State emblem of Russia: history and meaning. Ivan III is the first sovereign of all Rus'. Adoption of state symbols

30.09.2019

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; this is done by the special historical discipline of HERALDICS, which developed back in the Middle Ages.

History of the coat of arms Russian Empire quite interesting and unique.

Officially, Russian heraldry begins with the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (XVII century). But the forerunner of the coat of arms were the personal seals of the Russian tsars, so the primary sources of the Russian coat of arms should be sought in the 15th century, during the reign of Ivan III the Great. Initially, the personal seal of Ivan III depicted St. George the Victorious, striking a serpent 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 (Zoe) Palaeologus, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Palaeologus. It symbolized the transfer of the legacy of the fallen Byzantium. But before Peter I, the Russian coat of arms was not subject to heraldic rules; Russian heraldry developed precisely during his reign.

History of the coat of arms double-headed eagle

The eagle in the coat of arms dates back to Byzantium. Later he appeared on the coat of arms of Rus'. 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, and the USA. But double headed eagle present only on the coats of arms of Albania and Serbia. The Russian double-headed eagle has undergone many changes since its appearance and emergence as an element of the state emblem. Let's look at these stages.
As mentioned above, coats of arms appeared in Russia a long time ago, but these were only drawings on the seals of the kings, they did not obey heraldic rules. Due to the lack of knighthood in Rus', coats of arms were not very common.
Until the 16th century, Russia was a divided state, so there could be no talk of a state emblem of Russia. But under Ivan III (1462-
1505) his seal acted as a coat of arms. On its front side there is a picture of a horseman piercing a serpent with a spear, and on the back side there is a double-headed eagle.
The first known images of a double-headed eagle date back to XIII century BC. - This is a rock carving 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 Western Asia under the Median king Cyaxares (625-585 BC). The double-headed eagle then appeared on the emblems of Rome under Constantine the Great. After its founding in 330 new capital- Constantinople - the double-headed eagle became the state emblem of the Roman Empire.
After the adoption of Christianity from Byzantium, Rus' began to experience the strong influence of Byzantine culture and Byzantine ideas. Along with Christianity, new religions began to penetrate into Rus'. political orders and relationships. 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 Rus'. 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.
Since the end of the 15th century, the Byzantine coat of arms - a double-headed eagle - appears on the seals of the Moscow sovereign; it is combined with the former Moscow coat of arms - the image of St. George the Victorious. Thus, Rus' confirmed the continuity from Byzantium.

From IvanIII before PeterI

Great state seal of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich (the Terrible)

The development of the Russian coat of arms is inextricably linked with the history of Rus'. The eagle on the seals of John III was depicted with a closed beak and looked more like an eaglet. Russia at that time was still an eaglet, a young state. During the reign of Vasily III Ioannovich (1505-1533), the double-headed eagle is depicted 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.”

During the reign of John IV Vasilyevich (1533-1584), Rus' gained victories over the Astrakhan and Kazan kingdoms and 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. Obverse 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 eagle’s chest is a shield with the image of St. George the Victorious.

On February 21, 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the throne. 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 this time was becoming a unified and fairly strong state. This circumstance is immediately reflected in the coat of arms: above the eagle, instead of an eight-pointed cross, a third crown appears. 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.
Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676) ends the Russian-Polish conflict with the conclusion of the Truce of Andrusovo with Poland (1667). The Russian state becomes equal in rights with others European states. During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the eagle received symbols of power: scepter And power.

Great state seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich

At the request of the tsar, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I sent his king of arms Lavrentiy Khurelevich to Moscow, who in 1673 wrote an essay “On the genealogy of the Russian great princes and sovereigns, showing the kinship that existed, through marriages, between Russia and eight European powers, that is Caesar of Rome, the kings of England, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, and with the image of these royal coats of arms, and in the middle of them the Grand Duke St. Vladimir, at the end of the portrait of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.” This work marked the beginning of the development of Russian heraldry. The eagle’s wings are raised up and fully open (a symbol of the complete establishment of Russia as a powerful state; its heads are crowned with three royal crowns; on its chest there is a shield with the Moscow coat of arms; in its paws there is a scepter and an orb.

