Image of a scepter and orb. Scepter and orb at the exhibition “Boris Godunov from servant to sovereign of all Rus'”

Power (symbol)

Power- (Old Russian "d'rzha" - power) a symbol of the state power of the monarch, which was a golden ball with a crown or cross.

Historically, the power was a sign of distinction for the emperors of the Roman Empire and English kings, and later became an attribute of power for a number of Western European monarchs. With the advent of the Christian era, the power was crowned with a cross.

Russia adopted this tradition from Poland. The orb was first used as a symbol of the power of the Russian Tsar at the wedding of False Dmitry I (1605).

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See what “Power (symbol)” is in other dictionaries:

Male, Greek abbreviation, list, complete picture, essence in a few words or signs. The symbol of faith, the confession of the entire essence or its foundations, is in the list. | The image is a picture, and in general with features, cuts, signs, with figurative, symbolic,... ... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

- (foreign) conventional sign Symbolic (foreign) depicted by signs Symbolism. Wed. Power is a symbol of power. Wed. The ring was made quite intricately and ideologically with symbolism. Leskov. Alexandrite. 3. Wed. (We) do do some... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary

Catherine II with cor... Wikipedia

1) independent state. The term democracy, as a synonym for state, is in practice applied not to all states, but only to those that play an outstanding role in international politics (see Great Powers); 2) a symbol of the power of the monarch (for example ... Legal dictionary

1) an independent state. 2) A symbol of the power of the monarch (for example, in Russia, a golden ball with a crown or cross) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

POWER, one of the state regalia, a symbol of royal power, a golden ball with a crown or cross. Source: Encyclopedia Fatherland ... Russian history

1) independent state; 2) a symbol of the power of the monarch (for example, in Russia, a golden ball with a crown or cross). Political science: Dictionary reference book. comp. Prof. Science Sanzharevsky I.I.. 2010 ... Political science. Dictionary.

POWER- 1) an independent state. The term "D." as a synonym for “state”, in practice it does not apply to all states, but only to those that play a leading role in international politics (GREAT POWERS); 2) a symbol of monarchical power... ... Legal encyclopedia

power- The symbol of royal power, has the shape of a ball. Christian sovereigns with a cross on top. With D. they depict the Lord of Hosts, Christ, the Mother of God, usually seated on royal thrones... Dictionary of an icon painter

This article lacks links to sources of information. Information must be verifiable, otherwise it may be questioned and deleted. You can... Wikipedia

Books

• The Bell and the Power, Smirnov Viktor Grigorievich. The veche bell is a symbol of the Novgorod freemen and therefore an enemy of the state, in which everything must be subordinated to the sovereign power, the power of the Prince of Moscow. Endowed with great intelligence, the sovereign...

Plunging back into the depths of centuries, let's try to figure out what the scepter and the power mean in Russian history.

The scepter is a figured rod. It was made of silver, ivory, gold, framed with gems and used heraldic symbols. In the history of Russia, the scepter is the successor to the royal staff, which is a symbol of the power of the great princes and kings.

Speaking about the symbols of monarchical power, we need to focus on the power - a golden ball with a cross and a crown. The surface of the sphere was usually decorated with gems and symbols. This name comes from the ancient Russian word “dzha”, which means “power”. The scepter and orb of the Russian tsars are the oldest of the insignias of autocratic power.

Sovereign balls, or sovereign apples - as they were called in Rus', also served as attributes of the power of Roman, German and other emperors.

Crowns in the Russian Empire

Dwelling on the regalia of the Russian emperors, it is worth highlighting that the Monomakh's Cap was used for coronations in the kingdom.

In Russia, the ceremony of the first imperial coronation was performed on the wife of Peter the Great, Ekaterina Alekseevna, who later became Catherine the First. It was for Catherine I that the first imperial crown in Russia was specially made.

