State emblem of Russia: history and meaning. When did the first emblems appear?

Seal of Ivan III the Great

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

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

Coat of arms history Russian Empire quite interesting and unique.

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

History of the coat of arms double-headed eagle

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

From IvanIII to PetraI

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

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

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

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

Great State Seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

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

Lavrenty Hurelevich in 1667 was first given official description Russian coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the sovereign Grand Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Small and White Russia, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian kingdom, on which three korunas are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-preserved and highest of His Royal Majesty the most merciful Sovereign to the power and command ... on the Persians is the image of the heir; in pasonkteh, a scepter and an apple, and they reveal the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.

From Peter I to Alexander II

Coat of arms of Peter I

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

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

Coat of arms of Catherine I

Pavel I

Coat of arms of Russia with the Maltese cross

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

Nicholas I

Coat of arms of Nicholas I

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

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

Large State Emblem of the Russian Empire 1857

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

Conclusion

Modern coat of arms Russian Federation

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

29.06.11 18:14

15th century

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) - milestone 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, Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European states, its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the all-Russian Sudebnik was adopted - a single code of laws of the country.
It was at this time - the time of the successful construction of Russian statehood - that the two-headed eagle, personifying supreme power, independence, what was called "autocracy" in Russia, became the coat of arms of Russia. It happened like this: Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow married the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleolog and, in order to increase his authority in relations with foreign states, he adopts the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - the Double-headed Eagle. The double-headed eagle of Byzantium personified the Roman-Byzantine Empire, covering East and West (Fig. 1). Emperor Maximilian II, however, did not give Sophia his Imperial eagle, the eagle depicted on the banner of Sophia Paleologus had not an Imperial, but only a Caesar's crown (Fig. 2).

However, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns prompted Ivan III to adopt this coat of arms as the heraldic symbol of his state. Having turned 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 puts Caesar's crowns on both heads (Fig. 3), at the same time a shield with the image of the icon of St. George the Victorious appears on the eagle's chest. In 1480 the Tsar of Moscow became Autocrat, i.e. independent and independent. This circumstance is reflected in the modification of the Eagle, a sword and an Orthodox cross appear in its paws (Fig. 4).

The collapsed Byzantine Empire makes the Russian Eagle the successor of the Byzantine one and the son of Ivan III, Vasily III (1505-1533) puts on both heads of the Eagle one common autocratic Cap of Monomakh (Fig. 5). After the death of Vasily III, because. his heir Ivan IV, later called Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538) comes, and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548). And here the Russian Eagle undergoes a very comic modification (Fig. 6).

Mid 16th century

Ivan IV turns 16 years old, and he is crowned king and immediately the Eagle undergoes a very significant change (Fig. 7), as if personifying the entire era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1548-1574, 1576-1584). But during the reign of Ivan the Terrible there was a period when he renounced the Kingdom and retired to a monastery, handing over the reins of government to Semyon Bekbulatovich Kasimovsky (1574-1576), and in fact to the boyars. And the Eagle reacted to the events with another change (Figure 8).

The return of Ivan the Terrible to the throne causes the appearance of a new Eagle (Fig. 9), the heads of which are crowned with a single, common crown of a clearly Western pattern. But that's not all, on the chest of the Eagle, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, the image of the Unicorn appears. Why? This can only be guessed at. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible.

Late 16th - early 17th century

During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich “Blessed” (1584-1587), a sign of the Passion of Christ appears between the crowned heads of a double-headed eagle: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious coloring to the coat of arms of the state. The appearance of the "Golgotha cross" in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the time of the establishment in 1589 of the patriarchate and church independence of Russia. Another coat of arms of Fyodor Ivanovich is also known, which is somewhat different from the above (Fig. 10).
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, they were placed and orthodox cross, which indicated that the regiment fighting under this banner serves the Orthodox sovereign. Until the middle of the 17th century, a seal was widely used, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on its chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

Boris Godunov (1587-1605), who replaced Fyodor Ivanovich, could have been the founder of a new dynasty. His occupation of the throne was completely legal, but popular rumor did not want to see him as a legitimate Tsar, considering him a regicide. And the Eagle (Figure 11) reflects this public opinion.

