After blogger Jane_A's post about the attributes of the newly minted Duchess of Sussex, I became interested in the topic of coats of arms in the British royal family and decided to look for information about it.
The royal coat of arms of Great Britain is considered personal to the reigning monarch. All other members of the royal family have their own heraldic insignia.
The coat of arms of Great Britain is not the only heraldic symbol of the entire United Kingdom. Scotland has a different version of the emblem. That is, at the moment there are two active coats of arms in the country, which have significant differences.
The heraldic insignia of the British monarch includes a shield divided into four equal parts. The first and fourth depict three golden leopards walking (the official name is “walking lions on guard”). This is how England is designated on the coat of arms. Ireland is represented in the third part of the shield in the form of a harp on an azure field, and Scotland in the second, in the form of a rising lion. The shield holders are a crowned lion (English symbol) on the left and a chained unicorn (Scottish symbol) on the right. In the crest above the shield is a crowned leopard.
The Scottish coat of arms of Great Britain also includes a crowned lion and a chained unicorn holding a shield, but the lion is on the right and the unicorn on the left. In the crest there is a crowned lion sitting upright. The shield is also divided into four equal parts. In the third niche there is a harp symbolizing Northern Ireland. The first and fourth niches are occupied by rising lions (one at a time) representing Scotland, and the second by three golden lions on a scarlet background. In the Scottish version of the coat of arms, on the crown crowning a golden helmet, instead of a marching golden crowned leopard, sits a scarlet lion holding a sword and scepter in its paws. The Scottish version differs significantly in that the coat of arms depicts a crowned unicorn. Moreover, the lawn is decorated only with thistles, while the main version also contains roses and clover.
Prince Philip's coat of arms
The 1st quarter of the shield with lions is the coat of arms of Denmark. The 2nd quarter of the shield is a white cross on a blue background - this is the coat of arms of Greece. The right shield holder from the Greek royal coat of arms is Hercules, girded with the skin of a lion, crowned with an oak wreath and holding a club in his right hand. The 3rd quarter of the shield is the Battenberg coat of arms - two black pillars in a silver shield. In the 4th quarter there is the coat of arms of Edinburgh. The left shield holder is a lion in a ducal crown, on the neck is an azure naval crown - during the Second World War, Philip served in the English fleet. Surrounding the shield is the sign of the highest and oldest English Order of the Garter. The motto, written on the tape in Old French, reads: “Honi soit qui mal y pense” - “Let him be ashamed who thinks badly of it.” Below is the motto God is my help God will help me.
Prince Charles coat of arms
Four-part shield, with shield and silver tournament collar. The shield is the royal badge of Wales under the crown of the Prince of Wales. In the first and fourth parts of the shield there is an image of three golden leopards in a red field - the coat of arms of England, in the second part - a red lion in a golden field - the coat of arms of Scotland, in the third part - a golden harp with silver strings in a blue field - the coat of arms of Ireland. On the shield is a golden royal helmet with a golden mantle, lined with ermine fur, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, with a crest - a golden royal leopard, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales and a silver tournament collar around the neck. The shield surrounds the insignia of the Order of the Garter. Shield holders: on the right (heraldic) - a golden lion, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, with a silver tournament collar on his neck, red tongue and claws; on the left (heraldic) - silver, with golden arms and mane, red tongue, a unicorn with a golden collar in the form of a crown and a golden chain from it, below the collar is a silver tournament collar. The shield holders are placed on a stand on which are located: the coat of arms of the Duchy of Cornwall crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales; the heraldic badge of Edward the Black Prince, a heraldic Welsh dragon with a silver tournament collar around its neck. Motto ribbon: silver with gold letters "ICH DIEN" (I Serve).
As the Scottish Duke of Rothesay, Charles has a different coat of arms.
Four-part shield, with shield. The shield is the coat of arms of Scotland with a blue tournament collar above a lion. The first and fourth parts of the shield depict the personal coat of arms of the Stuart dynasty: in a golden field there is a blue belt with a silver checkerboard pattern. In the second and third quarters is the coat of arms of the Lord of the Isles: on a silver field there is a black rook with red flags and a golden deck. On the shield there is a golden royal helmet with a golden mantle, lined with ermine fur, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, with a crest - a Scottish royal red lion, sitting in front, with an image of a blue tournament collar on the neck, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales, holding in his right paw a silver sword with a golden hilt, and in his left paw a golden scepter. The shield surrounds the chain of the Order of the Thistle. Shield holders - silver, with golden arms and mane, red tongue, unicorns crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales with a golden collar in the form of a crown and a gold chain from it, below the collar a blue tournament collar, holding standards: on the right - with the image of a central shield, on the left - a Scottish one flag. The shield and shield holders stand on a green lawn, with green posts and thistle flowers.