Lavrenty Khurelevich was first given in 1667 official description Russian coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the sovereign coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Lesser and White Russia, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian Kingdom, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest power and command of His Royal Majesty the Most Gracious Sovereign... on the Persians is the image of the heir; in the box there is 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 an equal among the leading powers of Europe.
Under him, according to heraldic rules, the coat of arms began to be depicted as black (before that it was depicted as gold). The eagle has become not only a decoration of state papers, but also a symbol of strength and power.
In 1721, Peter I accepted the imperial title, and imperial crowns began to be depicted on coats of arms instead of royal crowns. In 1722, he established the office of the King of Arms and the position of King of Arms.
The state emblem under Peter I also underwent other changes: in addition to changing the color of the eagle, shields with coats of arms were placed on its wings
Great Duchies and Kingdoms. On the right wing there were shields with the coats of arms (from top to bottom): Kyiv, Novgorod, Astrakhan; on the left wing: Vladimir, Siberian, Kazan. It was under Peter I that a complex of attributes of the coat of arms eagle emerged.
And after Russia entered the “expanses 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 palace coups. In the 30s of the 18th century. the leadership of the state was dominated by immigrants from Germany, which did not contribute to the strengthening of the country. In 1736, Empress Anna Ioannovna invited a Swiss by birth, the Swedish engraver I. K. Gedlinger, who engraved the State Seal by 1740, which was used with minor changes until 1856.

Until the end of the 18th century. There were no special changes in the design of the coat of arms, but during the times of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great, the eagle looked more like an eagle.

Coat of arms of Catherine I

Paul I

Coat of arms of Russia with the Maltese cross

Having become emperor, Paul I immediately tried to modify the Russian coat of arms. By decree of April 5, 1797, the double-headed eagle became 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 the chest. The cross was placed on the eagle’s chest under the Moscow coat of arms (“the indigenous coat of arms of Russia”). The emperor is also 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 have time to adopt this coat of arms before Paul’s death.
Paul I was also the founder of the Great Russian Coat of Arms. The Manifesto of December 16, 1800 gives it Full description. 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, having become emperor in 1801, abolished the Maltese cross on the state emblem. But under Alexander I, on the coat of arms, the eagle’s wings are spread wide to the side, and the feathers are lowered down. One head is more inclined than the other. Instead of a scepter and an orb, new attributes appear in the eagle’s paws: a torch, peruns (thunder arrows), Laurel wreath(sometimes a branch), lictor's bun intertwined with ribbons.

Nicholas I

Coat of arms of Nicholas I

The reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855) was emphatically firm and decisive (suppression of the Decembrist uprising, limitation of 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 Kingdom of Poland has been included in the Russian coat of arms.
At the end of the reign of Nicholas I, the manager of the heraldry department, 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 to be depicted in a French shield; the rider was to be turned, according to heraldic rules, to the left of the viewer. But in 1855, Nicholas I died, and Quesne’s projects were implemented only under Alexander II.