The enemies of Russia took advantage of the Troubles, and the appearance of False Dmitry (1605-1606) under these conditions was quite natural, as was the appearance of the new Eagle (Fig. 12). I must say that some of the seals depicted another, clearly not a Russian Eagle (Fig. 13). Here, events also left their mark on the Orel, and in connection with the Polish occupation, the Orel becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing, perhaps, in a two-headed one.

A shaky attempt to establish a new dynasty in the person of Vasily Shuisky (1606-1610), the painters from the command hut reflected in Orel deprived of all sovereign attributes (Fig. 14) and, as if in mockery, either a flower or a cone will grow from the place of fusion of heads. Russian history says very little about Tsar Vladislav I Sigismundovich (1610-1612), however, he was not crowned in Russia, but he issued decrees, his image was minted on coins and the Russian State Eagle had its own forms (Fig. 15). And for the first time, the Scepter appears in the paw of the Eagle. The short and essentially fictitious reign of this king actually put an end to the Troubles.

17th century

It's over Time of Troubles, Russia repulsed the claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, the uprisings blazing in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision Zemsky Cathedral Russia was ruled by the Romanov dynasty. Under the first tsar of this dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), nicknamed by the people "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat (Fig. 16). In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns, George the Victorious returned on his chest, but not in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also , on the icons George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman curia did not give up their hopes to bring Russia to the Catholic faith.

In 1645, under the son of Mikhail Fedorovich - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on his chest was crowned with three crowns. Since that time, this type of image has been constantly used.
The next stage in the change of the State Emblem came after the Pereyaslav Rada, the entry of Ukraine into the Russian state. At the celebrations on this occasion, a new, unprecedented three-headed Eagle appears (Fig. 17), which was supposed to symbolize the new title of the Russian Tsar : "All Great and Small, and White Russia Tsar, Sovereign and Autocrat".

To the charter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky and his descendants on the city of Gadyach dated March 27, 1654, a seal was attached, on which for the first time a two-headed eagle under three crowns is depicted holding symbols of power in its claws: a scepter and an orb.
In contrast to the Byzantine model, and possibly under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle began to be depicted with raised wings starting from 1654.
In 1654, a forged double-headed eagle was installed on the spire of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin.
In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible, the main book of Christianity, came out from under the printing press in Moscow. It is no coincidence that the State Emblem of Russia was depicted in it and its poetic "explanation" was given:

The eastern eagle shines with three crowns,
Faith, hope, love for God shows,
The krill is extended, embraces all the worlds of the end,
North, south, from east to sunset
He covers well with outstretched wings.

In 1667, after a long war between Russia and Poland over Ukraine, the Andrusovo truce was concluded. To seal this treaty, a Great Seal was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with a rider on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.
In the same year, the first Decree in the history of Russia dated December 14 "On the royal title and on the state seal" appeared, which contained an official description of the coat of arms: "The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the sovereign Grand Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Small and White Russia, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms.On the Persians (chest) is the image of the heir; in the pasnokts (claws) is a scepter and an apple, and shows the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty Autocrat and Possessor".

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich dies and the short and unremarkable reign of his son Fyodor Alekseevich (1676-1682) begins. The three-headed Eagle is replaced by the old two-headed Eagle, and at the same time does not reflect anything new. After a short struggle with the boyar choice for the kingdom of the young Peter, with the regency of his mother Natalya Kirillovna, the second tsar, the weak and limited John, is elevated to the throne. And behind the double royal throne stands Princess Sophia (1682-1689). The actual reign of Sophia brought to life a new Eagle (Fig. 18). However, he did not last long. After a new outbreak of unrest - the Streltsy rebellion, a new Eagle appears (Fig. 19). Moreover, the old Eagle does not disappear, and both of them exist for some time in parallel.

In the end, Sophia, having been defeated, goes to the monastery, and in 1696 Tsar John V also dies, the throne goes solely to Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" (1689-1725).