Princess Diana's coats of arms
This is the coat of arms of Diana, née Spencer, before her marriage to Prince Charles.
Since the late 16th century, the scallop has been a symbol of the Spencer family's coat of arms.
Translated from French, the motto means “God and my right.”
After her divorce from Charles, Diana's coat of arms underwent changes.
Camilla's coat of arms
Camilla's coat of arms was created in 2005 and combines the coats of arms of her husband, the Prince of Wales, and her father, Bruce Shand. Around the shield is the ribbon of the Royal Victorian Order. The only newly created element of the coat of arms is the shield-holder boar.
Prince William's Crest
Four-part shield: in the first and fourth field the coat of arms of England - three golden leopards with azure armament in a scarlet field, in the second field the coat of arms of Scotland - in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, sprouted with lilies, a scarlet rising lion with azure armament, in the third field the coat of arms of Ireland - a golden harp with silver strings in an azure field. On top of the shield is a silver title with three ends encumbered with a scarlet scallop shell (escalope).
Around the shield is the symbol of the Order of the Garter.
On top of the crown is a golden royal helmet. Golden mantle lined with ermine. Crest: gold, crowned with the open crown of the children of the heir to the throne, a leopard with a silver title (as in a shield) on the neck, standing on the crown of the children of the heir to the throne.
Prince Harry's coat of arms
Four-part shield: in the first and fourth field the coat of arms of England - three golden leopards with azure armament in a scarlet field, in the second field the coat of arms of Scotland - in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, sprouted with lilies, a scarlet rising lion with azure armament, in the third field the coat of arms of Ireland - a golden harp with silver strings in an azure field. On top of the shield is a silver title with three ends, burdened with three scarlet scallop shells (escalope). The shield surrounds the symbol of the Royal Victorian Order of Knight Commander.
Shield holders: on the right - a British one, crowned with an open crown of the children of the heir to the throne, a lion with a silver title (as in a shield) on his neck; on the left is a Scottish unicorn with the crown of the children of the heir to the throne and a silver title (as in a shield) on its neck.
The shield is crowned with the crown of the children of the heir to the throne with the peer's cap inside.
Crest: gold, crowned with the open crown of the children of the heir to the throne, a leopard with a silver title (as in a shield) on the neck, standing on the crown of the children of the heir to the throne.
Princess Anne's coat of arms
At the base is the state coat of arms of Great Britain with the addition of a tournament collar with three ribbons, like the daughter of a monarch, with a scarlet heart depicted on the central ribbon, and the cross of St. George on the outer ribbons. The shield is topped with a crown corresponding to the dignity of the princes - royal children, with the owner's cap. The rhombic shield belongs only to the ladies' coat of arms.
Coat of arms of the Duke of York 
Four-part shield: in the first and fourth field the coat of arms of England - three golden leopards with azure armament in a scarlet field, in the second field the coat of arms of Scotland - in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, sprouted with lilies, a scarlet rising lion with azure armament, in the third field the coat of arms of Ireland - a golden harp with silver strings in an azure field. On top of the shield is a silver title with three ends encumbered with an azure sea anchor.
Coat of arms of the Earl of Wessex
Four-part shield: in the first and fourth field the coat of arms of England - three golden leopards with azure armament in a scarlet field, in the second field the coat of arms of Scotland - in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, sprouted with lilies, a scarlet rising lion with azure armament, in the third field the coat of arms of Ireland - a golden harp with silver strings in an azure field. On top of the shield is a silver title on three ends encumbered with a Tudor rose.
The shield is surrounded by the ribbon of the Order of the Garter.
Shield holders: on the right - a British one, crowned with an open crown of the children of the monarch, a lion with a silver title (as in a shield) on the neck; on the left is a Scottish unicorn with the crown of the monarch's children and a silver title (as in a shield) around its neck.
The shield is crowned with the crown of the monarch's children with the peer's cap inside.
