Double-headed eagle: symbol meaning, history. Versions of the appearance of the emblem of the double-headed eagle in Russia

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

In ancient Russia as such a coat of arms, of course, did not yet exist. The Slavs in the 6th-8th centuries AD had intricate ornaments that symbolized a particular territory. Scientists learned about this through the study of burials, in some of which fragments of women's and men's clothing with embroidery have been preserved.

During the Kievan Rus the grand dukes had their own princely seals, on which images of an attacking falcon were placed - the ancestral sign of the Rurikovich.

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

In Muscovite Russia, under Ivan III, who was combined in a dynastic marriage with the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Paleolog, an image appears double-headed Byzantine eagle. On the royal seal of Ivan III, George the Victorious and the Double-Headed Eagle are depicted as equals. The Grand Duke seal of Ivan III, sealed in 1497 his "barter and allotment" charter for the land holdings of specific princes. From that moment on, the Double-Headed Eagle becomes the state emblem of our country.

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) is the most important stage in the formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of the Mongol Khan against Moscow in 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow included Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Tver, 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. 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 George the Victorious appeared - one of the oldest symbols of princely power in Russia. George the Victorious is placed in a shield on the chest of a double-headed eagle crowned with one or two crowns surmounted by a cross.

Late 16th - early 17th centuries

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 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 Calvary 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 George the Victorious on his chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

XVII century.

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, the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns. In 1645, under the second king of the dynasty, Alexei Mikhailovich, the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a two-headed eagle with George the Victorious 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. The letter of commendation of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky dated March 27, 1654 was accompanied by a seal, on which for the first time a two-headed eagle under three crowns is depicted holding symbols of power in its claws: scepter and orb.

From that moment on, the eagle began to be depicted with raised wings .

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

In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible, the main book of Christianity, came out 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,

Wings outstretched, embraces all the worlds of the end,

North South, from east to sunset

Goodness covers 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 George on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

Peter's time

During the reign of Peter I, a new emblem entered the state heraldry of Russia - the order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1698, became the first in the system of 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.

It should be noted that already from 1710 (a decade earlier than Peter I was proclaimed emperor (1721), and Russia - an empire) - they began to depict imperial crowns.

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

The era of palace coups, Catherine's time

By decree of Empress Catherine I of March 11, 1726, the description of the coat of arms was fixed: "A black eagle with outstretched wings, in a yellow field, on it is St. George the Victorious in a red field." Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1736 invited a Swiss engraver, 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. Catherine the Great did not make changes to the state emblem, preferring to maintain continuity and traditionalism.

Pavel the First

Emperor Paul I, by decree of April 5, 1797, allowed members of the imperial family to use the image of a double-headed eagle as their coat of arms.

In 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 shield holders, 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.

First 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 that have already become traditional, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), a torch. The wings of the 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 Nikolai Pavlovich the First, 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 also circulated - with the coats of arms of the three "main" ancient Russian Grand Duchies (Kyiv, 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 the years 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, 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 (Kyiv, 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. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.

Large State Emblem of 1882.

On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, 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 of 1883

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two variants of the Small Coat of Arms were approved. 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 - "Basic Provisions of the State Structure of the Russian Empire" of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions relating to the State Emblem.

State Emblem of the Provisional Government

After the February Revolution of 1917, Masonic organizations gained power in Russia, which formed their own Provisional Government, including a commission for the preparation of a new coat of arms of Russia. One of the leading artists in the commission was N. K. Roerich (aka Sergei Makranovsky), a well-known freemason who later decorated the design of the American dollar with Masonic symbols. Masons plucked the coat of arms and deprived it of all sovereign attributes - a crown, a scepter, powers, the wings of an eagle were limply lowered down, which symbolized the obedience of the Russian state to Masonic plans. , adopted in February 1917, was to become the official coat of arms of Russia again. Masons even managed to place the image of their eagle on the obverse of modern Russian coins, where it can be seen to this day. The image of the eagle, the sample of February 1917, continued to be used as official after the October Revolution, until the adoption of the new Soviet coat of arms on July 24, 1918.