Monomakh's hat - ancient regalia

Mention of the Monomakh's Cap appeared in the 16th century. in "The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir". It talks about Constantine Monomakh, a Byzantine emperor who ruled in the 11th century. Hence the name. Most likely, Ivan Kalita was its first owner. According to available art historical data, the Monomakh Cap was made in the East in the 14th century. This is the most ancient crown of Russia. It was not worn as an everyday headdress, but was used to crown Russian monarchs from 1498 to 1682. The crown consists of gold plates with patterns. At the top of the crown is a cross inlaid with precious stones. Monomakh's hat is framed with sable fur. The weight of the crown without fur is 698 grams.

Thus, the Monomakh Cap, like the scepter and the orb, has been a symbol of Russia since pre-Petrine times. By the way, it is credited with medicinal properties. Thus, it is believed that it can relieve various ailments, especially headaches.

Scepter and orb of Tsar Boris Godunov

The appearance of such concepts and objects as the scepter and the orb as symbols of the power of the Russian state is associated with the reign of Boris Godunov. They were ordered from craftsmen at the court of Rudolf II. Manufacturing took place in Eger (modern city of Heb). When creating the set, jewelers followed the traditions of the Renaissance.

And although there is a legend that says that the scepter and orb were sent back in the 11th century. Prince Vladimir Monomakh, in fact they were presented to Tsar Boris by the Great Embassy of Emperor Rudolf II, who reigned in 1604, they found their use as part of his great outfit.

Monomakh's scepter was made of gold with enamel details. Twenty diamonds, a large emerald, and other precious stones were used as jewelry. The orb has an enamel inlay. The details depict scenes from the reign of David. The orb is decorated with 37 large pearls, 58 diamonds, 89 rubies, as well as emeralds and tourmalines.

The crown is the most important regalia of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov

The king owned the crown from the “Great Dress”. It was made in 1627 by deacon Efim Telepnev. He was the chief master at the Armory. The crown of the crown consists of two tiers. Below on the outer frame is an eight-pronged diadem. The crown is framed in sable fur with precious stones. After the 18th century, the crown of the “Great Dress” became the crown of the “Kingdom of Astrakhan”.

Lost regalia of the Russian Empire

Only some regalia have survived to this day. They found a worthy place to exist in the Armory, but many of them were irretrievably lost. These include the “Great Crown” of Tsar Feodor I Ivanovich. Speaking about this work of art, we must say about its indescribable uniqueness. The crown was made in Istanbul at the end of the 16th century. As a gift, Patriarch Jeremiah II of Constantinople sent the crown to Tsar Feodor I Ivanovich, who was the last of the Rurik family. The “Great Crown” was worn by kings only for important celebrations. Around 1680 the crown was dismantled. Subsequently, its details were used for the “diamond hats” of Ivan V and Peter I.

Crown, scepter and orb on the royal coat of arms

In 1604, False Dmitry, on his small seal, appeared with an image of three crowns under an eagle. This was the first time such an image appeared and did not last long. However, already in 1625, instead of a cross between the heads of the eagle, a third crown appeared. This image appeared under Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich on the small state seal. The same was done in 1645 for his son Alexei on the Great State Seal.

The orb and scepter were not on the coat of arms until the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich. In 1667, the state seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich appeared with the image of the state regalia of power. For the first time on the fourth of June 1667, the king gave an official and clear explanation of the symbolism associated with the three crowns. Each of the crowns depicted on the coat of arms and seal corresponds to the kingdoms of Siberia, Kazan, Astrakhan. And the scepter and orb of Russia mean “Autocrat and Possessor.” And already in 1667, on December 14, the first Decree on the coat of arms appeared.

Crown, scepter and orb on the coat of arms of Russia

Centuries later, on December 25, 2000, the constitutional law “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation” was adopted. This symbol of the state is represented by a heraldic shield. It is quadrangular and red. Its lower corners are rounded.

In the center is located with two heads, each of which is crowned with a small crown, and above them rises one large crown. The meaning of the three crowns is the personification of not only the sovereignty of the entire Russian Federation, but also its parts, that is, its subjects. The coat of arms also depicts a scepter and an orb. Photos of the regalia amaze with their beauty. The eagle holds a scepter in its right paw, and an orb in its left.