Crest: gold, crowned with the open crown of the children of the monarch, leopard with a silver title (as in a shield) on the neck, standing on the crown of the children of the monarch.
Philip's coat of arms is the most original. Which coat of arms did you like best?
Updated 26/05/18 08:58:
This is William's correct coat of arms
Updated 26/05/18 18:18:
Coat of arms of Duchess Catherine
Hello dears.
In connection with the past anniversary of Elizabeth II, I decided to introduce you to the coats of arms of the British royal family - you never know who will be interested. For by one coat of arms one can immediately determine the status of the person to whom it belongs. I find it very interesting :-)
I would like to warn you right away that I will only consider here the heraldic symbols of the male part of the Windsor family, which means that many worthy people, even the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne, will not be touched upon by me. If so, I apologize :-)
Traditionally, the royal coat of arms is similar to the state coat of arms, and we discussed it in detail in this post: I think it would be correct to read it first, so that there is more understanding. :-)
and the Scottish version:
The personal coats of arms of the royal family follow the state coat of arms and are based on it. With some exceptions.
It would be better to start with the heir to the throne, Carl Philip Arthur, George Windsor, aka Prince Charles. As heir to the throne, he bears the title Prince of Wales, and this is of course reflected in his coat of arms. So, here is this coat of arms:
Why did I say that this is of course displayed on his coat of arms? Well, first of all, look at the left side of the coat of arms under the shield holder and the motto. On the left side you see a plume of 3 feathers. The tradition of making this a personal sign of the heir to the throne (namely the heir) came from the famous medieval commander Edward the Black Prince, the eldest son of King Edward III.
According to legend, he made this sign his personal coat of arms after the Battle of Crecy (1346) in honor of... his fallen enemy. The blind King of Bohemia, John (Johann) of Luxembourg, called two horsemen, placed himself between them on a trotter, tied three bridles together and rushed into the midst of the English, where he died immediately. On his helmet were three ostrich feathers and the motto: “Ich dien,” meaning “I serve.” Surprised and delighted at his courage, Edward the Black Prince took the helmet and motto as a souvenir of that glorious day, and it has been worn by all the Princes of Wales ever since. 
John of Luxembourg
You could see the sign of the Prince of Wales on the obverse of the tapence, which we already talked about in this post:
On the other side you can see a red dragon - exactly the same as on the Welsh flag.
In addition, from one more heraldic element one can easily understand that this is the heir to the British throne. Take a closer look - on the shield itself and on the shield holders, and even on the top of the crown, you can see a special heraldic figure called a titlo, also known as a lambelle, also known as a tournament collar. A sort of beam with downward-facing, widely spaced teeth, originating from a knight's horse harness. The color of the title is silver, and the number of “flags” is 3. This is important, because in Britain (in other countries it is used differently) it means closeness to the monarch. That is, a silver white lambiel without additional elements for 3 flags is the symbol of the Prince of Wales.
In the center of the shield you can see another shield. This is the unofficial (unapproved) coat of arms of Wales and we have already talked about it in the post about the British coat of arms.
A question arises regarding another coat of arms - with golden balls at the very bottom of the coat of arms. The fact is that Charles bears the title His Royal Highness Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Earl of Chester. Well, this is the coat of arms of the Duchy of Cornwall, crowned with the crown of the Prince of Wales. The heir to the throne (masculine) is the only one who can bear the title Duke of Cornwall. Moreover, he is the first of England's peers (members of the high nobility enjoying special political privileges) and the only duke to have his own dukedom, rather than just a title without land. 
Cornwall
But that’s not all :-)) The fact is that Charles doesn’t even have one coat of arms, but two. And this is due to the complex interweaving of interests of the British Crown in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Prince of Wales - this is understandable, Duke of Cornwall is the official title of the heir to the throne in England, and Scotland has its own title of heir to the throne - Duke of Rothesay. We say His Royal Highness the Duke of Cornwall, which also means the Duke of Rothesay and the Earl of Chester, and Lord Carrick and Baron Renfrew and the Lord of the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland.
The Dukes of Rothesay traditionally always have their own coat of arms, and this is what Charles' heraldic symbol as Duke of Rothesay looks like:
Please note that the title is blue.
The central shield is a Scottish red lion, but the main shield is interesting.
