Coat of arms of the Moscow region: photo, description, meaning, history. State coat of arms of Russia: description, value and history of double-headed eagle

Coat of arms of the Moscow region: photo, description, meaning, history. State coat of arms of Russia: description, value and history of double-headed eagle
Coat of arms of the Moscow region: photo, description, meaning, history. State coat of arms of Russia: description, value and history of double-headed eagle

It would seem that the undisputed truth: St. George of the Victorious Healthcare considered the patron saint of the Russian capital, and his image was captured on the Moscow coat of arms, which became later part of the emblem of state. But why is the Holy Showless Nimba? And whether a lot of symbolic changes have undergone on the coat of arms, who has undergone a lot of symbolic changes, is depicted by Holy George? This still does not subscribe to the discussion.

Who was sublined Moscow

Saint Georgy came to Russia from Byzantium along with the adoption of Christianity. Son of St. Vladimir Great, Prince Yaroslav Wise first took baptism with the name George, putting the tradition of honoring the St. George Victorious at the state level. According to the Byzantine custom, depicts on coins and seals as the ruler itself and his saint patron, on the coins of Yaroslav for the first time a hiking image of St. George appears. Yaroslav founded the first Georgievsky temples in Russia: Yuriev Monastery near Novgorod, for whom, in 1170, the oldest of the preserved Icons of St. George was written - by order of the son of the blessed Andrei Bogolyubsky, Prince Georgia, who has rented in Novgorod and who became the first husband of the Georgian queen Tamara. In Moscow, Ivan Grozny brought this image, and now it is kept in the North Closy of the Assumption Cathedral. In Kiev, Yaroslav Wise founded the Georgievsky monastery, like the George temples of Constantinople. The day of consecration of his cathedral, on November 26, became the second, "winter", the holiday of St. George Victorious. (According to legend, it was on this day that St. George defeated Zmia.) The name "Georgy" translated from the ancient Greek means "farmer", and his two holidays marked the cycle of rural works in Russia: "I will finish Yuri, Yuri and cum." In Russia, he was called Egor and Yuri - from abbreviated Gurgia.

The fateful for Moscow event occurred at the end of the twentieth century, when the Kiev Prince Vladimir Monomakh was performed by his newborn son Yuri - so the Holy George Victory became the heavenly patron of the founder of Moscow Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. On his press was depicted by the Holy Georgy Goat and removing the sword - even without serpent. The legend says that one day on the way from Kiev to Vladimir Yuriy Dolgoruky stopped visiting the boyar bunch; Having threw out for a disrespectful admission, he ordered him, but, having loved his beautiful possessions, commanded to put the city of Moscow there. And as if gave her heavenly patron to her coat of arms - a rider who trampled Zmia's spear.

This, of course, legend, but from it, all the riddles begin. It is indisputable that on the Moscow coat of arms created in the XVIII century, depicted Georgy Victorious. But when he appeared in the state symbolism, the historians did not come to the general opinion. It is believed that the emblem of St. George as a Moscow Grand-Paint Sign for the first time appeared with the senior brother Ivan Kalita Prince Yuri Danilovich - as his heavenly cartridge. The image of the walking Smeaker (Warrior, sworn by the sword on Zmiah) in the Moscow principality occurs on the coin of the Grand Duke Ivan II Red, the son of Ivan Kalita. The first image of the horse rider with a spear appeared on the seal of Dmitry Donskoy. In print, his son Vasily I is also depicted a rider with a spear directed by the edge down, and since then this symbol has established itself as the Moscow emblem, becoming hereditary. On the coins of Vasily II, the grandson of Dmitry Donskoy, a distinct image of the rider appears, affecting the singer in a revealed mouth, reminding the iconography of the Miracle of St. George about Zmei. Historian V.B Muravyev, who investigated the dramatic history of the Moscow coat of a recent book "The legends of the ancient Moscow," believes that it is definitely recognized by St. George, and that since that time - the mid-XV century - the image of St. George the Victorious becomes a steady symbol of the Moscow Prince and Moscow Principality . And with Ivan III, the image of the rider acquires its final, classic look.

However, since before the beginning of the XVIII century, this rider was called "the ride", the researchers had two polar points of view. The "Orthodox" version states that this is St. George as a patron saint of Moscow and Moscow princes. Supporters of the "secular" version consider the "ride" of a purely Russian symbol of Prince-warrior, the sovereign, which only during the time of Peter the Great became associated with Georgy Victorious. These disagreements arose, firstly, because of the Russian tradition, to portray in seals and coins as the saints of the patrons of the princes and their themselves, because often without Himba and in the crown, which gave a reason to see the image of the rulers in the "ride". Lack of Nimba is the main fact that allows you to consider the "ride" with a secular person. Secondly, judging by the preserved historical testimony, the Russians themselves often called this rider by Prince or King, while St. George in the "ride" on the Moscow emblem founded mainly foreigners, thanks to the similarity of the rider with the iconographic image of St. George Victory, and in Europe he It was also very popular and revered by the patron of chivalry. There are conciliatory versions that this is simultaneously the image of St. George, and the Moscow Prince, likened by the Holy Warrior. Or that initially it was the image of St. George, then from the time Ivan the Terrible, married to the kingdom, was the way the sovereign until the Petrovsky era. Versions set. But today "Georgievtsy" strengthen their positions, leading arguments to protect the fact that the Moscow rider is the image of St. George Victorious.