Early 18th century

In 1696, Tsar John V also died, the throne goes solely to Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" (1689-1725). And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape (Fig. 20). The era of great transformations begins. The capital is transferred to St. Petersburg and Orel acquires new attributes (Fig. 21). Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of the highest state awards in Russia. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the heavenly patrons of Peter Alekseevich, was declared the patron saint of Russia.
The blue oblique St. Andrew's Cross becomes the main element of the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and a symbol navy Russia. Since 1699, images of a double-headed eagle surrounded by a chain with the sign of the St. Andrew's Order have been found. And next year, the St. Andrew's Order is placed on an eagle, around a shield with a rider.
From the first quarter of the 18th century, the colors of the double-headed eagle were brown (natural) or black.
It is also important to mention one more Eagle (Fig. 21a), which Peter painted as a boy for the banner of the Amusing Regiment. This Eagle had only one paw for: "Whoever has only one land army has one hand, but whoever has a fleet has two hands."

Mid 18th century

In the short reign of Catherine I (1725-1727), the Eagle (Fig. 22) again changes its forms, the ironic nickname "Queen of the Swamp" went everywhere and, accordingly, the Eagle simply could not help but change. However, this Eagle lasted a very short time. Menshikov drew attention to it and ordered to withdraw it from use, and by the day of the coronation of the Empress, a new Eagle appeared (Fig. 23). 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 a rider in a red field."
After the death of Catherine I in the short reign of Peter II (1727-1730) - the grandson of Peter I, the Eagle remained practically unchanged (Fig. 24).

However, the reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) and Ivan VI (1740-1741) - the great-grandson of Peter I, does not cause practically any change in the Eagle (Fig. 25), with the exception of an exorbitantly elongated body. However, the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth (1740-1761) entails a radical change in the Eagle (Fig. 26). Nothing remains of the imperial power, and George the Victorious is replaced by a cross (moreover, not Orthodox). The humiliating period of Russia added the humiliating Eagle.

The Eagle did not react in any way to the very short and extremely insulting reign of Peter III (1761-1762) for the Russian people. In 1762, Catherine II "The Great" (1762-1796) came to the throne and the Eagle changed, acquiring powerful and grandiose forms (Fig. 27). In the minting of coins of this reign there were many arbitrary forms of the coat of arms. The most interesting form is the Eagle (Fig. 27a), which appeared during the time of Pugachev with a huge and not quite familiar crown.

1799 - 1801

The eagle (Fig. 28) of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) appeared long before the death of Catherine II, as if in opposition to her Eagle, to distinguish the Gatchina battalions from the entire Russian Army, to be worn on buttons, badges and headdresses. Finally, he appears on the standard of the Tsarevich himself. This Eagle is created by Paul himself.
During the short reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia was actively foreign policy, faced with a new enemy for themselves - Napoleonic France. After the French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, becoming the grand master of the order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem (Fig. 28a). On the chest of the eagle, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the "root coat of arms of Russia") superimposed on the Maltese cross.
Paul I made an attempt to introduce the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire. On December 16, 1800, he signed the Manifesto, which described this complex project. Forty-three coats of arms were placed in the multi-field shield and on nine small shields. In the center was the coat of arms described above in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the rest. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appeared. The supporters, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over knight's helmet and a cloak (cloak). The whole composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - the heraldic symbol of sovereignty. Two standards with two-headed and one-headed eagles emerge from behind the shield with coats of arms. This project has not been finalized.

1st half of the 19th century

As a result of a Masonic conspiracy, on March 11, 1801, Paul fell at the hands of palace regicides. The young Emperor Alexander I "Blessed" (1801-1825) takes the throne. By the day of his coronation, a new Eagle appears (Fig. 29), already without the Maltese emblems, but, in fact, this Eagle is quite close to the former one. The victory over Napoleon and almost complete control over all processes in Europe causes the emergence of a new Eagle (Fig. 30). He had one crown, the wings of an eagle were depicted lowered (spread out), and in the paws not the traditional scepter and orb, but a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns) and a torch.