In the first and fourth quarters you see a blue belt with a silver checkerboard pattern in the gold field. This is the personal coat of arms of the Stuarts, the last kings of Scotland. But in the second and third quarters you can see a black rook with red flags and a golden deck on a silver field. This is the coat of arms of the Kingdom of the Isles - there was such a state in the Hebrides and the west coast of Scotland. and the King of Scotland has traditionally held the title of Lord of the Isles since the 14th century
Kingdom of the Islands.
The rest of the surroundings of the coat of arms are purely Scottish - the Order of the Thistle, the Scottish flag and the lawn with thistles in the form of the base of the coat of arms.
To be continued...
Have a nice time of day.
Greetings to all lovers of the French language and French history! Today we will talk about French dynasties and their coats of arms.
How did the Merovingians turn Gaul into France? What did the kings of the Carolingian and Capetian dynasties give to France? How did the Valois continue the work of their predecessors? How did the Bourbon dynasty strengthen France's status among other world powers? What coats of arms accompanied kings throughout the history of France?
Stay with us, friends, and you will find out how the kings took care of their country, and what France was like under this or that dynasty.
The Merovingians can be called a legendary dynasty. Because stories about them are shrouded in secrets and interesting, fantastic stories. The Merovingians come from Frankish tribes, from their legendary ancestor Merovian. The main strength of these kings was their long hair. This was also their distinguishing feature. The Merovingians wore long hair, and, God forbid! – don’t cut them!
The Franks believed that the Merovingians had sacred magical power, which consisted of long hair and was expressed in “royal happiness,” which personified the well-being of the entire Frankish people. This hairstyle distinguished and separated the monarch from his subjects, who wore short haircuts, popular in the Roman era and considered a sign of low status. Cutting off hair was the gravest insult for the king of the Merovingian dynasty. In addition, this meant the loss of rights to wield power.
The first Merovingian kings ruled the state according to the model of the old Roman Empire. Under the rule of the descendants of Merovei, the kingdom of the Franks flourished. In many ways it can be compared to the high civilization of Byzantium. Mainly, secular literacy was more widespread under these kings than it would be five centuries later. Even the kings were literate, if we take into account the rude, uneducated and unlearned monarchs of the Middle Ages. King Clovis
Among the Merovingians, it is worth noting special attention to Clovis I. This king was distinguished not only by the severity of his rule, but also by the wisdom of his actions. He converted to Christianity and was baptized, and the rest of the Franks followed his example.
The French monarchy owes the Merovingian dynasty the Salic truth (the author of which, according to legend, is Merovey himself) - this was a set of laws by which the country was governed. One of the noteworthy points is that only men can rule the country. In the 14th century, when the question of transferring the throne of France to a woman arose, the Salic truth would be brought to light and pointed to the law of succession to the throne. Constable Gaucher de Chatillon will utter the famous phrase that will go down in history: “It is no good for lilies to spin!” Indeed, women never ruled in France (except perhaps temporarily, as a regent).
The Merovingians ruled for quite a long time - from 481 to 751, that is, from the end of the 5th to the middle of the 8th century.
The emblem or coat of arms of the Merovingians was the lily. In the distant 5th century, King Clovis, while still a pagan, and his army fell into a trap between the Rhine River and the Gothic army. A yellow marsh iris saved him from inevitable defeat. Clovis noticed that the thickets of yellow iris stretched almost to the opposite bank - and iris grows only in shallow water - and the king risked fording the river. He was victorious and, in gratitude for his salvation, made this golden iris his emblem. Later this image was transformed into a lily and became known as Fleur-de-lys. There is a version that the image of the lily is a variation of the bee depicted on the early Merovingian coat of arms. 
Royal lily
Les Carolingiens – Carolingians – Carolingian Empire
The last Merovingians unleashed their power on their majordomos (something like housekeepers). But we must give them credit - they knew how to choose wonderful majordomos! Here it is worth noting the glorious Charles Martel, who won a number of significant victories in battles with enemies, as well as Pepin the Short, who later became the king of the Franks. 
Pepin the Short
At a meeting of noble Franks in Soissons, Pepin asked them: who has the right to be king - the one who only nominally sits on the throne or the one who has real power in his hands? The Franks leaned towards Pepin. As you can see, everything is fair. The last Merovingian, Childeric III, was sent to a monastery, and Pepin became king. He united all of France, from the English Channel to the Mediterranean Sea (before that, under the Merovingians, it was divided into several territories). Pepin can rightfully be considered the founder of the new Carolingian dynasty.