His reverence in Russia has always intensified in grave, but the fateful times for the country of times. When Dmitry Donskoy collected the strength of the Russian lands to repel the enemy, Russia languished under an alien IGA, and the image of a saint victorious was especially close to the Russian people as a Christian patron of the military, warriors for the Fatherland. The Thanksgiving Georgievsky church in Kolomensky, which was founded by Dmitry Donskoy, returning from the Kulikov Battle, where St. George was seen on the battlefield fought on the side of the Russians. (There was a legend, as if St. George killed the serpent in the collane ravine.) A miracle George about Zmia was a way of victory of Christianity over the Inovers. And probably since the time of Dmitry Don Saint George is honored by the patron of Moscow.

The Grand Duke Ivan III began a new era in the history of Russia, when Moscow, creating Russian lands around himself in a single cohesive state, became the succession of the second Rome after the fall of Constantinople. Perhaps this was due to the strengthening of state reverence in Moscow of St. George Victorious, who was the patron of Byzantine emperors. In 1464, the Kremlin Franov tower appeared a white relief icon of St. George. The image was watered above the main goal of the city from the outside, and in two years, from the inside, the image of another patron of Moscow, St. Dimitria Solunsky, delivered the Holy Protection of the Kremlin from enemies. When the Italian masters built the Spasskaya Tower on the place of Frolovskaya, the image of the Savior was later placed on her gate, and the sculpture of St. George was transferred to the St. George Church near the Spasskaya Tower, and then to the Ascension Monastery. (In the 18th century, St. George again reserved the protection of the city, placing his image over the Resurrection Gate of China-Cities, leading to the Red Square. It was to this icon in 1918 "said Marina Tsvetaeva in his famous poem:" The guard of the fatal Moscow, and go from the gate! ".) The image of St. George was on the Grand-Point Steps of Ivan III, with whom he went to the great standing in Ugric, and the victory was attributed to the patronage of St. George.

During the formation of the national state, the Personal emblem of the Moscow Prince becomes the emblem of the Power. And under Ivan III, the prototype of the Moscow coat of arms finally appeared. The famous state seal of 1497, which N.M. Karamzin considered the source of the symbolism of the Russian state coat of arms, had an image of an equestrian rider on the front side, hitting the sophia, and a double-headed eagle appeared on her reverse side. The rider easily recognizes the iconographic image of Miracle of St. George about Zmia. According to O.V. Yahont, the rider on this press accurately reproduces the image of the sculptural icon of St. George from the Frolovsky Tower. There is another version that the rider's image was borrowed from the gravestone of Feoganost Metropolitan in the Assumption Cathedral, where "Miracle George about Zmia" was predetermined. Researchers, those seeing St. George in this rider, believe that his image on state press and in Moscow symbolism of Ivan III was the sign of the continuity of Moscow princes Vladimir and Kiev princes. In addition, the role of the Moscow Prince as the Orthodoxy Orthodoxy was symbolically emphasized.

However, there is no Nimbe from this rider.

The authors of the book "Symbols, Shrines and Awards of the Russian Power" give a very interesting explanation. In their opinion, this image of the rider does not correspond to the ancient Orthodox canons and in some other elements, for example, he rolls in the neck, and not in a sip, but this image of George the victorious "most of all resembles his embodiment in the works of Western European art of the Renaissance, before Total Italian. " In other words, the Italian masters who arrived at the call of Ivan III to build the cathedrals and fortresses of the Third Rome, could perform the state seal, where Saint George was depicted in the more familiar traditions, as was customary in Europe - without Himba.

When Ivan, Grozny, the Smeaker's rider is approved on the breast of a double-headed eagle as a symbol of the cohesion of Russian principalities around Moscow. A crown appears on the head of the rider, obviously, as a sign of adoption by Ivan the Terrible Tsarist title. Supports of the "secular" version, who consider the rider of the king as a defender of Russia, support its evidence. The ambassadors of Ivan the Terrible stated that the seal shows the "sovereign on horseback". When, in the middle of the XVII century, Duke Tuscan asked the Russian ambassador, whether Georgy's rider was depicted in the rider, he answered: "Our Great Sovereign on Argamak" (Porn Horse). In the inventory of the Armory Chamber about the coat of arms of the banner of 1666-1667, it is said that on the chest of a double-headed eagle "King on the horse rods a copy of Zmia." The Council of the Embassy Order of Grigory Kotoshin argued that in the press of the Moscow principality carved: "King defeated Zmia's king." (Meets and quite a simple explanation: "The man on the horse rolling Zmia"). If the rider is a sovereign, then what is the serpent? About the symbol of Zmia disagreement No: This is a biblical image of the evil and the personification of the enemies of the Russian Earth.

Supporters of the Georgievskaya version give their interpretations to the listed facts. Firstly, the most lack of Nimba in the image of George Victorious (and other retreats from the canons) on the press of Ivan III and with his successors made a rider in the view of the Russians "king" or "man on horseback", that is, a secular symbol. Hence the uncertain naming of "rides". VB Muravyov proposed a more complex explanation: rider on the Moscow coat called Russian officials to the "sovereign". Similar identification of the image on the state sign (coin, printing, emblem) with the sovereign ourselves (or his heavenly patron, which also symbolized the sovereign) "It was traditionally traditional for Russia, and the Russian bureaucracy did not decide to abandon this tradition." Thus, this is the official interpretation of public individuals, which came from the ancient rule to coagulate on state signs, the image of the ruler or his heavenly patron. Foreigners, not related to the Russian bureaucracy, were openly called the rider at the Breast of Eagle Saint George, including Samuel Collins, Personal Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. But, according to G.V. Vilinbachova and TB Vilinbachova, Europeans were easily recognized in the rider of St. George because he was depicted without Himba, as was customary in Europe.