In 1825, Alexander I (according to the official version) dies in Taganrog and Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855), strong-willed and aware of his duty to Russia, takes the throne. Nicholas contributed to the powerful, spiritual and cultural revival of Russia. This revealed a new Eagle (Fig. 31), which changed somewhat over time (Fig. 31a), but still carried all the same strict forms.

Mid 19th century

In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B.Kene, the type of the state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of "title" coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the emblems of Kazan, Poland, Tauric Chersonesos and the combined emblem of the Grand Duchies (Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left - shields with the emblems of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland.
On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Large, Medium and Small, coats of arms of members of the imperial family, as well as "titular" coats of arms. At the same time, drawings of the Large, Medium and Small state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of the main and lower government places and persons were approved. In total, one act approved one hundred and ten drawings lithographed by A. Beggrov. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.
Also known is another Eagle of Emperor Alexander II (1855-1881), where the gleam of gold returns to the Eagle again (Fig. 32). The scepter and orb are replaced by a torch and a wreath. In the course of his reign, the wreath and torch are replaced several times by the scepter and orb, and several times they return again.

Big State Emblem, 1882

July 24, 1882 Emperor Alexander III in Peterhof, he approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, the imperial crowns began to be depicted like real diamond crowns used during the coronation.
The large Russian state emblem, approved by the Highest on November 3, 1882, is in a golden shield a black double-headed eagle crowned with two imperial crowns, above which is the same, but in a larger form, a crown, with two fluttering ends of the ribbon of the St. Andrew's Order. The state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb. On the chest of the eagle is the coat of arms of Moscow. The shield is crowned with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The namet is black with gold. Around the shield is the chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called; on the sides of the image of the saints Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel. The canopy is golden, crowned with the imperial crown, dotted with Russian eagles and lined with ermine. On it is a scarlet inscription: God is with us! Above the canopy is the state banner, with an eight-pointed cross on the staff.

Small State Emblem, 1883-1917

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two variants of the Small Coat of Arms were approved. In January 1895, the royal command was given to leave unchanged the drawing of the state eagle, made by Academician A. Charlemagne.
The latest act - "Basic Provisions state structure Russian Empire "of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions regarding the State Emblem, but with all the strict contours it is the most elegant.

"derzava.com"

The coat of arms of Russia is one of the main state symbols of Russia, along with the flag and anthem. The modern coat of arms of Russia is a golden double-headed eagle on a red background. Three crowns are depicted above the heads of the eagle, now symbolizing the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, subjects of the Federation; in the paws - a scepter and orb, personifying state power and a single state; on the chest is an image of a rider slaying a dragon with a spear. This is one of the ancient symbols of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, the defense of the Fatherland.

History of coat of arms changes

The first reliable evidence of the use of the double-headed eagle as a state emblem is the seal of John III Vasilyevich on the exchange letter of 1497. During its existence, the image of the double-headed eagle undergoes many changes. In 1917, the eagle ceased to be the coat of arms of Russia. Its symbolism seemed to the Bolsheviks a symbol of autocracy, they did not take into account the fact that the double-headed eagle was a symbol of Russian statehood. On November 30, 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Decree on the State Emblem. Now the double-headed eagle, as before, symbolizes the power and unity of the Russian state.

15th century
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, Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European states, its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the first all-Russian Sudebnik was adopted - a single code of laws of the country.
It was at this time - the time of the successful construction of Russian statehood - that the two-headed eagle, personifying supreme power, independence, what was called "autocracy" in Russia, became the coat of arms of Russia. The very first surviving evidence of the use of the image of the double-headed eagle as a symbol of Russia is the Grand Duke's seal of Ivan III, which in 1497 sealed his "exchange and allotment" charter for the land holdings of specific princes. At the same time, images of a gilded double-headed eagle on a red field appeared on the walls of the Pomegranate Chamber in the Kremlin.