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

Big National emblem Russian Empire 1857

The large state emblem of the Russian Empire was introduced in 1857 by decree of Emperor Alexander II (this was 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, the large one is located between the heads and rises above them; in the eagle’s paws are a scepter and an orb; on the chest is depicted “the coat of arms of Moscow: in a scarlet shield with gold edges, the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in silver armor and an azure cap on a silver horse.” The shield, which depicts an eagle, 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: with right side(to the left of the viewer) - Saint Archangel Michael, to the left - Archangel Gabriel. The central part is under the shadow of the large imperial crown and the state banner above it.
To the left and right of the state banner, on the same horizontal line with it, are depicted six shields with the connected 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 crowns with the coats of arms of the Grand Duchies and Kingdoms and the coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty, are a continuation and most of the circle that the united coats of arms of the principalities and volosts began. Counterclockwise coats of arms: the Astrakhan Kingdom, the Siberian Kingdom, the Family Coat of Arms of His Imperial Majesty, the united coats of arms of the Grand Duchies, the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland, the coat of arms of Chersonis-Tauride, the coat of arms of the Polish Kingdom, the coat of arms of the Kazan Kingdom.
The top six shields from left to right: combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the Great Russian, combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the South-Western, combined coats of arms of the Baltic regions.
At the same time, the Middle and Small state emblems were adopted.
The middle state coat of arms was the same as the Great one, but without state banners and six coats of arms above the canopy; Small - the same as the Middle one, but without a canopy, images of saints and the family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty.
Adopted by decree of Alexander III on 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), combined 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, Saint Archangel Michael and Saint Archangel Gabriel, the motto “God is with us,” the eight-pointed Orthodox cross above 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 Rus' around Moscow, historical center 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, a coup d'état took place. Democrats led by B. N. Yeltsin came to power in Russia.
On August 22, 1991, the State Flag of Russia was re-established white-blue-red flag. On November 30, 1993, Russian President B.N. Yeltsin signs the decree “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation.” Once again the double-headed eagle becomes 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) - the most important stage the formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of Khan Akhmat against Moscow in 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow included Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Tver, and Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European countries, and its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the all-Russian Code of Laws was adopted - a unified set of laws of the country.
It is at this time - the time of successful construction Russian statehood- the coat of arms of Russia became a double-headed eagle, personifying supreme power, independence, what was called “autocracy” in Rus'. It happened like this: Grand Duke Moscow Ivan III married the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologus and, to increase his authority in relations with foreign states, adopted the family coat of arms of the Byzantine kings - the Double-Headed Eagle. The double-headed eagle of Byzantium personified the Roman-Byzantine Empire, spanning 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 did not have the Imperial crown, but only the 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 transformed from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking a new coat of arms for his state - the Double-Headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 placed Caesar's crowns on both heads (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 self-sufficient. 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) places one common autocratic Monomakh's Cap on both heads of the Eagle (Fig. 5). After the death of Vasily III, because his heir Ivan IV, who later received the name Grozny, was still small, the regency of his mother Elena Glinskaya (1533-1538) began, and the actual autocracy of the boyars Shuisky, Belsky (1538-1548) began. And here the Russian Eagle undergoes a very 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 power to Semyon Bekbulatovich Kasimovsky (1574-1576), and in fact to the boyars. And Eagle reacted to the events taking place with another change (Fig. 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 one common crown of a clearly Western design. But that’s not all, on the Eagle’s chest, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, an image of a Unicorn appears. Why? One can only guess about this. 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 “the Blessed” (1584-1587), the sign of the passion of Christ appears between the crowned heads of the double-headed eagle: the so-called Calvary cross. The cross on the state seal was a symbol of Orthodoxy, giving a religious connotation to the state emblem. The appearance of the “Golgotha cross” in the coat of arms of Russia coincides with the establishment of the patriarchate and ecclesiastical independence of Russia in 1589. 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, an Orthodox cross was also placed on them, which indicated that the regiment fighting under this banner served the Orthodox sovereign. Before mid-17th century centuries, a seal was widely used, on which a double-headed eagle with a rider on its chest is crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

Boris Godunov (1587-1605), who replaced Fyodor Ivanovich, could be 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 Eagle (Fig. 11) reflects this public opinion.

The enemies of Rus' took advantage of the troubles and the appearance of False Dmitry (1605-1606) in these conditions was quite natural, as was the appearance of the new Eagle (Fig. 12). It must be said that some seals depicted a different, clearly not Russian Eagle (Fig. 13). Here events also left their mark on Orel and in connection with the Polish occupation, Orel becomes very similar to Polish, differing, perhaps, in having two heads.

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

17th century

It's over Time of Troubles, Russia repelled claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, and the uprisings that flared in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision of the Zemsky Sobor, the Romanov dynasty began to rule in Russia. Under the first king of this dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), popularly nicknamed "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat (Fig. 16). In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle was depicted under three crowns; St. George the Victorious returned on the chest, but no longer in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also , on the icons St. George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman Curia did not abandon their hopes of bringing Rus' to the Catholic faith.

In 1645, under the son of Mikhail Fedorovich - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a double-headed eagle with a rider on his chest was crowned with three crowns. From that time on, this type of image was constantly used.
The next stage of changing 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 : "Tsar, Sovereign and Autocrat of All Great and Little and White Rus'."

A seal was attached to the charter of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky and his descendants for the city of Gadyach dated March 27, 1654, on which for the first time a double-headed eagle under three crowns is depicted holding symbols of power in its claws: a scepter and an orb.
In contrast to the Byzantine model and, perhaps, under the influence of the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the double-headed eagle, starting in 1654, began to be depicted with raised wings.
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, from under printing press The Bible, the main book of Christianity, was published in Moscow. It is no coincidence that it depicted the State Emblem of Russia and gave a poetic “explanation” of it:

The eastern eagle shines with three crowns,
Shows faith, hope, love for God,
Krile stretches out, embraces all the worlds of the end,
North, south, from the east all the way to the west of the sun
With outstretched wings it covers goodness.

