State emblem of Russia: history and hidden meaning. What is depicted on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation: description and meaning of the symbolism of the coat of arms of the Russian Federation. History of the Russian coat of arms, photo, description and meaning of each element and symbol on the coat of arms of the Russian Federation
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 story. Each symbol of the coat of arms has a strictly defined meaning. The coat of arms may depict the main activity of the country, an important historical event, animal or 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 anthem. This article is dedicated to the coat of arms Russian Federation. But if you are interested in learning, for example, about the flag of the Russian Federation, we recommend that you contact.
What the State Emblem of the Russian Federation looks 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. And the crown bigger size crowns both heads. The eagle holds a scepter in one paw and an orb in the other. These are symbols of power since the times Tsarist Russia. On the eagle's chest is the coat of arms of the capital of Russia - the city of Moscow. On it, St. 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 in the Russian Federation has its own coat of arms, which is chosen through popular vote!
It is worth saying that the coat of arms of the Russian Federation was not always exactly the same as we know it now. Over the past 100-plus years, several revolutions have occurred in Russia. The government changed, the name of the country changed, and the coat of arms and flag changed accordingly. The modern coat of arms has only existed 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 crest of the Russian Empire, approved in 1882, is more reminiscent of a whole composition. On the left is Archangel Michael, on the right is Archangel Gabriel. 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.
Complete 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 a reworking of the same image.
option 2 
History of the Russian coat of arms: description for children
The history of the coat of arms of Russia begins in the Middle Ages. In Rus' there was never a coat of arms; instead, images of saints and an Orthodox cross were used.
This is interesting! The image of an eagle on coats of arms was relevant in Ancient Rome, and before him 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? Russian state? There is an opinion that the symbol came from Byzantium, but there is speculation that perhaps the image of an eagle was borrowed from European states.
Many countries have a coat of arms with an eagle in different variations. An example 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 can name the exact date now. The coat of arms changed with each new ruler. Elements were added or removed by the following rulers:
- 1584 1587 - Fyodor Ivanovich “Blessed” (son of Ivan IX the Terrible) - an Orthodox cross appeared between the eagle crowns
- 1613 - 1645 - Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov - image on the chest of an eagle of the Moscow coat of arms, third crown
- 1791 - 1801 - Paul the First - image of the cross and crown of the Order of Malta
- 1801 - 1825 - Alexander the First - abolition of Maltese symbols and the third crown, instead of a scepter and orb - a wreath, torch, lightning
- 1855 - 1857 - Alexander the Second - redrawing of the double-headed eagle (rework), approval of three crowns, an orb, a scepter, in the center - a rider 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 - the hammer and sickle.
This is what the USSR coat of arms looked like on 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 way color scheme. This 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 carries a specific meaning:
- heraldic shield (that same red background) is the main element of the coat of arms of any state
- double-headed eagle - a symbol of supreme power and bilateral policy of the Russian state
- crowns - high dignity, state sovereignty, 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. Precise definition it is difficult to give, perhaps this is an appeal to the memory of ancestors, the embodiment of a legend, or simply an image made to order of 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, courage, shed blood.
- golden - wealth
- blue - sky, freedom
- white - purity
- black (snake) - symbol of evil
So it turns out that three of the five colors are present 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 courage, purity and freedom have always been the driving force in the soul of the Russian person.
Video: Coat of Arms of Russia (documentary)
Acceptance date: 30.11.1993, 25.12.2000
In a scarlet field there is a golden double-headed eagle, crowned with two golden imperial crowns and above them the same imperial crown with infulas, holding a golden scepter in his right paw, a golden orb in his left, having a shield on his chest, in the scarlet field of which a facing riding silver rider in azure cloak, striking with a silver spear a turned, overturned and trampled by a horse black dragon.
Official description in constitutional law:
The state emblem of the Russian Federation is a quadrangular red heraldic shield with rounded lower corners, pointed at the tip, with a golden double-headed eagle raising its spreading wings upward. The eagle is crowned with two small crowns and - above them - one large crown, connected by a ribbon. In the eagle's right paw is a scepter, in the left is an orb. On the eagle’s chest, in a red shield, is a silver rider in a blue cloak on a silver horse, striking with a silver spear a black dragon, overturned on its back and trampled by its horse.
Reproduction of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation is allowed without a heraldic shield (in the form of the main figure - a double-headed eagle with all attributes).
Since 2000, the saddle under the rider is usually depicted in red, although this is not specified in the description (but exactly this image is given in Appendix 1 to the Federal Constitutional Law “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation”). Before this, the saddle was usually depicted in white.
Approved Decree of the President of the Russian Federation (#2050) “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation” dated November 30, 1993; Federal Constitutional Law (#2-FKZ) “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation”, adopted on December 8, 2000 by resolution (#899-III) of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, approved on December 20, 2000 by the Federation Council and signed by the President of the Russian Federation on December 25, 2000 of the year.