Mid 16th century
Beginning in 1539, the type of eagle on the seal of the Grand Duke of Moscow changed. In the era of Ivan the Terrible, on the golden bull (state seal) of 1562, in the center of the double-headed eagle, an image of a rider ("rider") appeared - one of ancient symbols princely power in "Rus". The “rider” 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 century
During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, a sign of the passion of Christ appears: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious coloring to the coat of arms of the state. The appearance of the "Golgotha cross" in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the time of the establishment in 1589 of the patriarchate and church independence of Russia.

In the 17th century, the Orthodox cross was often depicted on Russian banners. The banners of foreign regiments that were part of the Russian army had their own emblems and inscriptions; however, an Orthodox cross was also placed on them, which indicated that the regiment fighting under this banner served the Orthodox sovereign. Until the middle of the 17th century, a seal was widely used, on which a two-headed eagle with a rider on its chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

30-60s of the XVIII century
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 a rider in a red field.”

But if in this Decree the rider on the coat of arms was still called the rider, then among the drawings of coats of arms presented in May 1729 by Count Munnich to the Military Collegium and awarded the highest approval, the double-headed eagle is described as follows: “The coat of arms of the State in the old way: a double-headed eagle, black , on the heads of the crown, and at the top in the middle is a large Imperial crown-gold; in the middle of that eagle, George on a white horse, defeating a serpent; the epancha and the spear are yellow, the crown is yellow, the snake is black; the field around is white, and in the middle is red. Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1736 invited the Swiss engraver Goedlinger, who by 1740 had engraved the State Seal. The central part of the matrix of this seal with the image of a double-headed eagle was used until 1856. Thus, the type of double-headed eagle on the State Seal remained unchanged for more than a hundred years.

Turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries
Emperor Paul I, by decree of April 5, 1797, allowed members of the imperial family to use the image of a double-headed eagle as their coat of arms.
In the short time of the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy for itself - Napoleonic France. After the French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, becoming the grand master of the order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem. On the chest of the eagle, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “root coat of arms of Russia”) superimposed on the Maltese cross.

Paul I made an attempt to introduce the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire. On December 16, 1800, he signed the Manifesto, which described this complex project. Forty-three coats of arms were placed in the multi-field shield and on nine small shields. In the center was the coat of arms described above in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the rest. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appeared. The supporters, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The whole composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - the heraldic symbol of sovereignty. Two standards with two-headed and one-headed eagles emerge from behind the shield with coats of arms. This project has not been finalized.

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

1st half of the 19th century
The images of the double-headed eagle at that time are very diverse: it could have one and three crowns; in the paws - not only the scepter and orb, which have already become traditional, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), a torch. The wings of an eagle were depicted in different ways - raised, lowered, straightened. To a certain extent, the image of the eagle was influenced by the then European fashion, common to the Empire era.
Under Emperor Nicholas I, the simultaneous existence of two types of state eagle was officially fixed.
The first type is an eagle with spread wings, under one crown, with the image of St. George on the chest and with a scepter and an orb in its paws. The second type was an eagle with raised wings, on which the title coats of arms were depicted: on the right - Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, on the left - Polish, Tauride, Finland. For some time, another version was also in circulation - with the emblems of the three "main" ancient Russian Grand Duchies (Kiev, Vladimir and Novgorod lands) and three kingdoms - Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberia. An eagle under three crowns, with St. George (as the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Moscow) in a shield on his chest, with a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, with a scepter and orb in his paws.

Mid 19th century
In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B. Kene, the type of the state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. Then St. George on the chest of an eagle, in accordance with the rules of Western European heraldry, began to look to the left. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the emblems of Kazan, Poland, Tauric Chersonesos and the combined emblem of the Grand Duchies (Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left - shields with the emblems of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland.

On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Large, Medium and Small, coats of arms of members of the imperial family, as well as "titular" coats of arms. At the same time, drawings of the Large, Medium and Small state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of the main and lower government places and persons were approved. In total, one act approved one hundred and ten drawings lithographed by A. Beggrov. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.

Big State Emblem, 1882
On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire in Peterhof, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, the imperial crowns began to be depicted like real diamond crowns used during the coronation.
The final drawing of the Great Emblem of the Empire was approved on November 3, 1882, when the coat of arms of Turkestan was added to the title emblems.

