German is translated as “inheritance”, where it sounds like Erbe. In the East Slavic countries (Belarus, Ukraine, Russia), the word most likely came from the Polish language (herb), already in a modified form.

Origin story

People have always tended to surround themselves with various symbols. The habit of using images of animals, plants, and weapons as a family sign is deeply rooted. Thus, the prototypes of coats of arms were Asian tamgas.

Many ancient emperors and conquerors also chose various images for their personal armor and weapons. For example, the symbol of Alexander the Great was a sea horse. All these signs were arbitrary and changed frequently.

The first coats of arms appeared around the 10th century during the Dark Middle Ages. Family emblems of royalty were placed on seals and served as decoration on important documents. The development of the heraldic tradition was facilitated by the appearance of the Crusades and knightly tournaments.

For knights, the coat of arms is the main identification mark, which was placed on armor, shields, cloaks, and horse blankets. At the end of the 12th century, coats of arms became widespread. Heraldic canons and specialists who understood this appeared. Each noble family had its own coat of arms, which was passed on by inheritance, mainly through the male line.

Types of coats of arms

The wide dissemination and development of heraldic art contributed to the emergence of many types of coats of arms. They are distinguished by legal status, styles, ranks, affiliation, etc. There are state and municipal emblems. They are considered official symbols that are legally assigned to countries, their cities and regions. Their description and meaning are usually recorded in state codes of law.

Symbolism

The main rule of the coat of arms is symbolism. Each figure, image and color must have a direct connection with the owner of the emblem and reflect his character, traits, and aspirations. Figures and colors in heraldry have certain meanings assigned to them.

The symbols of the ruling dynasties often became the eagle, meaning power, insight, wisdom, and the lion, meaning strength and courage. The symbol of the empire was Many state and municipal emblems depicted valuable local animals or endemics. For Botswana these are zebras, for Australia - kangaroos and ostriches, Botswana chose swordfish and flamingos.

The colors on the coats of arms are also not random. Gold is usually a symbol of empires and kingdoms, signifying generosity, wealth and justice. Silver is the same color as white and signifies purity. Blue or azure is a symbol of purity and beauty, green is a sign of hope, black is a sign of humility. The color red in heraldry signifies suffering, as well as strength, courage and bravery.

Acceptance date: 30.11.1993, 25.12.2000

In a scarlet field there is a golden double-headed eagle, crowned with two golden imperial crowns and above them the same imperial crown with infulas, holding a golden scepter in his right paw, a golden orb in his left, having a shield on his chest, in the scarlet field of which a facing riding silver rider in azure cloak, striking with a silver spear a turned, overturned and trampled by a horse black dragon.

Official description in constitutional law:
The state emblem of the Russian Federation is a quadrangular red heraldic shield with rounded lower corners, pointed at the tip, with a golden double-headed eagle raising its spreading wings upward. The eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon. In the eagle's right paw is a scepter, in the left is an orb. On the eagle’s chest, in a red shield, is a silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon, overturned on its back and trampled by its horse.

Reproduction of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation is permitted without a heraldic shield (in the form of the main figure - a double-headed eagle with all attributes).

Since 2000, the saddle under the rider is usually depicted in red, although this is not specified in the description (but exactly this image is given in Appendix 1 to the Federal Constitutional Law “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation”). Before this, the saddle was usually depicted in white.

Approved Decree of the President of the Russian Federation (#2050) “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation” dated November 30, 1993; Federal Constitutional Law (#2-FKZ) “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation”, adopted on December 8, 2000 by resolution (#899-III) of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, approved on December 20, 2000 by the Federation Council and signed by the President of the Russian Federation on December 25, 2000 of the year.

Rationale for symbolism:
The coat of arms of the Russian Federation is based on the historical coat of arms of the Russian Empire. 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 on the eve of the third millennium.

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 the X-XIII centuries, Russian lands had fairly active trade relations with Persia (Iran) and Arab countries; after the establishment of the Golden Horde’s power 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 in 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 the double-headed eagle as a 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.

Vasily III

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 continued, and 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 of the international treaties and documents of Vasily III were certified with a seal with a double-headed eagle.

Ivan IV the Terrible

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, a new symbol, the unicorn, began to be used as a royal sign, along with the traditional horseman. 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.

Fedor Ivanovich

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.

Time of Troubles

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 visually turned to the left (while traditionally in Russia the rider was depicted visually turned to the right).

Coats of arms of the Romanov dynasty

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 coat of arms. 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. There are numerous items of 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 of the 15th-16th 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 picture 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.

Peter I

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.

The third significant change in 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.

The fourth and final change to the state emblem in Peter's time was a change in 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 era of palace coups. XVIII century

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.

Paul I

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.

Alexander I

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.

Small State Emblem

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.

Large State Emblem of 1883

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).

Alexander III

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.