Supporters of the "secular" version also point out on the fact that in the state coat of arms placed on the title page of the Bible, published in Moscow in 1663, the rider-Smeaker on the breast of the two-headed eagle is granted portrait similarity with the king Alexey Mikhailovich. However, the largest researchers of Orthodox medieval Moscow M.P. Kudryavtsev and G.Ya. Moksev argue that the image of the king on the horse that kills the Sniem, here is given here instead Traditional coat of arms of Moscow - George Victorious. And point to the inscriptions over the coat of arms from the book of the Prophet Isaiah: "Az put the king with the true and WSI path of his rule"; "This will create a hail of mine" (Is. 45: 13).

Alexey Mikhailovich considered himself a defender of the Universal Orthodoxy. The Moscow kingdom became the main patron saint of the Oriental Patriarchates, storming under the Ottoman IGOM. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe liberation of Constantinople and the creation of the Orthodox Empire on the territory of the former Byzantium and the Balkans under the rule of the Moscow king. Moscow, the same arranged in the image of Heavenly Jerusalem - Grada of God, called the new Jerusalem on Earth, according to the prophecies of the book of Isaiah about the election of the new people and the city, to which the glory of the people of God: "Leave my name to your saturation of my favorites, you beat you Lord; I work the name is new. "(Is. 65: 15). The image of Alexei Mikhailovich by the warrior who kills Zmia, here symbolizes the idea of \u200b\u200bRussia as the last world Orthodoxy Ottop, and such a variation could well take place on the book.

Scientists did not come to the unified conclusion about the identification of the Moscow rider, but it was he who became the prototype of the coat of arms of Moscow. The word "coat of arms", literally meaning "inheritance," began to enter Russian use of Alexey Mikhailovic. In 1672, "Titular" appeared, where 33 coat of arms were collected by the areas and cities included in the full royal title. Even earlier, in 1669, the king ordered the masters to portray in painting on the walls of the Kolomna Palace 14 seals "in the coat of arms", that is, put the government emblems in the shields, by analogy with European coat of arms. On them and drew attention to the young Peter I.

Holy Highria on horse

It is believed that Peter the Great, not the Covenant Lukovo, the first of the Russians called the Moscow rider with Saint Georgy Victoronos. His note is preserved, dated supposedly 1710: "This has its beginning from there, when Vladimir, the monarch of Russian, divided his empire to twelve his sons, from which Vladimir Prince had a coat of arms from [Vyatoy], but then C [Arren] Ivan you [Ilyevich], when the monarchy, from his grandfather gathered, Paki approved and cried when the eagle for the coat of arms of the Empire of the Russian accepted, and put the princely coat of arms in the chest. " The Board of Peter I begins the creation of the Moscow coat of arms, on which St. George was depicted in the Russian tradition, originating in Orthodox iconography.

In 1722, the emperor established Geroldia, which was supposed to investigate urban coat of arms among other things, these coat of arms were supposed to be placed on the banners of troops located in a particular city. On the recommendation of Yakova Bruce, on the recommendation of Yakov, Bruce was determined by the Piedmont Graph Francis Santi, who knew the European heraldic rules well - on them and they were going to create Russian coat of arms and correct traditional Russian emblems. However, Santi Mudro regarded that success will come only if he does not copy European heraldry for Russia, but will create Russian on Russian traditions. In addition, thoroughly examining the "Titular", Russian press and portraits of the sovereign, he saw that the coat of arms in Russia actually exist, in something answering the provisions of Western European heraldry, and it caused him a respectful attitude towards ancient Russian and Moscow emblems. That is why he retained the right to have his laws. So, Saint George on the Moscow coat was depicted to the viewer with the right side (as on most icons "Miracle of St. George about Zmia"), that is, in the left heraldic side. Whereas according to the rules of Heraldry, it was necessary to do on the contrary and deploy the rider to the right heraldic side, left side to the viewer. In Western Europe, this rule arose for natural reasons: living beings, such as the rider or lion, always depicted with the left side of the viewer, so that in battle or in the tournament these figures on the knight's shield, which he kept in his left hand did not seem running away from the enemy.

The sketch of the Moscow coat of arms looked like this: in the Red Field of Saint George with the Golden Crown, in the Greek half-lying, closing the chest and back, rolling with a spear, crowned with a cross, in the mouth of a black sony. And here he is depicted without Himba, but his holiness pointed the cross at the top of the spear. In the further history of the Moscow coat of arms, it was increasingly closer to the requirements of European heraldry.

After the death of Peter the Great Santi, they were falsely accused of conspiracy against Peter II, and he stayed in the Siberian reference for 15 years. His project, although he did not become the official coat of arms of Moscow, was approved by the Senate in 1730 as the coat of arms for the banner of the Moscow regiments. At the same time, the state coat of arms was approved with the Moscow coat of arms on the Breast of the Eagle: "Georgy on a horse in white, winning Zmia, Epancha (cloak. - E.L.) And the spear is yellow, the crown is yellow, sniped black. " So, the holy raincoat on the coat of arms is not red, as on the icon, is a symbol of the spilled blood of the Great Martyr, and the golden. Heraldic canons are increasingly approved.