Small State Emblem, 1883-1917
On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two variants of the Small Coat of Arms were approved. On the wings of the double-headed eagle (Small Coat of Arms) there were eight coats of arms of the full title of Emperor of Russia: the coat of arms of the kingdom of Kazan; coat of arms of the kingdom of Poland; coat of arms of the kingdom of Tauric Chersonesos; the united coat of arms of the Kiev, Vladimir and Novgorod grand principalities; coat of arms of the kingdom of Astrakhan, coat of arms of the kingdom of Siberia, coat of arms of the kingdom of Georgia, coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland. In January 1895, the imperial order was given to leave unchanged the drawing of the state eagle, made by Academician A. Charlemagne.

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

Emblem of Russia, 1917
After the February Revolution of 1917, on the initiative of Maxim Gorky, a Special Conference on Arts was organized. In March of the same year, it included a commission under the executive committee of the Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, which, in particular, was preparing a new version of the coat of arms of Russia. The commission included well-known artists and art critics A. N. Benois and N. K. Roerich, I. Ya. Bilibin, heraldist V. K. Lukomsky. It was decided that it was possible to use images of the double-headed eagle on the seal of the Provisional Government. The execution of the design of this seal was entrusted to I. Ya. Bilibin, who took as a basis the image of the double-headed eagle, deprived of almost all symbols of power, on the seal of Ivan III. Such an image continued to be used 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 not land, but political, party symbols in the state emblem: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and rising Sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered by ears of wheat, fastened with a red ribbon with the inscription "Proletarians of all countries, unite." Later, this image of the coat of arms was approved in the Constitution of the RSFSR.

Even earlier (April 16, 1918), the sign of the Red Army was legalized: the five-pointed Red Star, the symbol of the ancient god of war Mars. 60 years later, in the spring of 1978, the military star, which by that time had become part of the coat of arms of the USSR and most of the republics, entered the coat of arms of the RSFSR.

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

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

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

The golden double-headed eagle on a red field preserves the historical continuity in color scheme emblems of the end of the 15th - 17th centuries. The drawing of the eagle goes back to the images on the monuments of the era of Peter the Great.

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

The material was prepared on the basis of information from open sources

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, Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European states, its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the all-Russian Sudebnik was adopted - a single code of laws of the country.

It was at this time - the time of the successful construction of Russian statehood.

The Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III (1462-1505) married the Byzantine princess Sofya Palaiologos and, in order to increase his authority in relations with foreign states, takes the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - the Double-Headed Eagle. The double-headed eagle of Byzantium personified the Roman-Byzantine Empire, covering East and West. Emperor Maximilian II, however, did not give Sophia his Imperial eagle, the eagle depicted on the banner of Sophia Paleologus had not an Imperial but only a Caesar's crown.

However, the opportunity to become equal with all European sovereigns prompted Ivan III to adopt this coat of arms as the heraldic symbol of his state. Having turned from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking for his state a new coat of arms - the Double-headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 puts Caesar's crowns on both heads, at the same time a shield with the image of the icon of St. George the Victorious appears on the eagle's chest. In 1480 the Tsar of Moscow became Autocrat, i.e. independent and independent. This circumstance is reflected in the modification of the Eagle, a sword and an Orthodox cross appear in its paws.

IV turns 16 years old, and he is crowned king and immediately the Eagle undergoes a very significant change, as if personifying the entire era of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1548-1574, 1576-1584). But during the reign of Ivan the Terrible there was a period when he renounced the Kingdom and retired to a monastery, handing over the reins of government to Semyon Bekbulatovich Kasimovsky (1574-1576), and in fact to the boyars. And the Eagle reacted to the ongoing events with another change.

The return of Ivan the Terrible to the throne causes the appearance of a new Eagle, the heads of which are crowned with one common crown of a clearly Western pattern. But that's not all, on the chest of the Eagle, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, the image of the Unicorn appears. Why? This can only be guessed at. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible.