State Emblem of the RSFSR 1918-1993

In the summer of 1918, the Soviet government finally decided to break with the historical symbols of Russia, and the new Constitution adopted on July 10, 1918 proclaimed in the state emblem not ancient Byzantine, but political, party symbols: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and the rising sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered by ears of wheat, 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.

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.

In 1992, the last change in the coat of arms came into force: the abbreviation above the hammer and sickle was replaced by the inscription "Russian Federation". But this decision was 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 USSR

After the formation of the USSR in 1924, the State Emblem of the USSR was adopted. The historical essence of Russia as a power passed precisely to the USSR, and not to the RSFSR, which played a subordinate role, therefore it is the coat of arms of the USSR that should be considered as the new coat of arms of Russia.

The Constitution of the USSR, adopted by the II Congress of Soviets on January 31, 1924, officially legalized the new coat of arms. At first, he had three turns of a red ribbon on each half of the wreath. On each turn was placed the motto "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" in Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian, Turko-Tatar languages. In the mid-1930s, a coil with a motto in Latinized Turkic was added, and the Russian version migrated to the central band.

In 1937, the number of mottos on the coat of arms reached 11. In 1946 - 16. In 1956, after the liquidation of the sixteenth republic within the USSR, Karelian-Finnish, the motto in Finnish was removed from the coat of arms, until the end of the existence of the USSR, 15 ribbons remained on the coat of arms with mottos (one of them - the Russian version - on the central sling).

State Emblem of the Russian Federation 1993.

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

Russian Civilization

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 a special historical discipline of HERALDY, which developed back in the Middle Ages.

The history of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire is quite interesting and original.

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. It symbolized the transfer of the heritage of the 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 wins over the Astrakhan and Kazan kingdoms, annexes Siberia. The power of the Russian state is also reflected in its coat of arms: the two-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 a new era in the history of Russia, which at that time becomes a single and rather 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 his King of Arms Lavrenty Hurelevich to Moscow, 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 Khurelevich in 1667 was the first to give an official description of the 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 corunas are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest of His Tsar's Majesty the most merciful Sovereign 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): Kyiv, 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 entered the “spaces of Siberia and the 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.

Until the end of the XVIII century. 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. The Manifesto of December 16, 1800 gives its 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, so 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 rider 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 encirclement 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 right of the state banner, on the same horizontal line with it, there are six shields 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 emblem of Moscow, the emblems of Russian and Russian lands, in the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The circular arrangement of the coats of arms symbolizes the 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

The modern coat of arms of the 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 the power and unity of the Russian state.

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

In ancient Russia as such a coat of arms, of course, did not yet exist. The Slavs in the 6th-8th centuries AD had intricate ornaments that symbolized a particular territory. Scientists learned about this through the study of burials, in some of which fragments of women's and men's clothing with embroidery have been preserved.

During the Kievan Rus the grand dukes had their own princely seals, on which images of an attacking falcon were placed - the ancestral sign of the Rurikovich.

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

In Muscovite Russia, under Ivan III, who was combined in a dynastic marriage with the niece of the last Byzantine emperor Sophia Paleolog, an image appears double-headed Byzantine eagle. On the royal seal of Ivan III, George the Victorious and the Double-Headed Eagle are depicted as equals. The Grand Duke seal of Ivan III, sealed in 1497 his "barter and allotment" charter for the land holdings of specific princes. From that moment on, the Double-Headed Eagle becomes the state emblem of our country.

The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) is the most important stage in the formation of a unified Russian state. Ivan III managed to finally eliminate dependence on the Golden Horde, repelling the campaign of the Mongol Khan against Moscow in 1480. The Grand Duchy of Moscow included Yaroslavl, Novgorod, Tver, 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. 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 George the Victorious appeared - one of the oldest symbols of princely power in Russia. George the Victorious is placed in a shield on the chest of a double-headed eagle crowned with one or two crowns surmounted by a cross.