The most iconic figure of this dynasty is considered Charlemagne or Charlemagne, who won a number of significant victories for the Frankish state and founded a vast empire that included the territories of France, Germany, and Italy. Charles not only fought, but also formed his country (see the Carolingian Renaissance on our website). Oriflamme - golden flame
Charles's son Louis the Pious still managed to keep the empire within its borders, but his grandchildren had already divided it and ruled separately.
The reign of the Carolingian dynasty was marked by the struggle against the Normans. The Normans were the northern Viking tribes. The Carolingians vigorously repelled their raids, now suffering defeat, now winning, until, finally, in the 9th century, King Charles III got tired of it all. Karl understands that he cannot simply get rid of the Normans unless he makes a final decision. He enters into an alliance with the Norman leader Rollon that they will stop their raids on France. In exchange for peace of mind, Charles had to marry his daughter to Rollo and give the northern territory to the Normans, which would later be called Normandy. What can you do? It’s politics.
The royal lily also predominated in the Carolingian coat of arms, but Charlemagne went on military campaigns with an oriflamme - a special banner with the image of a golden sun on a red field. It was a kind of standard, which was later present in the battles of other French kings.
Les Capétiens - The Capetians - the longest dynasty
Coat of arms of the Capetian dynasty Why? Yes, because the Valois and Bourbons are branches of the Capetian dynasty, they all descend from Hugo Capet, the founder of the dynasty.
Perhaps, it is the Capetian dynasty that has the brightest representatives of royal power in terms of intelligence, wisdom, talent for ruling and achievements. Here it is worth noting such kings as Hugo Capet himself, who began the development of Paris. Philip II Augustus, Louis IX the Saint, Philip III, Philip IV the Fair, who consolidated the state, annexed significant territories to France, strengthened power, and developed education and culture. It was under Philip II that France returned its territories, the provinces of Guyenne and Aquitaine, which, being on French territory, belonged to England.
The coat of arms of the Capetians were three golden Lilies on a blue field. We can say that it was under the Capetians that the lily was finally established as the coat of arms of France.
Les Valois – Valois – descendants of the Capetians
Unfortunately, the reign of the Valois dynasty began with the tragic pages of the Hundred Years' War. Edward III of England wrote a letter to the French king Philip VI (the first Valois king), in which he expressed his claims to the French throne, being the grandson of Philip IV the Fair. In addition, the English kings were haunted by Guyenne and Aquitaine, which once belonged to England. Of course, this outraged the King of France. No one was going to give up the throne to a stranger. Thus began the Hundred Years' War, the history of which turned into a real tragedy for France.
Unfortunately, France suffered defeat after defeat, and if it were not for Joan of Arc, it is unknown how it would have ended. 
Coat of arms of the Valois dynasty
It is worth saying a few words about King Charles V the Wise, who during the war managed to restore order in the country, managed to reduce taxes (this was during that terrible wartime!), collect and preserve the most powerful library for those times, and in general, normalize the situation in the state. In addition, he strengthened Paris by building the Bastille in it, and also introduced the official coat of arms of Paris. Glorious Charles V the Wise!
There are many worthy rulers in the Valois dynasty: Louis XI, who managed to restore order and develop France after the Hundred Years War; this is Francis I, who significantly increased the level of culture and science in the state.
The coat of arms of the kings of the Valois dynasty is the same lily, but not three, as under the Capetians, but many lilies dotting the blue field.
Les Bourbons – The Bourbons – the last kings of France
The Bourbon dynasty also descends from the Capetians and is related to the Valois dynasty. The first representative is King Henry IV or Henry the Great, whose actions went down in history. He stopped religious strife between Catholics and Protestants, significantly improved the lives of peasants, and carried out many necessary and useful reforms in the state. Unfortunately, good rulers are often killed, and that is what happened to this king. He was killed by the Catholic fanatic Ravaillac.
Among the Bourbons, Le Roi-Soleil stands out - Louis XIV, under whom France and the French monarchy reached their apogee in development and in brilliant standing out from other European powers.
Louis XVI or Louis the Last, a truly good king who was a true father to his people, ended his days on the guillotine, where he laid down his life for his country and people.