Ivan the Terrible dies and the weak, limited Tsar Fedor Ivanovich “Blessed” (1584-1587) reigns on the throne. And again the Eagle changes its appearance. During the reign of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle, a sign of the passion of Christ appears: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious coloring to the coat of arms of the state. The appearance of the "Golgotha cross" in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the time of the establishment in 1589 of the patriarchate and church independence of Russia. Another coat of arms of Fedor Ivanovich is also known, which is somewhat different from the above.

The enemies of Russia took advantage of the Troubles, and the appearance of False Dmitry (1605-1606) under these conditions was quite natural, as was the appearance of a new Eagle. I must say that some of the seals depicted another, clearly not a Russian Eagle. Here, events also left their mark on the Orel, and in connection with the Polish occupation, the Orel becomes very similar to the Polish one, differing, perhaps, in a two-headed one.

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

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repulsed the claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, the uprisings blazing in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision of the Zemsky Sobor, the Romanov dynasty began to rule in Russia. Under the first tsar of this dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), nicknamed by the people "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns, George the Victorious returned on his chest, but not in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also, on the icons, George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman curia did not give up their hopes to bring Russia to the Catholic faith.

The next stage in the change of the State Emblem came after the Pereyaslav Rada, the entry of Ukraine into the Russian state. At the celebrations on this occasion, a new, unprecedented three-headed Eagle appears, which was supposed to symbolize the new title of the Russian Tsar: "All Great and Small, and White Russia Tsar, Sovereign and Autocrat."

In contrast to the Byzantine model, and possibly under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle began to be depicted with raised wings starting from 1654.

In 1654, a forged double-headed eagle was installed on the spire of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible, the main book of Christianity, came out from under the printing press in Moscow. It is no coincidence that the State Emblem of Russia was depicted in it and its poetic "explanation" was given:

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

Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich dies and the short and unremarkable reign of his son Fyodor Alekseevich (1676-1682) begins. The three-headed Eagle is replaced by the old two-headed Eagle, and at the same time does not reflect anything new. After a short struggle with the boyar choice for the kingdom of the young Peter, with the regency of his mother Natalya Kirillovna, the second tsar, the weak and limited John, is elevated to the throne. And behind the double royal throne stands Princess Sophia (1682-1689). The actual reign of Sophia brought to life a new Eagle. However, he did not last long. After a new outbreak of unrest - the Streltsy rebellion, a new Eagle appears. Moreover, the old Eagle does not disappear, and both of them exist for some time in parallel.

In the end, Sophia, having been defeated, goes to the monastery, and in 1696 Tsar John V also dies, the throne goes solely to Peter I Alekseevich "The Great" (1689-1725).

And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape. The era of great transformations begins. The capital is transferred to St. Petersburg and Orel acquires new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of the highest state awards in Russia. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the heavenly patrons of Peter Alekseevich, was declared the patron saint of Russia.

The blue oblique St. Andrew's Cross becomes the main element of the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and the symbol of the Russian Navy. Since 1699, images of a double-headed eagle surrounded by a chain with the sign of the St. Andrew's Order have been found. And next year, the St. Andrew's Order is placed on an eagle, around a shield with a rider.

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

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

In the short reign of Catherine I (1725-1727), the Eagle changed its forms again, the ironic nickname "Queen of the Swamp" went everywhere and, accordingly, the Eagle simply could not help but change. However, this Eagle lasted a very short time. Menshikov, drawing attention to him, ordered to withdraw it from use, and by the day of the coronation of the Empress, a new Eagle appeared. 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 a rider in a red field."

After the death of Catherine I in the short reign of Peter II (1727-1730) - the grandson of Peter I, Orel remained virtually unchanged.

However, the reign of Anna Ioannovna (1730-1740) and Ivan VI (1740-1741) - the great-grandson of Peter I, does not cause practically any change in the Eagle, with the exception of an exorbitantly elongated body. However, the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth (1740-1761) entails a radical change in the Eagle. Nothing remains of the imperial power, and George the Victorious is replaced by a cross (moreover, not Orthodox). The humiliating period of Russia added the humiliating Eagle.