Late 16th - early 17th centuries

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 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 Calvary 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 George the Victorious on his chest was crowned with two crowns, and an Orthodox eight-pointed cross rises between the heads of the eagle.

XVII century.

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, the State Emblem changes somewhat. In 1625, for the first time, a double-headed eagle is depicted under three crowns. In 1645, under the second king of the dynasty, Alexei Mikhailovich, the first Great State Seal appeared, on which a two-headed eagle with George the Victorious 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. The letter of commendation of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Bogdan Khmelnitsky dated March 27, 1654 was accompanied by a seal, on which for the first time a two-headed eagle under three crowns is depicted holding symbols of power in its claws: scepter and orb.

From that moment on, the eagle began to be depicted with raised wings .

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

In 1663, for the first time in Russian history, the Bible, the main book of Christianity, came out 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,

Wings outstretched, embraces all the worlds of the end,

North South, from east to sunset

Goodness covers 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 George on the chest, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.

Peter's time

During the reign of Peter I, a new emblem entered the state heraldry of Russia - the order chain of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. This order, approved by Peter in 1698, became the first in the system of 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.

It should be noted that already from 1710 (a decade earlier than Peter I was proclaimed emperor (1721), and Russia - an empire) - they began to depict imperial crowns.

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

The era of palace coups, Catherine's time

By decree of Empress Catherine I of March 11, 1726, the description of the coat of arms was fixed: "A black eagle with outstretched wings, in a yellow field, on it is St. George the Victorious in a red field." Empress Anna Ioannovna in 1736 invited a Swiss engraver, 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. Catherine the Great did not make changes to the state emblem, preferring to maintain continuity and traditionalism.

Pavel the First

Emperor Paul I, by decree of April 5, 1797, allowed members of the imperial family to use the image of a double-headed eagle as their coat of arms.

In 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 shield holders, 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.

First 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 that have already become traditional, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), a torch. The wings of the 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 Nikolai Pavlovich the First, 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 also circulated - with the coats of arms of the three "main" ancient Russian Grand Duchies (Kyiv, 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 the years 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, 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 (Kyiv, 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. On May 31, 1857, the Senate published a Decree describing the new emblems and the norms for their use.

Large State Emblem of 1882.

On July 24, 1882, Emperor Alexander III approved the drawing of the Great Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire, on which the composition was preserved, but the details were changed, in particular the figures of the archangels. In addition, 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 of 1883

On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two variants of the Small Coat of Arms were approved. 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 - "Basic Provisions of the State Structure of the Russian Empire" of 1906 - confirmed all previous legal provisions relating to the State Emblem.

State Emblem of the Provisional Government

After the February Revolution of 1917, Masonic organizations gained power in Russia, which formed their own Provisional Government, including a commission for the preparation of a new coat of arms of Russia. One of the leading artists in the commission was N. K. Roerich (aka Sergei Makranovsky), a well-known freemason who later decorated the design of the American dollar with Masonic symbols. Masons plucked the coat of arms and deprived it of all sovereign attributes - a crown, a scepter, powers, the wings of an eagle were limply lowered down, which symbolized the obedience of the Russian state to Masonic plans. , adopted in February 1917, was to become the official coat of arms of Russia again. Masons even managed to place the image of their eagle on the obverse of modern Russian coins, where it can be seen to this day. The image of the eagle, the sample of February 1917, continued to be used as official after the October Revolution, until the adoption of the new Soviet coat of arms on July 24, 1918.

State Emblem of the RSFSR 1918-1993

In the summer of 1918, the Soviet government finally decided to break with the historical symbols of Russia, and the new Constitution adopted on July 10, 1918 proclaimed in the state emblem not ancient Byzantine, but political, party symbols: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and the rising sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered by ears of wheat, 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.

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.

In 1992, the last change in the coat of arms came into force: the abbreviation above the hammer and sickle was replaced by the inscription "Russian Federation". But this decision was 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 USSR

After the formation of the USSR in 1924, the State Emblem of the USSR was adopted. The historical essence of Russia as a power passed precisely to the USSR, and not to the RSFSR, which played a subordinate role, therefore it is the coat of arms of the USSR that should be considered as the new coat of arms of Russia.