The new era of the Moscow coat of arms came at Catherine Great. In the Winter Yuriev Day on November 26, 1769, she established the Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George in Russia. Since then on November 26, an annual reception in honor of the Order of the Ordinant was arranged in the Winter Palace. For solemn lunches, the Empress ordered a porcelain geogium service: all his items carried the images of the Order of the Ordinant signs and the St. George ribbon. And the throne hall in the winter palace was the St. George Hall, created by Jacomo Kurengy on the orders of the Empress.

In Catherine II, Moscow returned to the creation of his official coat of arms after the reform of local government, when each Russian city was obliged to have its own, the highest approved coat of arms, by analogy with the free cities of Western Europe. Comrade Geroldmeister Lieutenant Colonel I.I. Von Enden unfortunately corrected the already extended Moscow coat of arms, namely: the rider was overlooked from the ancient half-go to the full shell of the medieval knight. This tradition was adopted in Europe, since Saint George was worshiped by the patron saint of the knighthood, but for Orthodox Russia, such a interpretation of St. George the Victorious was alien. In addition, the spear on the coat lost the cross. However, the Russian tradition of the image in the left heraldic side was saved. Colors are preserved: red field, white horse and black sniped. Unknown color of the raincoat, but it is believed that he was gold, as described in the Statute of the Order of St. George. On December 20, 1781, the Empress approved this emblem of Moscow as official.

Only in the middle of the XIX century, it was created according to the rules of European heraldry. This change is associated with the wish of Nicholas I and with the activities of the German Barona B.V. Ken, who manages the stamp department of the Geroldia Department, who was engaged in the creation of a large state coat of arms. "According to Heraldry's requirements," he turned the rider figure to the right heraldic side - left side to the viewer. Another Lhadmitriy I tried to "deploy the Moscow rider" in Europe, and the encroachment to the Moscow coat of arms seemed to be a "lot of" foreigners. To hit the Sniah in the left of the horse, the rider had to quit the ultimate and take a spear with both hands. However, he was returned to the crowned cross. The rider was still in solid knightly lats, but under Alexander III in 1883 he was returned to the half-layer. The mantle of St. George instead of Golden became "azureva" - blue. (O.A. Revo allegedly connects this with the possible desire of Geroldia to bring the color of the Moscow coat in line with the colors of the national flag of Russia: white horse, blue raincoat, red shield). Instead of black Zmia, a gold dragon appeared with green wings. In the old days, Zmia and Dragon did not share - it was the same creature, the image of a biblical enemy. Historian G.I. Korolev, who wrote a brilliant study "Zmium or Dragon", one of the possible reasons for the reworking of Zmia in the Dragon in the XIX century considers the same desire to bring Russian heraldry to consent to the Western European heraldic rules.

Domestic heraldists were very upset by these changes, because it was the Moscow coat of arms that the firm and early wound, established in Russia, should be protected from arbitrary innovations. The applied formally Western heraldic rules without taking into account the characteristics of the national coat of arms seemed to be an alien beginning, disregard for national traditions.

The icon-painted image of St. George Victorious, who was perceived as the holy symbol of ancient Moscow, remained beloved in the people. Writer Ivan Shmelev leads the conversation of two Moscow apprentices heard: "Saint Highria will fit the shield and copy to our Moscow, because in Moscow and writing ... What is the heart of our eagle? Moscow written on the coat of arbum: Holy Holy Him, our, became Moscow. From Moscow went to the whole of Russia. "

Victorious

After the revolution, the coat of arms of Moscow was abolished. On February 27, 1925, the Mossoveta Presidium approved the first Soviet coat of arms compiled by the architect D. Osipov, Moscow became the first city, received the coat of arms with a revolutionary, proletarian symbolism. The saint of St. George took a five-pointed star - a victorious symbol of the Red Army. Against the background of the star, Obelisk was depicted, who was the first revolutionary monument of the RSFSR, is a symbol of hardness of Soviet power. (This obelisk is a monument to the first Soviet constitution, stood on the site of the monument to Yuri Dolgorukhu). Sickle and hammer - the emblem of the working and peasant government. The gear wheel and rye ears depicted on oval shield symbolized the bow of the city and the village, and the Dynamo Machine was located at the bottom - the emblem of electrification.

To the image of Saint George Victorious as a warrior, crushing the enemy, turned during the Great Patriotic War. And the cavalryman on the poster hitting the speck of a swastika with snake heads, and caricatures of Kukryniks, where the Soviet warrior knees the bayonet of the fascist gadine or in the skull of Hitler, inspired by the motives of the Moscow coat. It is significant that the battle for Moscow began on the eve of the winter holiday of St. George, and the capture of Berlin took place on the eve of the Spring. On May 6, 1945, it was necessary for Easter that the believers were perceived as a sign of ambulance victory, and a day later the capitulation of fascist Germany was signed. The medal "For the victory over Germany" was worn on St. George Ribe.

On November 23, 1993, the Order of the Mayor of Moscow "Mainstreaming Herb of Moscow" was returned by its historical coat of arms according to the first officially approved coat of arms of Moscow 1781: on the dark red shield of Georgy Victorious, in silver armor and Lazorus mantle, on a silver horse, amazes gold Spear of black serpent. And although it is a pity that the appearance of a medieval knight has been preserved on our coat of arms, far from the Orthodox image of St. George, but now he is at least deployed to the traditional left heraldic side to Russia. And most importantly: Saint George Victorious Returned back to the Moscow coat of arms.