The scepter and the orb of Russia are symbols of a single state and power. Also on the eagle’s chest there is an image of a silver rider on a horse. A man kills a black dragon with a spear. It is allowed to reproduce the coat of arms of the Russian Federation not only in color, but also in a single color. If necessary, it can be depicted without a heraldic shield.

But this time we want to draw your attention to the regalia of the Russian tsars, who very rarely leave the walls of the Armory Chamber. This is an orb and a scepter. Exhibition showcases offer a unique opportunity to look at them from all sides and marvel at the craftsmanship of their execution.

Power. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries. Photo from the website of the Moscow Kremlin Museums.

Fragment. Scepter. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting. Scepter - length. 70.5.

Fragment. Scepter. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting. Scepter - length. 70.5.

Fragment. Scepter. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting. Scepter - length. 70.5.

Fragment. Scepter. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting. Scepter - length. 70.5.

Caste (stone setting) is a common detail of all jewelry with stones. There are two types of castes, differing in the principle of holding the stone - blind and pronged. In blind ones, the stones are held by solid walls along the entire perimeter of the caste, and in pronged ones, by separate stands (prongs) cut into the caste or soldered onto it.

Fragment. Power. "Anointing of King David by the Prophet Samuel." Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting.

(1 Samuel 16:1-3)

Each scene is a wonderful sculptural miniature, which attracts careful elaboration of facial features, costume details, weapons, confident rendering of the landscape, complex movements of elongated figures with somewhat mannered gestures and poses.

Fragment. Power. "Victory over Goliath." Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting.
Power - 42.4; dl. circles 61; dm. bases 6,7.

(1 Samuel 17:48-51)

Fragment. Power. "Return with victory." Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting.
Power - 42.4; dl. circles 61; dm. bases 6,7.

(1 Samuel 18:6,7)

King Saul is a biblical character, according to the Old Testament, the first king of the people of Israel and the founder of the united kingdom of Israel (about 1029-1005 BC), the creator of the regular Jewish army, in the Old Testament narrative - the incarnation of the ruler installed in the kingdom by the will of God, but became displeasing to Him. Possibly a real historical figure. He was chosen and anointed to the kingdom by the prophet Samuel, later did not fulfill his command and came into conflict with him, and the prophet secretly anointed young David to the kingdom.

Fragment. Power. "Persecution from Saul." Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.

Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting.

Power - 42.4; dl. circles 61; dm. bases 6,7.

1. And David went out from there and fled to the cave of Adullam, and his brothers and all his father’s house heard and came to him there.
2. And all the oppressed and all the debtors and all the saddened souls gathered to him, and he became ruler over them; and there were with him about four hundred men.
3. From there David went to Mizpah of Moab and said to the king of Moab: Let my father and my mother abide with you until I know what God will do to me.
4. And he brought them to the king of Moab, and they lived with him all the time that David was in that refuge.
5. But the prophet Gad said to David: Do not remain in this refuge, but go, go to the land of Judah. And David went and came to the forest of Hereth.

(1 Samuel 22:1-5)

It is possible that these items include information about the bringing of regalia, including a scepter and an orb, to Moscow in 1604 from Rudolf II to Tsar Boris Godunov with the embassy of Heinrich von Logau.

Power. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries. Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting.
Scepter. Western Europe, late 16th - 17th centuries.
Gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, casting, embossing, carving, enamel, shotting. Scepter - length. 70.5.
Photo from Instagram Moscow Kremlin Museums .

We advise you to take advantage of the excellent opportunity to view these unique exhibits from an incredibly close distance and visit the exhibition “Boris Godunov from Servant to Sovereign of All Rus'.”

The exhibition will last until January 31, 2016.

Address: Moscow Kremlin. Exhibition hall in the Assumption Belfry.
Working hours: from 10 to 17, ticket office from 9:30 to 16:30
Closed on Thursday.
Ticket price: 500 rub. There are benefits.
All the details .