The Constitution of the USSR, adopted by the II Congress of Soviets on January 31, 1924, officially legalized the new coat of arms. At first, he had three turns of a red ribbon on each half of the wreath. On each turn was placed the motto "Proletarians of all countries, unite!" in Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, Armenian, Turko-Tatar languages. In the mid-1930s, a coil with a motto in Latinized Turkic was added, and the Russian version migrated to the central band.

In 1937, the number of mottos on the coat of arms reached 11. In 1946 - 16. In 1956, after the liquidation of the sixteenth republic within the USSR, Karelian-Finnish, the motto in Finnish was removed from the coat of arms, until the end of the existence of the USSR, 15 ribbons remained on the coat of arms with mottos (one of them - the Russian version - on the central sling).

State Emblem of the Russian Federation 1993.

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

Russian Civilization

Today, the state needs symbols in the same way as several centuries ago, if not more. The thing is that a common banner is really capable of uniting people. That is why the coat of arms was invented. This is a beautiful and mysterious symbol of an entire era.

Coat of arms of the Fatherland beautiful

So, what does it represent in the modern Russian Federation? What is remarkable? The law says that it is a quadrangular, with rounded lower corners, red heraldic shield, pointed at the tip, with the image of a golden double-headed eagle, raising its spread wings up. This bird is crowned with two small crowns. Moreover, above these crowns there is another large crown connected by a ribbon. It is noteworthy that in the right paw of the eagle there is a scepter, and in the left there is an orb. On the chest of the bird, framed by a red shield, is a silver rider dressed in a blue cloak. The knight is depicted on a silver horse, a man strikes a black serpent trampled down by a horse, overturned on its back, with a silver spear. In order to fully understand the essence of the symbol, it is necessary to understand why the coat of arms of Russia is a double-headed eagle? Honor and conscience, a beautiful bird and a proud rider, crowns and swords... All this is the state emblem of the Russian Federation!

How to portray?

It should be noted that the modern reproduction of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation is quite acceptable without the so-called heraldic shield. That is, in fact, the main figure remains: a two-headed eagle, which has the attributes that were listed earlier. In addition, a one-color version of the symbol is allowed.

What does it mean?

It is interesting that the golden double-headed eagle, located on the red material, usually symbolizes historical continuity directly in the colors of the symbols of the late fifteenth-seventeenth centuries. The drawing of this bird, which the emblem of the Russian Federation possesses, goes back to the images that are located on the monuments of the era of Peter the Great.

As for the eagle above their heads, these are the three historical crowns of Peter the Great himself. That is, they symbolize the sovereignty of our Fatherland - the Russian Federation - and the sovereignty of its parts, and hence the subjects of the Federation.

What is the role Their significance is simply enormous! The scepter and orb, which are in the paws of an eagle, are a symbol of state power, as well as a single fatherland.

The Importance of Interpretation

It should be noted that the image of a rider who strikes a fire-breathing dragon with a spear on the chest of a militant bird is one of the most ancient symbols of the incessant struggle between light and darkness, good and evil, and the defense of the Motherland. This is notable for the coat of arms of the Russian Federation.

There is a special legal act that regulates the image of the coat of arms as the main symbol of our Fatherland. But where did it all start? Why is he the way he is?

Old Russian seals

It is noteworthy that the very concept of the so-called knightly hereditary coat of arms, which was widely accepted in Western Europe, did not exist in Russia. In particular, during the struggle and fierce battles, embroidered or painted images of the Virgin Mary, Christ, certain saints, or simply an Orthodox cross most often served as banners. Images found on some ancient Russian military shields were also not considered hereditary. That is why the history of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation is, first of all, the history of the so-called grand ducal seal, which has been known for a long time.

Symbolism from antiquity

It should be said that on their own seals, the Old Russian princes usually depicted, first of all, patron saints (in particular, on the seal belonging to Simeon the Proud, Saint Simeon is depicted, but on the seal of the famous Prince Dimitri Donskoy "rules", as you might guess, Saint Dimitri). In addition, as a rule, there was an inscription on the symbolism, which indicated who directly owned this seal. The wording was also interesting. For example, "the seal belongs to such and such a prince." It was considered a badge of honour.