The Bourbon coat of arms is the same golden lilies, but on a white field (white is the color of the French monarchy), only everything is much more majestic than on the previous coats of arms of the kings. 
Coat of arms of the Bourbon dynasty
The French monarchy is long gone, but the golden royal lily has gone through all the vicissitudes of history and has been preserved on the coats of arms of many cities and provinces.
Drawings of Polish coats of arms XV in (Sulima and Agnus)
Heraldry appeared at the beginning of the 12th century in the use of the highest feudal nobility of France. By the end of the 12th century, coats of arms had spread to the smaller feudal lords of France. By the 13th century, coats of arms had become the norm for all kings and princes of Europe. In the 14th century, the process of heraldization covered most of the feudal lords of Catholic Europe.
The French invention came to Poland at the beginning of the 13th century and was recorded on princely seals - (1204-1238) Henryk I the Bearded, (1224-1241) Henryk II Pobozhny.
Seal of Henryk I the Bearded (1204-1238)
Seal of Henryk II Pobozny (1224-1241)
By the second half of the 13th century, all princes from the Piast family depicted an eagle as their coat of arms, which for some had color differences. Some, for example Henrik Probus, were so imbued with the knightly culture that they even ended up in the Manes Codex, where they are depicted as the winner of the tournament. Prince Henrik organized tournaments in which he himself took part. Several lyrical songs in High German are attributed to him.
Seal of Bolesław the Shy (mid-13th century))
Prince Henryk Probus in the Codex Manes
Like other knightly attributes, Polish noble heraldry developed as feudalism and knightly institutions became established. Initially, in Poland, as in many neighboring countries (Czech Republic, Lithuania, Rus'), pre-heraldic signs of ownership (stamps) were common. They are widely known from the knightly seals of voivodes and castellans of the 12th-13th centuries and look like geometric figures similar to Scandinavian runes.
For example, the Abdank coat of arms is depicted on seals:
1212 year of Kaštělān Krušwica,
1228 Pakoslavvoivod of Sandomierz,
1243 Michalakashtelian of Krakow,
Perhaps in ancient times (in the pre-feudal era) they were used not only as a signature, but also for branding sides, livestock and other property. There is an assumption that these signs are influenced by the runes of the ancient Scandinavians and Polabian Slavs, who intensively interacted with the Poles until the 11th century.
Since the 13th century, knightly heraldry has spread widely in Germany and penetrated into Poland. At the same time, some German, Czech and Hungarian feudal lords with their coats of arms settled and Polonized in Poland. At the beginning of the 14th century, under the influence of King Casimir the Great, the Western heraldic tradition was instilled and widely distributed in the Polish Crown in its entirety: the number and name of flowers, the rules for applying metals and enamel, the rules for cutting and crossing, the rules for using cleinotes and mantlings, etc.
Family signs are assimilated and turned into coats of arms. Some signs are transformed into heraldic figures more traditional for European coats of arms. The semicircle turns into a horseshoe, the arrow into a crossbow arrow (Dolega, Zagroba, Sas). However, for some signs no heraldic analogues were ever found and they entered Polish heraldry under the guise of outlandish geometric figures, characteristic primarily of Poland (Lis, Abdank, Pilawa, Prus, Szreniawa).
Coat of arms "Pobóg"
The coat of arms “Dumb Horseshoe” (Tępa Podkowa) - known to many from the film and book “Crusaders” by Henryk Sienkiewicz.
The only local feature was expressed in the tradition of distributing one coat of arms not only to several members of one family, but also to several families (surnames) not related by blood ties. Probably, the widespread distribution of such a rudiment was due to the lack of heralds capable of creating new coats of arms, as well as to the strong and ancient tradition of connections that brought together most families.
A person or family united with someone by one coat of arms is called “Herdowni (klejnotni, wspolherbowni)” or “armed family, brotherhood”. The formation of heraldic families probably dates back to ancient druzhina relations between the feudal lord and his knights. By the 14th century, these connections lost their dependence and became nominal, from vertical they turned into horizontal, “brotherly” ones, in contrast to neighboring Germany, where some of the nobles were slaves (ministerials) and were despised by the nobles. And also in contrast to Lithuania and Rus', where there was an extremely strict dependence on the prince even of the noblest of the boyars.