When writing an article partially used materials

We are all used to the Moscow coat, to the image of George Victorious on a horse hitting the snake. However, we do not think about his story, about where and when he got into Russia. It is worth saying that Saint George is the general Christian holy, revered and in many other countries, for example, by the patron of England. And foreigners are sometimes very surprised wherever he is here - in Moscow, on the coat of arms of the city and even the country.

Officially, the emblem of the city of Moscow has existed from December 20, 1781. On this day, he was "Highestly approved" together with the coat of arms of other cities in the Moscow province.

In the full meeting of the laws of the Russian Empire, our metropolitan coat of arms described as follows: "Holy George on a horse against that, as in the middle of the state coat of arms, in a red field, amazing Chernago Smya." It was also noted that the coat of arms "old". This meant that the emblem was known earlier.

Indeed, the rider affecting the dragon's spear was used for several centuries as an integral part of the consistent Russian coat of arms. That is, as such, the coat of arms in antiquity did not exist, but there were prints and coins, with such images. The portrait of the prince in the seals and coins, as well as the image of the saint, whom the prince considered his patron, came to Russia from Byzantium at the end of the twentieth century .

At the beginning of the XI century on the coins and seals of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, who accepted the name Yuri (Georgy), appears the image of St. George. The founder of Moscow Yuri Dolgoruky continued this tradition. On his press, too, the holy standing in full growth and removes the sword from the sheath. The image of St. George was on the seals and brother of Yuri Dolgoruky Mstislav, the Warrior-Smeekeset attended the numerous seals of Alexander Nevsky, he meets on the coins of Ivan II Red and Son Dmitry Don Vasily. And on the coins of Vasily II of the dark emblem of St. George acquires the view close to what was later established on the Moscow coat of arms. The patron saint of Moscow St. George is considered since Dmitry Donsky.

Georgy Victorious and Snake

The killing of the Snake (Dragon) is one of the most famous posthumous wonders of St. George. According to the legend, the snake devastated the land of one pagan king in Beirut. As the legend says when the tsar's daughter fell to the confusion, Georgy appeared on horseback and pierced the snake with a spear, having saved the princess from death. The phenomenon of saint contributed to the appeal of local residents in Christianity. This legend was often interpreted allegorically: Tsarevna - Church, snake - paganism. It is also considered as a victory over the devil - "Ancient Zmeim".
There is an option for describing this miracle relating to the life of George. In Him, the saint conquers a snake prayer and a sacrificing girl leads him to the city, where the inhabitants, seeing this miracle, take Christianity, and Georgy kills the snake sword.


Holy George on the icon of the second half of the XVI century, from Novgorod.

West of St. George in other countries

This saint has become extremely popular since early Christianity. He has undergone flour in Nikomidia, and soon he began to read him in Falley, Palestine, then all east. In Rome, in the VII century there were already two churches in honor of him, and he was honored with the V century in Gaul.


Holy George on the Georgian icon.

George is considered the patron of warriors, farmers and shepherds, and in some places - travelers. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia, believers addressed him with prayers for rain. In Georgia, George addressed requests for protection from evil, about giving good luck on the hunt, about the crop and the rating of livestock, about healing from the ailments, about Chadorody. In Western Europe, it is believed that the prayers of St. George (George, Jorge) helps to get rid of poisonous snakes and infectious diseases. Saint George is known for the Islamic peoples of Africa and the Middle East under the names of Jirjis and Al-Hdra. Georgy is also a patron of Portugal, Genoa, Venice (together with AP. Mark) and Barcelona. Well, of course, England. Back in the X century in England, churches dedicated to St. Georgia, and in the XIV century he was officially recognized as the Heavenly patron of England.

Modern coat of arms was restored by the order of Moscow Mayor in 1993 according to the first official coat of arms of the capital of 1781. In 1995 and 2003, he was reapproved by the laws of the city of Moscow.

The coat of arms is a four-born with rounded lower corners and a dated red heraldic shield. It is depicted on Holy George Victorious in silver armor and blue mantle (raincoat) on a silver horse. The rider is striking the Golden Spear of Black Zmia.

History of Moscow coat of arms

The image of Lög plot "Miracle of George about Zmie", which was often used in ancient Russia in seals, coins, in the princely and royal symbols. The first written mention of the coat of arms belongs to the IV - V centuries of our era.

According to legends, George took place from a noble capadocyan kind (Cappadocia - an area in Malaya Asia, now in Turkey). Entering military service, he soon became a thousandrrrrrbum under the emperor Diocletian. During persecution against Christians, George, secretly confessing Christianity, spoke in their defense and declared himself a Christian, for which he was subjected to cruel torture and torment. Despite the transferred tests, George remained unharmed. The angry emperor ordered to cut off the martyr head.

A lot of legends and legends were staging about the miracles of the saint, he healed the patients, resurrected the dead, turned to the Christianity of the pagans. The most famous legend became the "miracle George about Zmeye". The tale tells about the city in Cappadocia, who managed the tsar-pagan, who pursued Christians. The Lord to instruct the king to the true path, sends the Dragon to the city, who lived in the lake. To take a monster, the ruler suggested the citizens every day to give to the exacerbation of his children. It has reached the royal daughter. But at that time, Holy Georgy drove to the lake on the horse.

When a terrible Zmiy, Georgy appeared from the lake, squeezing himself with a cross sign and calling the Lord with the words "in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit," rushed to Zmia. The rider hit him in the larynx and nailed to the ground. After that, the daughter of the king tied the defeated Zmia with his belt and took to the city, where he cut off his head on the central square. After that, the king and all residents of the city believed in Jesus Christ and adopted Christianity.