More modern options

Approximately starting from Mstislav, known in wide circles as Udatny, as well as the grandchildren and other descendants of Vsevolod, nicknamed the “Big Nest”, the so-called “rider”, that is, a symbolic image of the prince ruling at the current time, began to appear on seals. Interestingly, the rider's weapons could well be different. In particular, a bow, a spear, a sword were most often depicted. But on the coins of the times of Ivan the Second the Red, a foot warrior began to appear for the first time, who strikes a snake with a sword (in other interpretations, a dragon). This is almost the coat of arms of the Russian Federation.

New elements

It is noteworthy that the image of the rider, for which the coat of arms of the Russian Federation is famous, was usually inherent in numerous seals that belonged not only to the princes of Vladimir and Moscow, but also to other lords. For example, during the reign of Ivan the Third, the image of a rider who strikes a snake or dragon was not on the symbolism of the Grand Duke of Moscow (a man with a sword was present there), but his brother-in-law, who was called the Grand Duke of Tverskoy Mikhail Borisovich. And the modern state emblem of the Russian Federation is not much different from that symbolism. And it's wonderful!

It is interesting that since this prince of Moscow began to single-handedly rule Russia, a rider on a horse who strikes a dragon with a spear, that is, a symbolic image of the actual victory of good over evil, has become one of the most important symbols of the entire Russian state, along with no less famous and the popular double-headed eagle. This became the predetermining moment in the formation of the modern perception of domestic symbols.

Russian state and coat of arms

So, the symbolism of our Fatherland cannot be imagined without the presence in it of the image of a double-headed eagle. For the first time, an unusual bird in the role of the state symbol of the entire Russian state is found directly on the reverse side of the official seal of Ivan the Third Vasilyevich in 1497, although these images were found earlier in ancient Russian art, as well as on Tver coins. However, it was the first time she was remembered that way.

Fighter and his bird

It should be noted that the placement of the rider directly on the chest of the eagle may well be explained by the fact that there were usually two state seals, which were different in size, namely the Large and Small. These are the first elements that the coat of arms of Russia is famous for. In the second case, it was two-sided, usually attached to an important document, on each side an eagle and a rider were placed separately. But the big seal was one-sided. It was necessarily applied to the sheets, therefore, subsequently, it became necessary to combine the two symbols of the state into one. As practice has shown, it was an excellent decision.

For the first time, this combination is found directly on the big seal of Ivan the Terrible in 1562. This is already a kind of coat of arms of Russia. At the same time, instead of the rider, as a rule, a unicorn began to appear. And although the tsar himself did not consider the indicated beast to be such a necessary symbol of the state, nevertheless, this animal was found on some seals of the most famous Boris Godunov, False Dmitry, and also Alexei Mikhailovich.

It is noteworthy that on the Great Seal of Ivan the Terrible in the seventy-seventh year of the sixteenth century, instead of two crowns, one began to appear, which was characterized by a cross over an eagle. It was very unusual. The two crowns returned during the reign of the legendary Fyodor Ivanovich, but now an Orthodox cross was placed above the two heads of the eagle (probably as an independent symbol of an independent and strong Russian Orthodox Church).

Crown of Creation

It should be noted that on the small seal of False Dmitry in 1604, the eagle was depicted for the first time under three crowns, while the rider on the chest of the bird was turned, as a rule, to the right side, according to well-established Western European heraldic traditions. It is noteworthy that after the period of False Dmitry, the image of the knight returned to its original state. Now, two crowns were placed above the heads of the eagle for a long period of time. It is interesting that the date of the official establishment of all three crowns on the coat of arms can be considered one thousand six hundred and twenty-fifth year. At that time, a third crown appeared on the so-called small state seal under Mikhail Fedorovich between the heads of the bird (this symbolism differed from the seal of False Dmitry, which was quite possibly made in Poland). It was logical. Under the real Russian tsar, all the symbolism was originally Russian. The same symbols “flaunted” on the so-called Great State Seal of the famous ruler Alexei Mikhailovich, as well as his son Mikhail Fedorovich, in 1645. And here it is - the coat of arms of Russia, the significance of which in history can hardly be overestimated. Beautiful, unusual and proud ...