In 1667, after a long war between Russia and Poland over Ukraine, the Truce of Andrusovo was concluded. To seal this agreement, a Great Seal was made with a double-headed eagle under three crowns, with a shield with a rider on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.
In the same year, the first in the history of Russia Decree of December 14 “On the royal title and on the state seal” appeared, which contained the official description of the coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of all Great and Small and White Russia's autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted, symbolizing the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms. On the chest (chest) there is an image of the heir; 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 boyars' choice for the kingdom of the young Peter, under the regency of his mother Natalya Kirillovna, a second king, 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 Streletsky 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 suffered defeat, goes to a monastery, and in 1696 Tsar John V also dies, the throne goes to Peter I Alekseevich “the Great” (1689-1725).

Early 18th century

In 1696, Tsar John V also died, and the throne went 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 moved 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 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 navy Russia. Since 1699, there have been images of a double-headed eagle surrounded by a chain with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew. And next year the Order of St. Andrew is placed on the eagle, around a shield with a rider.
From the first quarter of the 18th century, the colors of the double-headed eagle became brown (natural) or black.
It is also important to say about another Eagle (Fig. 21a), which Peter painted as a very young boy for the banner of the Amusing Regiment. This Eagle had only one paw, for: “Whoever has only one land army has one hand, but whoever has a fleet has two hands.”

Mid-18th century

During the short reign of Catherine I (1725-1727), the Eagle (Fig. 22) again changed its shape, the ironic nickname “Marsh Queen” was everywhere and, accordingly, the Eagle simply could not help but change. However, this Eagle lasted for a very short period of time. Menshikov, paying attention to it, ordered it to be removed 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, with a rider on it in a red field.”
After the death of Catherine I during the short reign of Peter II (1727-1730) - the grandson of Peter I, Orel remained virtually 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 the body being exorbitantly elongated upward. 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 St. George the Victorious is replaced by a cross (besides, not an Orthodox one). The humiliating period of Russia added the humiliating Eagle.

Orel did not react in any way to the very short and extremely offensive reign of Peter III (1761-1762) for the Russian people. In 1762, Catherine II “The Great” (1762-1796) ascended 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 shapes coat of arms The most interesting form is the Eagle (Fig. 27a), which appeared during the time of Pugachev with a huge and not entirely 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 contrast 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 crown prince himself. This Eagle is created by Paul himself.
IN a short time reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia was active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy - Napoleonic France. After French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, becoming the Grand Master of the Order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a Decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem (Fig. 28a). On the eagle’s chest, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “indigenous 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 above-described coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the others. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appears. The shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The entire composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - a heraldic symbol of sovereignty. From behind the shield with coats of arms emerge two standards with a double-headed and a single-headed eagles. This project has not been finalized.

1st half of the 19th century

As a result of a Masonic conspiracy, on March 11, 1801, Paul fell at the hands of the palace regicides. The young Emperor Alexander I “The Blessed” (1801-1825) ascends the throne. By the day of his coronation, a new Eagle appears (Fig. 29), without the Maltese emblems, but, in fact, this Eagle is quite close to the old 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 eagle's wings were depicted lowered (straightened), and in his paws were 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 in will and aware of his duty to Russia, ascends the throne. Nicholas contributed to a powerful, spiritual and cultural revival of Russia. This revealed a new Eagle (Fig. 31), which changed somewhat over time (Fig. 31a), but still carried 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 state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Tauride Chersonese and the combined coat of arms of the Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left were shields with the coats of arms of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland.
On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Big, Middle and Small, coats of arms of members of the imperial family, as well as “titular” coats of arms. At the same time, the drawings of the Big, Middle and Small were approved state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of main and lower official places and persons. In total, one hundred and ten drawings lithographed by A. Beggrov were approved in one act. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new coats of arms and the rules for their use.
Another Eagle of Emperor Alexander II (1855-1881) is also known, where the shine of gold returns to the Eagle (Fig. 32). The scepter and orb are replaced by a torch and a wreath. During the reign, the wreath and torch are replaced several times by the scepter and orb and return several times.