The Eagle did not react in any way to the very short and extremely insulting reign of Peter III (1761-1762) for the Russian people. In 1762, Catherine II "the Great" (1762-1796) came to the throne and the Eagle changed, acquiring powerful and grandiose forms. In the minting of coins of this reign there were many arbitrary forms of the coat of arms. The most interesting form is the Eagle, which appeared during the time of Pugachev with a huge and not quite familiar crown.

The Eagle of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) appeared long before the death of Catherine II, as if in opposition to her Eagle, to distinguish the Gatchina battalions from the entire Russian Army, to be worn on buttons, badges and headdresses. Finally, he appears on the standard of the Tsarevich himself. This Eagle is created by Paul himself.

In the short time of the reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy for itself - Napoleonic France. After the French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, becoming the grand master of the order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem. On the chest of the eagle, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the "root coat of arms of Russia") superimposed on the Maltese cross.

As a result of the conspiracy, on March 11, 1801, Pavel fell at the hands of palace regicides. The young Emperor Alexander I "Blessed" (1801-1825) takes the throne. By the day of his coronation, a new Eagle appears, already without the Maltese emblems, but, in fact, this Eagle is quite close to the previous one. The victory over Napoleon and almost complete control over all processes in Europe causes the emergence of a new Eagle. He had one crown, the wings of an eagle were depicted lowered (spread out), and in the paws not the traditional scepter and orb, but a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns) and a torch.

In 1825, Alexander I (according to the official version) dies in Taganrog and Emperor Nicholas I (1825-1855), strong-willed and aware of his duty to Russia, takes the throne. Nicholas contributed to the powerful, spiritual and cultural revival of Russia. This revealed a new Eagle, which changed somewhat over time, but still carried all the same strict forms.

Also known is another Eagle of Emperor Alexander II (1855-1881), where the gleam of gold returns to the Eagle again. The scepter and orb are replaced by a torch and a wreath. In the course of his reign, the wreath and torch are replaced several times by the scepter and orb, and several times they return again.

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

The large Russian state emblem, approved by the Highest on November 3, 1882, is in a golden shield a black double-headed eagle crowned with two imperial crowns, above which is the same, but in a larger form, a crown, with two fluttering ends of the ribbon of the St. Andrew's Order. The state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb. On the chest of the eagle is the coat of arms of Moscow. The shield is crowned with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The namet is black with gold. Around the shield is the chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called; on the sides of the image of the saints Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel. The canopy is golden, crowned with the imperial crown, dotted with Russian eagles and lined with ermine. On it is a scarlet inscription: God is with us! Above the canopy is the state banner, with an eight-pointed cross on the staff.

Acceptance date: 30.11.1993, 25.12.2000

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

Official description in constitutional law:
The State Emblem of the Russian Federation is a quadrangular, with rounded lower corners, pointed at the tip, a red heraldic shield with a golden double-headed eagle that raised its spread wings. The eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon. In the right paw of the eagle is a scepter, in the left - orb. On the chest of the eagle, in a red shield, there is a silver horseman in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon overturned and trampled on his horse.

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

Since 2000, the saddle under the rider is usually depicted in red, although this is not specified in the description (but such an image is given in Appendix 1 to the Federal Constitutional Law "On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation"). Prior to 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 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.

Rationale for the 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 retains historical continuity in the colors of the coats of arms of the late 15th-17th centuries. The drawing of the eagle goes back to the images on the monuments of the era of Peter the Great. Three historical crowns of Peter the Great are depicted above the heads of the eagle, symbolizing in the new conditions the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, subjects of the Federation; in the paws - a scepter and an orb, personifying state power and a single state; on the chest is an image of a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear. This is one of the ancient symbols of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, the defense of the Fatherland. The restoration of the double-headed eagle as the State Emblem of Russia embodies the continuity and continuity of Russian history. Today's coat of arms of Russia is a new coat of arms, but its components are deeply traditional; it reflects different stages of national history and continues them on the eve of the third millennium.