Emblem of the Russian Empire

But the symbols of our Fatherland were not always so uniform. So, in particular, the Great Coat of Arms usually depicted a black double-headed eagle in a golden shield, which was crowned with two imperial crowns. It is interesting that the same decoration was present above the indicated crowns, but in a large form. It was a crown, marked by the two ends of the flowing ribbon of the St. Andrew's Order. Such a state eagle in its powerful claws holds a golden scepter, as well as an orb. As for the chest of the bird, the coat of arms of Moscow is depicted here, that is, in a scarlet shield with gold edges are the Holy Great Martyr, as well as the Victorious George. It should be noted that he is depicted in silver armor and an azure mantle, on a silver horse covered with crimson cloth, trimmed with gold fringe. A brave horseman strikes a golden dragon with green wings with a spear with an eight-pointed cross in its upper part.

Usually the shield crowned namely the most famous Holy Grand Duke. Around the indicated symbolism there was a chain of the Order of the Most Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called. It is noteworthy that on the sides were images of saints.

It must be said that the main shield from below was surrounded by eight similar symbols of principalities and "kingdoms". In addition, "His Imperial Majesty's family coat of arms" was present here. Interestingly, six other symbols of principalities and regions were also placed above the canopy of the main shield itself.

By the way, the small coat of arms was usually a black double-headed eagle, directly on the wings of which, as a rule, eight shields of principalities, as well as "kingdoms" were depicted. Interestingly, the description of the coat of arms of Russia is very similar to the description of these ancient symbols that have been known in Russia for a long time. Everything, as you know, is formed historically, goes from time immemorial. Therefore, it is not surprising that such a symbol has been formed for centuries.

How about now?

Today, everywhere, in all schools, the coat of arms of Russia is studied, its significance in history and culture. And it is right. Children should understand from an early age where what comes from and what it means. So, the modern coat of arms of the Russian Federation is a unique symbol that allows any foreigner to understand how strong our state is, how unshakable the people are. It is not enough to understand the decoding of concepts, you need to remember the meaning. Today you can see the coat of arms of the Russian Federation everywhere, its photos are posted on the Internet and constantly “flash” on TV. Therefore, studying it is not only easy, but also simply necessary. Knowing your history, feeling your unity, experiencing healthy patriotism and understanding the meaning of symbols is very important.

The Russian coat of arms is not just a drawing. It has a rich history, and each element carries a hidden meaning.

The official symbol of any country is its coat of arms. Any coat of arms, as a rule, has its own long and interesting history. Each symbol of the coat of arms has a strictly defined meaning. The coat of arms can depict the main type of activity of the country, an important historical event, an animal or a bird. In general, anything that is important for the people and the state.

In addition to the coat of arms, any country also has a flag and an anthem. This article is devoted to the coat of arms of the Russian Federation. But if you are interested in learning, for example, about the flag of the Russian Federation, then we recommend that you refer to.

What does the State Emblem of the Russian Federation look like: photo

So, the state emblem of the Russian Federation is an image of a double-headed eagle, on each of the heads there is one small royal crown. A larger crown crowns both heads. The eagle holds a scepter in one paw and an orb in the other. These are symbols of power since the days of Tsarist Russia. On the chest of the eagle is placed the coat of arms of the capital of Russia - the city of Moscow. On it, George the Victorious kills a snake with a spear.

Now the coat of arms of the Russian Federation looks like this

It is noteworthy that each city of the Russian Federation has its own coat of arms, which is chosen by popular vote!

It is worth saying that the coat of arms of the Russian Federation was far from always exactly the way we know it now. Over the past 100+ years, there have been several upheavals in Russia. The power changed, the name of the country changed, the emblem and flag changed accordingly. The modern coat of arms has existed only since 1993. In 2000, the description of the coat of arms changed, but the coat of arms itself remained the same.