Large 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, imperial crowns began to be depicted like real diamond crowns used at coronations.
The large Russian state emblem, Supremely approved on November 3, 1882, contains a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, crowned with two imperial crowns, above which is the same, but in a larger form, crown, with two fluttering ends of the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew. The state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb. On the eagle's chest is the coat of arms of Moscow. The shield is topped with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. Black and gold mantle. Around the shield is a chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called; On the sides there are images of 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 a state banner with an eight-pointed cross on the pole.

Small State Emblem, 1883-1917.

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two versions of the Small coat of arms were approved. In January 1895, the highest order was given to leave unchanged the drawing of the state eagle made by academician A. Charlemagne.
The latest act is "Basic Provisions government structure Russian Empire" of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions concerning the State Emblem, but with all the strict contours it is the most elegant.

"derzava.com"

History of the Coat of Arms of Russia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Time of Troubles ended, Russia repelled the claims to the throne of the Polish and Swedish dynasties. Numerous impostors were defeated, and the uprisings that flared in the country were suppressed. Since 1613, by decision of the Zemsky Sobor, the Romanov dynasty began to rule in Russia. Under the first king of this dynasty - Mikhail Fedorovich (1613-1645), popularly nicknamed "The Quietest" - the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle was depicted under three crowns; St. George the Victorious returned on the chest, but no longer in the form of an icon, in the form of a shield. Also, in icons, St. George the Victorious always galloped from left to right, i.e. from west to east towards the eternal enemies - the Mongol-Tatars. Now the enemy was in the west, the Polish gangs and the Roman Curia did not abandon their hopes of bringing Rus' to the Catholic faith.

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

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

In 1696, the throne went to Peter I Alekseevich “the Great” (1689-1725). And almost immediately the State Emblem dramatically changes its shape. The era of great transformations begins. The capital is moved to St. Petersburg and Oryol takes on new attributes. Crowns appear on the heads under one common larger one, and on the chest there is an order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1798, became the first in the system of highest state awards in Russia. The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, one of the heavenly patrons of Peter Alekseevich, was declared the patron saint of Russia.

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

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

With minor or significant, but short-term, changes, this image of the coat of arms of Russia existed until the beginning of the reign of Paul I (1796-1801), who made an attempt to introduce the full coat of arms of the Russian Empire. On December 16, 1800, he signed the Manifesto, which described this complex project. Forty-three coats of arms were placed in the multi-field shield and on nine small shields. In the center was the above-described coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the others. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appears. The shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and cloak. The entire composition is placed against the background of a mantle with a dome - a heraldic symbol of sovereignty. From behind the shield with coats of arms emerge two standards with a double-headed and a single-headed eagles... This project, thank God, was not approved.

On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Big, Middle and Small, coats of arms of members of the imperial family, as well as “titular” coats of arms. At the same time, drawings of the Large, Middle and Small state seals, arks (cases) for seals, as well as seals of the main and lower official places and persons were approved. In total, one hundred and ten drawings were approved in one act, which we, of course, will not present.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Throughout the history of our state, each ruler contributed to the formation of the coat of arms, and, often, what happened at this moment historical events found reflections on it. Character and Political Views were also reflected in his image. All the details of the formation of the state’s appearance can be found in the history of its state symbols...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) is the most important stage in the formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of Khan Akhmat against Moscow in 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow included Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Tver, and Perm lands. The country began to actively develop ties with other European countries, and its foreign policy position strengthened. In 1497, the all-Russian Code of Laws was adopted - a unified set of laws of the country.

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

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

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 transformed from the Grand Duke into the Tsar of Moscow and taking a new coat of arms for his state - the Double-Headed Eagle, Ivan III in 1472 placed Caesar's crowns on both heads, at the same time a shield with the image of the icon of St. George the Victorious appeared on the eagle's chest. In 1480, the Tsar of Moscow became Autocrat, i.e. independent and self-sufficient. 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 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 power to Semyon Bekbulatovich Kasimovsky (1574-1576), and in fact to the boyars. And the Eagle reacted to the events taking place 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 design. But that’s not all, on the Eagle’s chest, instead of the icon of St. George the Victorious, an image of a Unicorn appears. Why? One can only guess about this. True, in fairness it should be noted that this Eagle was quickly canceled by Ivan the Terrible.