On Wednesday, December 30, the Central Bank of Russia announced that that is, three crowns will appear above the double-headed eagle, on its chest there will be a shield with a rider piercing a dragon, a scepter will be clutched in the eagle’s right paw, and an orb in its left.

Scepter

The scepter (from ancient Greek “σκῆπτρον” - to lean on a stick) is a symbol of the earthly power of the monarch. The prototype of the scepter is a shepherd's staff.

It is believed that the predecessor of the scepter was first used by the Egyptian pharaohs. Later it became an attribute of commanders and leaders; it was made of gold, silver, ivory, and decorated with precious stones and carvings. The scepter became part of the attributes of Russian royal power in 1584 during the crowning of the kingdom. Fyodor Ioannovich. On solemn occasions, the Moscow kings held the scepter in their right hand, but when this was impossible, special attorneys carried it in front of the king. The scepters of the Moscow kings are kept in the Armory Chamber in Moscow.

Power

Power (from Old Slavic “drzhava” - power) is a symbol of the power of the monarch given by God. It is a golden ball with a crown or cross.

The power came to Russia from Poland (where it was called jabłko - “apple”), it was first used at the crowning of the kingdom False Dmitry I in 1605. The powers of the Moscow Tsars are kept in the Armory Chamber in Moscow.

This also applies to such a symbol of supreme power as the scepter. He appeared in Rus' late. True, his image was on the oldest coins of princes Vladimir and Yaroslav at the beginning of the 11th century. But there the scepter was a simple imitation of the Byzantine composition. The scepter was also spoken of in the prayer that was read at the wedding of princes: “King to those who reign, Lord to those who rule.” Whether it was read before 1498 or not is unknown, since there is no data on the ceremony of installing princes before 1498. But even if the church participated in the wedding procedure before 1498, the scepter itself was absent.

On miniatures of the XV-XVI centuries. The emblems of the power of princes were not a scepter, but a staff with various pommels - among princes and church hierarchs, and in pre-Mongol times even just swords. Grand dukes and church hierarchs carried the staff to ambassadorial audiences, church services, etc. The scepter was introduced into royal use immediately after the conquest of the Kazan Khanate. It was this conquest that gave legitimacy to the new title of Ivan the Terrible - “tsar”, which Ivan IV had already worn since 1547. This is what he himself and his entourage believed. Together with the Kazan "zemlica", he, as it were, inherited the position of the khan, who in Rus' was called the tsar.

The scepter was supposed to embody the claims to this title, which both the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Crown of Poland had long and stubbornly refused to recognize. This regalia is of very ancient origin. It dates back to the times of antiquity, where the scepter was an indispensable accessory of Zeus (Jupiter) and Hera (Juno), then consuls, as well as Byzantine emperors who performed (since 542 for life) consular duties. Scepter was supposed to equalize the Russian Tsar with the rest of the sovereigns of Europe.

For the first time in written sources he is mentioned in Ivan the Terrible’s will, although in an almost unrecognizable form. In the second half of the 16th century. it was the scepter that began to symbolize royal power. In literary works dedicated to the Troubles, peculiar expressions appeared with the mention of the scepter. The last Rurikovich, Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, was called the “scepter-power root”; the phrase “scepter of power” simply meant supreme power.

Konrad Bussow, a German in Russian service, described the dramatic scene of the transfer of power by Tsar Feodor at the moment of his death. Fyodor, in his words, “handed the scepter to the eldest of the four Nikitich brothers (Romanovs - author), Fyodor Nikitich, since he was closest to the throne and scepter.” He refused this honor, as did his three brothers. And since the dying king was tired of waiting for the royal scepter to be handed over, he said: “Well, whoever wants to, let him take the scepter, but I can’t bear to hold it anymore.” Then the ruler (Boris Godunov. - Author)... reached out his hand and grabbed him over the heads of the Nikitichs and other important people who had forced themselves to beg for so long.