The image of the Rider-Smeaker acquired in the XIV - XV centuries in Russia, specially popularity and symbolized a fighter with foreign conquerors, as well as a folk defender. Holy George was the heavenly patron of Moscow Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. Since the days of Dmitry, the Saint becomes the patron and the patron saint of the city of Moscow.

Special fate got the image st. George Victorious In Russian heraldry and award system. The beginning of the State Heraldry of Russia should be attributed to the time of formation of the national state, when the personal emblem of the sovereign becomes the emblem of the Power. After 1485, the Great Prince of Moscow is referred to as the "Soviet of All Russia". At the end of the 15th century, the first seal of the Grand Duke Ivan III appears, which can already be called state-owned. This is a bilateral "feed" of 1497, on the front side of which the rider is placed, striking the spear of the dragon, and on the revolving - double-headed eagle. The plot of the front side of this press caused a lot of disputes from researchers about its origin and meaning. What is it? Symbolized by the king? Or Holy George, with the image of which the rider - "rides" - has iconographic similarities?

However, "risks", with some differences, occurs on princely seals from the XIII century. On the seal of the Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, the rider was cut out with a sword, on the seals of other princes - Sokolnik. Academician N. P. Likhachev, referring to Sokolnik, wrote: "You can think that in this case the symbolization of power, impressions" is mixed. " The armed rider is approved in the seals of Moscow princes only in the XIV-XV centuries. He came to replace the cartridge images of Byzantine seals. So, in the seals of Prince Vasily Dmitrievich 1389-1405 years, the rider is armed with a spear, on the press of 1423 he swears with a sword, Sokolnik and a swamp on the coins of this period. And finally, on the seal of Ivan III 1497, a rider appears, striking the spear of the dragon. The image of the rider on a horse with a sword is found in the seals and other specific princes.

Thus, since the reign of Prince Vasily Dmitrievich, the image of a secular rider with a spear or a sword, less often - Sokolnik, acquires hereditary character and can be considered as a heraldic figure. Unfortunately, we do not have evidence revealing the semantics of the rider on the press of Ivan III, which gave food to disputes about whether it symbolizes the image of the Grand Duke or is the way of St. George. Supporters of the latter opinion led as an argument the fact of installing the sculptural image of St. George Victorious in 1464 above the gates of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin. However, this sculpture, most likely, did not have a heraldic meaning. Its place above the gate was determined by a different function - a protective, which icons were often performed on the similar place with the images of the Mother of God or Savior.

We must not forget that the tradition of the Prince of Prince in Russia has already existed in the form of a rider with a spear or a sword and Sokolnik. In this regard, it is an erroneous common opinion, as if a secular rider in seals is a symbolic image of a Russian warrior, protecting his native land from enemies. Most likely, it was the image of the prince, the sovereign, and this opinion finds confirmation in the sources of the XVI-XVII centuries. Most likely, the basis of the formation of this emblem was the tradition, leaving the roots in the pagan society, when the guardian gowns were often portrayed in the form of soldiers or hunters - in the image and likeness of the chapter of the genus or tribal leader. However, with Ivan III, this traditional image obtained design, possibly under the influence of the Byzantine sample, in the form of a rider who affects the Sniah spear. In this composition, ZMY symbolized the generalized image of the enemies of the Russian Earth. "Ries" on the coins appeared in 1535 during the implementation of monetary reform. The chronicle narrates: "With a great prince (all Russia) Vasille Ivanovich to be the banner on the dengue: the prince is great on horseback, and having a sword in Ruta, and Prince Great Ivan Vasilyevich Labor Banner on the Denga: Prince Great on horse, and having a copy in the hand and Ottol nickname Denga Kopeyna. " The meaning of the image on the coins remained unchanged to the beginning of the XVIII century, when in the decree of 1704 the release of the first copper kopecks it was said that they would be the "imagination of the great sovereign on horseback." With the adoption of Ivan IV Tsariy Titula in 1547, in all likelihood, the appearance of the crown on the head "Rhine" should be born. The rationale for this act was kept in the idea of \u200b\u200bthe historical antiquity of the right of Russian self-containers on the royal title, which from the 1540-1550s became the official doctrine.

On the Golden Bulle of 1562, the "rides" for the first time occupies a place on the chest of a double-headed eagle. Interest represents the seal of Falsmitria of 1604. On it, the eagle is first depicted with raised wings, and "rides" on the chest of an eagle is cut according to the rules of heraldry, that is, they will be rotated to the right. During the entire XVII century, the understanding of the meaning of the "Rzyza" remains unchanged - this is a sovereign on horseback. Only in the official description of the coat of arms dated June 4, 1667, given the translator of the Embassy Order when he was sent to the Brandenburg Kurfürst and to the Kourney Prince, it is said: "... the eagle two-lava is the coat of arms of the state ... Frenx image of the heir."