The enemies of Rus' took advantage of the troubles and the appearance of False Dmitry (1605-1606) in these conditions was quite natural, as was the appearance of a new Eagle. It must be said that some seals depicted a different, clearly not Russian Eagle. Here events also left their mark on Orel and in connection with the Polish occupation, Orel becomes very similar to Polish, differing, perhaps, in having two heads.

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

The next stage of changing 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: “Tsar, Sovereign and Autocrat of All Great and Small and White Rus'.”

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

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

In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible, the main book of Christianity, came out of the printing press in Moscow. It is no coincidence that it depicted the State Emblem of Russia and gave a poetic “explanation” of it:

In the same year, the first in the history of Russia Decree of December 14 “On the royal title and on the state seal” appeared, which contained the official description of the coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of all Great and Small and White Russia's autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian reign, on which three crowns are depicted, symbolizing the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms. On the chest (chest) there is an image of the heir; 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 boyars' choice for the kingdom of the young Peter, under the regency of his mother Natalya Kirillovna, a second king, 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 into existence a new Eagle. However, he did not last long. After a new outbreak of unrest - the Streletsky 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 suffered defeat, goes to a monastery, and in 1696 Tsar John V also dies, the throne goes to Peter I Alekseevich “the Great” (1689-1725).

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

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

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

During the short reign of Catherine I (1725-1727), the Eagle again changed its forms, the ironic nickname “Queen of the Swamp” went around everywhere and, accordingly, the Eagle simply could not help but change. However, this Eagle lasted for a very short period of time. Menshikov, paying attention to it, ordered it to be removed 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, with a rider on it in a red field.”

After the death of Catherine I during 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 the body being exorbitantly elongated upward. However, the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth (1740-1761) entailed a radical change in the Eagle. Nothing remains of the imperial power, and St. George the Victorious is replaced by a cross (besides, not an Orthodox one). The humiliating period of Russia added the humiliating Eagle.

Orel did not react in any way to the very short and extremely offensive reign of Peter III (1761-1762) for the Russian people. In 1762, Catherine II “The Great” (1762-1796) ascended the throne and the Eagle changed, acquiring powerful and grandiose forms. In the coinage 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 entirely familiar crown.

The Eagle of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801) appeared long before the death of Catherine II, as if in contrast 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 crown prince himself. This Eagle is created by Paul himself.

During the short reign of Emperor Paul I (1796-1801), Russia pursued an active foreign policy, faced with a new enemy - Napoleonic France. After French troops occupied the Mediterranean island of Malta, Paul I took the Order of Malta under his protection, becoming the Grand Master of the Order. On August 10, 1799, Paul I signed a Decree on the inclusion of the Maltese cross and crown in the state emblem. On the eagle’s chest, under the Maltese crown, there was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “indigenous 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 above-described coat of arms in the form of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross, larger than the others. The shield with coats of arms is superimposed on the Maltese cross, and under it the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called again appears. The shield holders, the archangels Michael and Gabriel, support the imperial crown over the knight's helmet and mantle (cloak). The entire composition is placed against the background of a canopy with a dome - a heraldic symbol of sovereignty. From behind the shield with coats of arms emerge two standards with a double-headed and a single-headed eagles. This project has not been finalized.

As a result of the conspiracy, on March 11, 1801, Paul fell at the hands of the palace regicides. The young Emperor Alexander I “The Blessed” (1801-1825) ascends the throne. By the day of his coronation, a new Eagle appears, without the Maltese emblems, but, in fact, this Eagle is quite close to the old 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 eagle's wings were depicted lowered (straightened), and in his paws were 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 in will and aware of his duty to Russia, ascends the throne. Nicholas contributed to a powerful, spiritual and cultural revival of Russia. This revealed a new Eagle, which changed somewhat over time, but still carried the same strict forms.

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

Another Eagle of Emperor Alexander II (1855-1881) is also known, where the shine of gold returns to the Eagle. The scepter and orb are replaced by a torch and a wreath. During the reign, the wreath and torch are replaced several times by the scepter and orb and return several times.

The large Russian state emblem, Supremely approved on November 3, 1882, contains a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, crowned with two imperial crowns, above which is the same, but in a larger form, crown, with two fluttering ends of the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew. The state eagle holds a golden scepter and orb. On the eagle's chest is the coat of arms of Moscow. The shield is topped with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. Black and gold mantle. Around the shield is a chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called; On the sides there are images of 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 a state banner with an eight-pointed cross on the pole.