Power

Godunov “grabbed” not only the scepter, he introduced into royal use the power, which was called at that time both here and in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth “ apple ". The wedding ceremony included not only the presentation of the scepter, but also the orb: "This apple is a sign of your kingdom. Just as you hold this apple in your hand, so hold the entire kingdom given to you by God, unshakably protecting them from enemies.” But Godunov failed to fulfill this covenant.

During the XVI-XIX centuries. a lot of luxurious scepters and orbs were created. The scepter and orb of Mikhail Romanov's large outfit stand out especially. The combination of bright enamels and large precious stones creates a feeling of extraordinary luxury and pomp. The apple is divided into two hemispheres, on the upper of which, consisting of 4 parts, there are images of scenes from the life of King David (his anointing by the prophet Samuel to the kingdom, David's victory over Goliath, return with victory, persecution from Saul). The scepter, consisting of four columns, is also studded with precious stones and ends with a golden double-headed eagle.

For these “younger” ones, special stands were created in comparison with the cap of regalia. At the ceremony, on either side of the throne, “two griffins stood on high silver legs, one of which held the state apple, and the other a naked sword” (G. Paerle). And during the wedding of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on September 28, 1645, a special low lectern was placed specifically for the “apple of the autocratic Moscow state and other states of the Russian kingdom” and the scepter, which was identified with the “royal rank.”

Peter the Great attached special importance to the scepter. During the coronation of his wife, who reigned after his death under the name of Catherine 1, he did not let go of the scepter for a second. Peter had no other regalia. The appearance of only one regalia is associated with the first emperor himself, which was depicted on the state emblem of 1856 - the mantle, or “canopy”. On October 20, 1721, on the occasion of the conclusion of the Peace of Nystadt, senators presented the tsar with the title of “Emperor of All Russia, Father of the Fatherland and Great.” Senators and members of the Synod clothed the conqueror of the Swedes in an imperial robe lined with ermine, on the front side of which black eagles were woven on gold brocade (yellow and black are the colors of the then Russian flag). The type of robe remained until 1917. The last All-Russian Emperor Nicholas II Romanov was also dressed in the same robe.

Coat of arms with a double-headed eagle as a symbol of statehood

This is where we can finish our review of the coat of arms of the Romanovs, which also served as the state emblem of the Russian Empire. And the emblems depicted on it, and various signs of power appeared gradually. The territory of the Russian state and the Russian kingdom, and then the Russian Empire, expanded, and new emblems were added to the coat of arms, created by helpful heraldists at the courts of all sovereigns, starting with Ivan IV. The diversity of the state emblem corresponded to the diversity of the population that lived on the conquered lands. The nature of power changed, and its signs became new regalia, which were also used by the “brothers” of the Russian sovereign in the diverse family of European, and not only European, overlords, monarchs, kings and emperors. Ideas about the origin of grand-ducal, royal and imperial power changed, and along with them the regalia themselves changed, and theories of their origin and significance emerged.

Throughout the entire story, we talked about the coat of arms with a double-headed eagle as a symbol of statehood - be it the Grand Duchy of All Rus', be it the Russian Tsardom or the Russian Empire. Has the double-headed coat of arms become a symbol of the Russian nation, just as the Polish “white eagle” became such?

It is perhaps difficult to answer this question in the affirmative. The double-headed eagle appeared in Rus' as a symbol of its liberation, a symbol of the equality of the recently oppressed country, but the coat of arms of Russia could not become a national symbol simply because Russia itself, from the middle of the 16th century, was a multinational state, and a very unique one at that.

The double-headed eagle quickly - already under Ivan the Terrible - lost its character as a national emblem and was turned into a symbol of oppression of the Russians themselves and other peoples of Eastern Europe, and then Northern Asia.

Hypertrophy of state beginnings of the 16th-20th centuries. was accompanied by the absorption of all and every type of national identity, including formally pictorial ones. By reintroducing the double-headed eagle as the state emblem of Russia, we must remember the tragic and bitter lessons of the past that the people of our country learned under the shadow of the double-headed eagle. Let this time it remain forever a symbol of awakening and rebirth, as it was in the “quiet spring” under Ivan III.