Rationale for symbolism:
The coat of arms of the Russian Federation is based on a historical coat of arms Russian Empire. A golden double-headed eagle on a red field maintains historical continuity in color scheme coats of arms of the late XV - XVII centuries. The eagle design goes back to images on monuments from the era of Peter the Great. Above the heads of the eagle are depicted three historical crowns of Peter the Great, symbolizing in the new conditions the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, the subjects of the Federation; in the paws there is a scepter and an orb, personifying state power and a 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, and the defense of the Fatherland. The restoration of the double-headed eagle as the State Emblem of Russia personifies the continuity and continuity of Russian history. Today's coat of arms of Russia is a new coat of arms, but its components are deeply traditional; he reflects different stages national history, and continues them on the eve of the third millennium.
The coat of arms of Russia is one of the main state symbols Russia, along with the flag and anthem. The modern coat of arms of Russia is a golden two-headed eagle on a red background. Three crowns are depicted above the eagle’s heads, now symbolizing the sovereignty of both the entire Russian Federation and its parts, the subjects of the Federation; in the paws there is a scepter and an orb, personifying state power and a unified state; on the chest is an image of a horseman slaying a dragon with a spear. This is one of the ancient symbols of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness, and the defense of the Fatherland.
History of changes to the coat of arms
The first reliable evidence of the use of the double-headed eagle as a state emblem is the seal of John III Vasilievich on the exchange charter of 1497. During its existence, the image of a double-headed eagle has undergone many changes. In 1917, the eagle ceased to be the coat of arms of Russia. Its symbolism seemed to the Bolsheviks a symbol of autocracy; they did not take into account the fact that the double-headed eagle was a symbol of Russian statehood. On November 30, 1993, Russian President Boris Yeltsin signed the Decree on the State Emblem. Now the double-headed eagle, as before, symbolizes the power and unity of the Russian state.
15th century
The reign of Grand Duke Ivan III (1462-1505) - 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 first all-Russian Code of Law was adopted - a unified set of laws of the country.
It was at this time - the time of successful construction of Russian statehood - that the double-headed eagle became the coat of arms of Russia, personifying supreme power, independence, what was called “autocracy” in Rus'. The very first surviving evidence of the use of the image of a double-headed eagle as a symbol of Russia is the grand-ducal seal of Ivan III, which in 1497 sealed his “exchange and allotment” charter for the land holdings of appanage princes. At the same time, images of a gilded double-headed eagle on a red field appeared on the walls of the Garnet Chamber in the Kremlin.
Mid-16th century
Beginning in 1539, the type of eagle on the seal of the Grand Duke of Moscow changed. In the era of Ivan the Terrible, on the golden bull (state seal) of 1562, in the center of the double-headed eagle, an image of a horseman (“rider”) appeared - one of the oldest symbols of princely power in “Rus”. The “rider” is placed in a shield on the chest of a double-headed eagle, crowned with one or two crowns surmounted by a cross.
End XVI - beginning of XVII century
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. Before mid-17th century century, 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.
30-60s of the 18th century
By decree of Empress Catherine I of March 11, 1726, the description of the coat of arms was fixed: “A black eagle with outstretched wings, in a yellow field, with a rider on it in a red field.”
But if in this Decree the rider on the coat of arms was still called a rider, then among the drawings of coats of arms presented in May 1729 by Count Minich to the Military Collegium and which received the highest approval, the double-headed eagle is described as follows: “The State Coat of Arms in the old way: double-headed eagle, black , on the heads of the crown, and at the top in the middle is a large Imperial crown in gold; in the middle of that eagle, George on a white horse, defeating the serpent; the cap and spear are yellow, the crown is yellow, the serpent is black; the field is white all around, and red in the middle.” In 1736, Empress Anna Ioannovna invited the Swiss engraver Gedlinger, who by 1740 engraved the State Seal. The central part of the matrix of this seal with the image of a double-headed eagle was used until 1856. Thus, the type of double-headed eagle on the State Seal remained unchanged for more than a hundred years.
Turn of the 18th-19th centuries
Emperor Paul I, by decree of April 5, 1797, allowed members of the imperial family to use the image of a double-headed eagle as their coat of arms.
During the short 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. On the eagle’s chest, under the Maltese crown, was a shield with St. George (Paul interpreted it as the “indigenous coat of arms of Russia”), superimposed on the Maltese cross.
Paul I 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.
Soon after ascending the throne, Emperor Alexander I, by Decree of April 26, 1801, removed the Maltese cross and crown from the coat of arms of Russia.
1st half of the 19th century
Images of the double-headed eagle at this time were very diverse: it could have one or three crowns; in the paws are not only the already traditional scepter and orb, but also a wreath, lightning bolts (peruns), and a torch. The wings of an eagle were depicted in different ways - raised, lowered, straightened. To a certain extent, the image of the eagle was influenced by the then European fashion, common to the Empire era.
Under Emperor Nicholas I, the simultaneous existence of two types of state eagle was officially established.