The coat of arms of the RSFSR looked like this

The photo below shows how the coat of arms of the RSFSR differed from the coat of arms of the USSR.

The row of the Russian Empire, approved in 1882, is more like a whole composition. Archangel Michael is depicted on the left, Archangel Gabriel is depicted on the right. The small coat of arms inside, crowned with the coats of arms of the principalities, is the progenitor of the modern Russian coat of arms, only in black.

Full coat of arms of the Russian Empire

Small coat of arms of the Russian Empire

And before Russia became an empire, the Russian state had its own flag. It is very similar to the small coat of arms of the Russian Empire, but not as well detailed.

Depending on the ruler and the general situation in the country, the coat of arms changed. There were at least three versions of the Russian coat of arms before 1882. But in general, they all represent the processing of the same image.

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The history of the Russian coat of arms: a description for children

The history of the coat of arms of Russia begins since the Middle Ages. There was never a coat of arms in Russia; images of saints and an Orthodox cross were used instead.

It is interesting! The image of an eagle on coats of arms was relevant in ancient Rome, and before it in the ancient Hittite kingdom. The eagle was considered a symbol of the highest power.

So how did the double-headed eagle migrate to the coat of arms of the Russian state? There is an opinion that the symbol came from Byzantium, but there are speculations that the image of the eagle may have been borrowed from European states.

The coat of arms with an eagle in different variations is in many countries. An example is in the photo below.

This is the coat of arms used in Armenia, similar coats of arms are approved in many countries

The coat of arms was approved only in the 16th century. No one will name the exact date right now. The coat of arms changed with each new ruler. Elements were added or removed by the following rulers:

• 1584 1587 - Fedor Ivanovich "Blessed" (son of Ivan IX the Terrible) - an Orthodox cross appeared between the crowns of the eagle
• 1613 - 1645 - Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - the image on the chest of the eagle of the Moscow coat of arms, the third crown
• 1791 - 1801 - Paul the First - the image of the cross and the crown of the Order of Malta
• 1801 - 1825 - Alexander the First - the abolition of the Maltese symbols and the third crown, instead of the scepter and orb - a wreath, torch, lightning
• 1855 - 1857 - Alexander II - redrawing of the double-headed eagle (reworking), approval of three crowns, power, scepter, in the center - a horseman in armor killing a snake.

Without changes, the coat of arms of the Russian Empire was valid until 1917. After the coup, the new government approved a simpler, "proletarian" coat of arms - a sickle and a hammer.

It looked like the coat of arms of the USSR on the coins

And after the collapse of the USSR and the reorganization of the USSR into the RSFSR, the coat of arms was slightly redesigned (the photo is already in the article). Then the coat of arms was returned, reminiscent of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire, but in a different color scheme. It was in 1993.

What is depicted on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation: description and meaning of the symbolism of each element of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation

Each component of the coat of arms has a specific meaning:

• heraldic shield (the same red background) - the main element of the coat of arms of any state
• the double-headed eagle is a symbol of supreme power and the bilateral policy of the Russian state
• crowns - high dignity, sovereignty of the state, national wealth
• scepter and orb - symbols of power
• a rider on a horse killing a snake - according to one version, this is St. George the Victorious, according to another, Tsar Ivan III. It is difficult to give an exact definition, perhaps this is an appeal to the memory of ancestors, the embodiment of a legend, or simply an image made to order by Ivan III.

How many colors are on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation?

There are several colors on the Russian coat of arms. Each color has a special meaning. For example:

• red is the color of courage, bravery, spilled blood.
• golden - wealth
• blue - sky, freedom
• white - purity
• black (at the snake) - a symbol of evil

So it turns out that three colors out of five are available both on the coat of arms of Russia and on the flag. For the country, the meaning of these flowers has always been very important, because it is courage, purity and freedom that have always been the driving force in the soul of a Russian person.

Video: Coat of arms of Russia (documentary)