"Rhizhz" call the rider of Russian coat of arms and in business papers. In Queen of Smolensk, 1671, at the mention of copper sulfillion, it was indicated that they would "take a person on a horse with a spear, Kolts Zmia." According to the "Titular" (the book containing a list of titles of Russian and foreign reigning persons and statesmen, as well as the description of their coat of arms and seals), the feeding seal portrayed the "man on a horse with a spear, Kolts Zmia, near the signature of Tsarskago Majesty Name." In some cases, the rider depicted on the arms had even portrait similarity with the state truck. On the engraved title page in the Moscow Bible of 1663 around the figure "Rzyza" in the royal crown and the letters are placed with a beard: "V. G. Ts. K. A. M. V. V. M. B. R. S ", that is," the Great Sovereign, the king of the Grand Duke Alexey Mikhailovich All Gorya, the Malya and Belya Russia of the University. "

On the coat of arms of 1666-1667 on the breastplate of the Eagle, "rides", in the old Opisi of the Armory Chamber, this is said: "A double-headed eagle, crowned by two crowns, is depicted, and on his chest," the king on horseback is a copy of Zmia " . It should be noted that on all the above-described monuments "rides" depicts turned to the left, that is, heraldically incorrectly (according to the rules of heraldry, the figures should be rotated to the right). And only on the seal of 1625, attached to the letter of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Patriarch Philaret, "rides" in the crown is portrayed heraldically true. All the above facts suggest that the perception of the "Rhine" as the images of the sovereign was officially recognized. Russian diplomats told about admission in 1659 in the Tuscan Duke. On those who decorated the table, the two-headed eagles was depicted "Our Great Sovereign on Argamak" (Argamaks in Starin called thoroughbred riding horses). G. K. Kotoshin, the attic of the Embassy Order, wrote that the diplomas sent to Crimea "print seal, cut out: the king defeated Zmia, near the signature of the royal ... That is, the most true Moscow replacement print; She is carved on the largest seal, which is printed in the surrounding state, in the middle of the eagle itself ... ". Even earlier, in the XVI century, the ambassadors of Ivan the Terrible assured the Alexandrian Patriarch that the rider in the press is Russian king. To the question of the Patriarch: "On the horses de the Predit Tsar for this press?" - "Sovereign on horseback," answered ambassadors. Pavel Aleppsky, accompanied by the Antioch Patriarch during a trip to Russia in the middle of the XVII century, noted that the king Alexey Mikhailovich "released a new coin ... With his image riding a horse ... When they gave money with the refined image of the kings, they (Russian ) I kissed him, saying: "Sir ... this is the money of our Mr. King, better than the money of heretics francs". " Then describes "Printing on golden grades, stamps, kopecks, and so on. - On the one hand, a double-headed eagle, and with another king riding a horse, under the legs of which something like a dragon, which he amazes with a spear, like St. Georgy, "and the Red Surgical Printing, on which the" double-headed eagle and in the middle of his king riding " Note that before the beginning of the XVIII century, no one in Russia perceived "Rhizh" as the image of St. George. It is enough to pay attention to the fact that in one image in the seals, coins, in the coat of arms the rider does not have Nimba! Not only in the official interpretation, but also in the consciousness of contemporaries "risks" was perceived as an image of the sovereign.

Only foreigners called the rider of the Russian coat of arms with Saint George. This was based on the iconographic similarity and on the fact that, unlike Russia, in Europe, it was customary to depict St. George without Himba. It is in this form that the images of this saint on government regalia and awards of different countries are found, for example, at the Order of Garters in the UK.

So, it is obvious that in the Dopererovskaya time the rider of the Russian coat of arms symbolized the sovereign, and only from the 1710s he began to call him the Holy Great Martyr and the victorious of George. From the same time, the image of Saint George, who defeats the dragon, became the coat of arms of Moscow. For the first time, the riders of the Russian coat of arms called Saint George Peter I in his own note dated 1710 m. Many researchers tried to interpret the origin of the colors of the Russian State Flag. But for accurate output there are no sufficient documentary evidence. The assumption that the basis for the choice of flag colors was the colors of the coat of arms of Moscow, that is, the image of St. George, namely: white - color horse and armor, blue - color of the raincoat, red - color background, is one of the weakest versions. This set of colors becomes characteristic of the emblem of Moscow only in the XIX century. And on ancient Russian icons such a color combination is not always necessary. But the main thing, the image of Saint George until the XVIII century was not the coat of arms of Moscow and therefore could not convey its colors to the Russian flag. From 1712, the regiments of the Russian army received new banners, which were placed the coat of arms of that city, whose name was wearing a regiment. An image of St. George was placed on the banners of the Moscow Infantry Idragian regiments.

Further history of the image st. George Victorious In Russia, closely connected with the Order wearing his name.

Why did Moscow become the capital of Russia? Why around her, and, for example, not Tver, Russian lands began to gather, Vladimir or Novgorod? The reasons can be sought in faith, economics, policies - both external and internal. Probably all this was a value.

However, esoterics and heraldry specialists believe that the wines of everything amazing coat of arms of Moscow. Tell what the emblem of the capital is so unusual, we agreed historian and esoteric Mikhail Kalyuzhny.

- Mikhail, what is the mystery of the Moscow coat of arms?

- The paradox is that due to political storms, more than once raging in the history of our country, Moscow had several coat of arms. But only George Victorious, according to Mystikov, brought Moscow by no means victory, but defeat: he almost deprived her metropolitan status forever.

From ancient times, at various versions of the coat of arms and coins of Moscow, a walking warrior with a spear, then the rider hitting the dragon was depicted. Moreover, the rider was the personification of the Grand Duke, and later - the king.

No wonder, won the Kazan Khanate, that is, symbolically defeating the dragon, the king Ivan Grozny joined his official title Music King Kazan. Since then, the rider-draconacet and became the main symbol of Moscow.

- But after all, the rider is on horseback and there is Georgy Victorious ...