The first type is an eagle with spread wings, under one crown, with the image of St. George on the chest and with a scepter and orb in its paws. The second type was an eagle with raised wings, on which the titular coats of arms were depicted: on the right - Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian, on the left - Polish, Tauride, Finland. For some time, another version was in circulation - with the coats of arms of the three “main” Old Russian Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir and Novgorod land) and three kingdoms - Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian. An eagle under three crowns, with St. George (as the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Moscow) in a shield on the chest, with a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, with a scepter and an orb in its paws.
Mid-19th century
In 1855-1857, during the heraldic reform, which was carried out under the leadership of Baron B. Kene, the type of state eagle was changed under the influence of German designs. At the same time, St. George on the eagle’s chest, in accordance with the rules of Western European heraldry, began to look to the left. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia, executed by Alexander Fadeev, was approved by the highest on December 8, 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the image of an eagle, but also in the number of “title” coats of arms on the wings. On the right were shields with the coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Tauride Chersonese and the combined coat of arms of the Grand Duchies (Kyiv, Vladimir, Novgorod), on the left were shields with the coats of arms of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland.
On April 11, 1857, the Supreme approval of the entire set of state emblems followed. It included: Big, Middle and Small, coats of arms of members of the imperial family, as well as “titular” coats of arms. At the same time, 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.
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 design of the Great Coat of Arms of the Empire was finally approved on November 3, 1882, when the coat of arms of Turkestan was added to the title coats of arms.
Small State Emblem, 1883-1917.
On February 23, 1883, the Middle and two versions of the Small coat of arms were approved. On the wings of the double-headed eagle (Small Coat of Arms) were placed eight coats of arms of the full title of the Emperor of Russia: the coat of arms of the kingdom of Kazan; coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland; coat of arms of the kingdom of Chersonese Tauride; combined coat of arms of the Kyiv, Vladimir and Novgorod great principalities; coat of arms of the kingdom of Astrakhan, coat of arms of the kingdom of Siberia, coat of arms of the kingdom of Georgia, coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland. In January 1895, the 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 relating to the State Emblem.
Coat of arms of Russia, 1917
After the February Revolution of 1917, on the initiative of Maxim Gorky, a Special Meeting on Arts was organized. In March of the same year, it included a commission under the executive committee of the Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, which, in particular, was preparing a new version of the coat of arms of Russia. The commission included famous artists and art historians A. N. Benois and N. K. Roerich, I. Ya. Bilibin, and heraldist V. K. Lukomsky. It was decided to use images of a double-headed eagle on the seal of the Provisional Government. The execution of the design of this seal was entrusted to I. Ya. Bilibin, who took as a basis the image of the double-headed eagle, deprived of almost all symbols of power, on the seal of Ivan III. This image continued to be used after the October Revolution, until the adoption of the new Soviet coat of arms on July 24, 1918.
State emblem of the RSFSR, 1918-1993.
In the summer of 1918, the Soviet government finally decided to break with the historical symbols of Russia, and the new Constitution adopted on July 10, 1918 proclaimed in the state emblem not land, but political, party symbols: the double-headed eagle was replaced by a red shield, which depicted a crossed hammer and sickle and rising Sun as a sign of change. Since 1920, the abbreviated name of the state - the RSFSR - was placed at the top of the shield. The shield was bordered wheat ears, secured with a red ribbon with the inscription “Workers of all countries, unite.” Later, this image of the coat of arms was approved in the Constitution of the RSFSR.
Even earlier (April 16, 1918), the sign of the Red Army was legalized: a five-pointed Red Star, a symbol of the ancient god of war, Mars. 60 years later, in the spring of 1978, the military star, which by that time had become part of the coat of arms of the USSR and most republics, was included in the coat of arms of the RSFSR.
In 1992, the last change to the coat of arms came into force: the abbreviation above the hammer and sickle was replaced by the inscription “Russian Federation”. But this decision was almost never carried out, because the Soviet coat of arms with its party symbols no longer corresponded to the political structure of Russia after the collapse of the one-party system of government, the ideology of which it embodied.
State emblem of the Russian Federation, 1993
On November 5, 1990, the Government of the RSFSR adopted a resolution on the creation of the State Emblem and State Flag of the RSFSR. A Government Commission was created to organize this work. After a comprehensive discussion, the commission proposed to recommend to the Government a white-blue-red flag and a coat of arms - a golden double-headed eagle on a red field. The final restoration of these symbols occurred in 1993, when by Decrees of President B. Yeltsin they were approved as the state flag and coat of arms.
December 8, 2000 The State Duma adopted the Federal Constitutional Law “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation”. Which was approved by the Federation Council and signed by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on December 20, 2000.
The golden double-headed eagle on a red field preserves historical continuity in the colors of the coats of arms of the late 15th - 17th centuries. The eagle design goes back to images on monuments from the era of Peter the Great.
The restoration of the double-headed eagle as the State Emblem of Russia personifies the continuity and continuity of Russian history. Today's coat of arms of Russia is a new coat of arms, but its components are deeply traditional; it reflects different stages of Russian history and continues them on the eve of the third millennium.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