- Just not! Only foreigners called the Moscow rider with Saint George. Ambassadors of Ivan the Terrible to the question of the Alexandrian Patriarch: "On the horses de the bombs king for this press?" - answered: "Sovereign on horseback." Known quote from the chronicle: "With great prince Vasille Ivanovich to be a banner for money: the prince is great on horseback, and having a sword in the ruhouse and Ottol.

And on the state coat of arms placed on the title page of the Bible 1663 of the publication, Smeaker and the portrait similarity with the king Alexei Mikhailovich was granted at all. Later, this tradition passed on: with the change of the ruler began to change the horseman depicted on the coat of arms.

- Who is the first of our rulers called Holy George's rider?

- Saint George the victorious rider officially called only Peter I, than heavily surprised his subjects. And in the Senatsky decree of March 8, 1730, five years after the death of the emperor, the Moscow coat was already officially described as follows: "... in the middle (double-headed) Eagle Georgy on horse in white, winning Zmia, Epancha and Spear Yellow, Crown The yellow, the serpent black, the field is white, and in the middle of the red. " S. of this moment and until the beginning of the 20th century, the rider at the Moscow coat was officially referred to as Saint George.

Print Ivan III

- And what in terms of magic and heraldry rider on horseback fundamentally different from St. George?

- The fact is that on the coat of arms or banners, they always tried to depict the symbols of good luck, victory and welfare. The rider on a horse, personifying the wise and fair prince, as it is impossible to fulfill this role. Other business of St. George.

By calling the rider on the coat of arms by George Victoroness, Peter I, he himself, not knowing, brought the city of misfortune. As the news of George, by 30 years, thanks to the mind, courage and physical strength, he reached a thousandrld - this is something like a battalion commander. Moreover, he became a favorite diocletian. However, George could not calmly look like the emperor executed followers of Christ. And he was openly admitted that he was a Christian.

He was beaten by violent cores, chaired, threw in the next lime, they were forced to flee in boots with sharp nails inside. George suffered all these torments and did not reject Christ. Looking at this, two noble dignitaries, Anatoly and the Protolaon, who were secret Christians, opened the emperor.

Diocletian executed them. And then urged Afanasius's wrap, so that he either was pacified by the former pet, or poisoned. Volkhv presented George two bowls with drugs, one of which was supposed to make it submissive, and the other to kill. But the potions did not affect. And then the Magi of Athanasius, treating Georgia, confessed by Christ. Here, the emperor finally cleared and executed both - and assumed Athanasius, and George.

"And what about the fate of George Victorious reflected in Moscow?"

- For Moscow with George on the coat of arms, bad times have come. For the period from 1730 to 1918, Moscow has repeatedly devastated by epidemics and fires, suffered a terrible damage from the element, became the arena of bloody mass commodities and other disasters.

- Who saved Moscow from such a patron?

- Oddly enough, the Bolsheviks. Soon after October, the coat of arms with George the victorious abolished. And in 1918 Moscow began the capital again, but already with the new coat of arms.

He was approved by the Presidium of the Mossovet on September 22, 1924. The new coat of arms consisted of several important elements. In the central part to the oval shield, a large five-pointed star was inscribed.

On her background, the Obelisk of Freedom and Sickle with Hamll was depicted - these were the emblems of the workers' and peasant state. The gear wheel and the associated rye spikes became the personification of the bow and the village. Anvil - the emblem of metalworking production, the shuttle - symbol of the textile industry and Dynamo - the electrification symbol. The inscription was blocked below: "Moscow Council of Workers, Peasant and Red Army Deputies."

- This coat of arms turned out to be successful than the previous one?

- Of course: in magic symbols, the Bolsheviks disassembled perfectly. Throughout the Soviet period, Moscow remained the richest and prosperous city of the country. During this time, it has grown multiple - both in terms of population and in the area.

In 1941, the capital was not able to take the strongest German army at that time. The city, then still predominantly wooden, has not burned down even at the massive raids of German aviation, which bombed his incendiary bombs. And in the post-war time, Moscow and at all became the recognized world center of science, industry and culture. She was rightly considered one of the most beautiful, clean and safe cities in the world.

- But today, we reign Saint George on our arms. How will his "rule" in the XXI century affect Moscow?

- After the return of the coat of arms depicting St. George the Victorious in Moscow, natural disasters were frequent. The hurricane, who gone over the city on June 22, 1998 at a wind speed of up to 31 m / s, fell more than 100 thousand trees and inflicted material damage by more than $ 15 million. A lot of troubles have done a hurricane of 2001. After 1993 burned after 1993 and the unofficial symbols of Moscow - the Ostankinskaya Telbashnya and Manege. The Soviet coat of arms clearly much more effectively ensured the security of Muscovites.

- So why was it to change such a successful Soviet coat of arms on analogue of a pre-revolutionary coat of arms?

- all vina politics. After the events of 1991 and 1993, the Moscow authorities hurried to get rid of the entire Soviet heritage, including from the city symbol. But the federal authorities in the 1990s turned out to be more wise, placing the country's coat of arms did not georgia, but the prototype of the princes of Doromanan era.

The rider-Smeekes is depicted on the state coat of arms of the Russian Federation. But he is no longer called George. In the Regulations on the State Arms of the Russian Federation, approved by the President B. N. Yeltsin on November 30, 1993, it was said: "On the coat of arms - a rider hitting the dragon's spear."

Communicated Dmitry Sokolov