Coat of arms "Srenjava" (Szreniawa), Coat of arms "Pig" (Swinka), Coat of arms "Topur" (Topór)
Relations of equality between all members of the nobility in Poland are turning into a national feature, which is reflected in the Russian language with the words “arrogance” and “familiarity.” Which means “honor” and “pan-brother” in Poland. The gentry’s contempt for the “artistic” was expressed in the usurpation of heraldry by nobles and the prohibition of the distribution of coats of arms among common people - burghers and peasants. This tradition was later transferred to Russia.
One “arm of arms” can contain several hundred families. Due to the high recognition and prevalence of the same coat of arms, most Polish coats of arms receive an original name, which each nobleman adds after his name and the name of the family castle (For example: Dobeslav Dembno from Olesnica). By the 15th century, most of the knights mentioned in the chronicles had names that could easily be used to determine his coat of arms and identify family kinship.
Coats of arms of Polish knights in the French coat of arms of the Golden Fleece.
In 1413, during the signing of the Gorodel Union, the Polish knights-magnates, in order to confirm their fraternal attitude towards the nobles of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania-Russia (GDL), accepted into their coat of arms (transferred the rights to use the coat of arms) Lithuanian boyars who converted to Catholicism. A total of 48 coats of arms were transferred. Judging by their names, these nobles were predominantly Litvins (ethnic Lithuanians). Orthodox Rusyns had an extremely negative attitude towards the adoption of Catholicism, and even political privileges, much freer in comparison with the traditional way of Rus', did not force them to change their confession, which was facilitated by the separatist activities of the Orthodox Church and specifically Metropolitan Cyprian, who tried to weaken the connection of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Poland and connect it with the Moscow principality.
Coats of arms of Polish knights transferred to the Lithuanian boyars (Labich, Zador, Grif).
At the same time, in the lands of Red Rus' (Galicia, Lviv region, Volyn, Podolia) annexed to the Polish Crown in the 14th century, the process of spreading coats of arms took place naturally. The urban burgher elite of the most important cities in this region (Lvov, Galich, Przemysl, Helm), as in Poland, was German, which facilitated the penetration of the European way of life into the region. At the end of the 14th century, Polish feudal lords began to greatly dilute the Ruthenian, Croatian and other local feudal lords by bringing Polish gentry traditions, including heraldry, to the region. Impressed by the privileges of King Władysław Jagiello, the Orthodox gentry began a wholesale adoption of Catholicism. This process took place completely bloodlessly, in contrast to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries two bloody civil wars took place, based on the princely struggle for power, confessional intolerance and separatism of the Ruthenian regions, traditional Orthodox White and Black Rus'.
Coats of arms of Polish knights in the French coat of arms of the Golden Fleece.
Seal of Ivan III the Great
Each state has its own symbols that reflect its internal structure: power, territory, natural features and other priorities. One of the symbols of the state is the coat of arms.
The coat of arms of each country has its own history of creation. There are special rules for drawing up a coat of arms; this is done by the special historical discipline of HERALDICS, which developed back in the Middle Ages.
The history of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire is quite interesting and unique.
Officially, Russian heraldry begins with the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (XVII century). But the forerunner of the coat of arms were the personal seals of the Russian tsars, so the primary sources of the Russian coat of arms should be sought in the 15th century, during the reign of Ivan III the Great. Initially, the personal seal of Ivan III depicted St. George the Victorious, striking a serpent with a spear - a symbol of Moscow and the Moscow Principality. Double headed eagle was adopted on the state seal after the wedding in 1472 of Ivan III the Great with Sophia (Zoe) Paleologus, the niece of the last emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Paleologus. It symbolized the transfer of the legacy of the fallen Byzantium. But before Peter I, the Russian coat of arms was not subject to heraldic rules; Russian heraldry developed precisely during his reign.
History of the coat of arms double-headed eagle
The eagle in the coat of arms dates back to Byzantium. Later he appeared on the coat of arms of Rus'. The image of an eagle is used in the coats of arms of many countries of the world: Austria, Germany, Iraq, Spain, Mexico, Poland, Syria, and the USA. But the double-headed eagle is present only on the coats of arms of Albania and Serbia. The Russian double-headed eagle has undergone many changes since its appearance and emergence as an element of the state emblem. Let's look at these stages.
As mentioned above, coats of arms appeared in Russia a long time ago, but these were only drawings on the seals of the kings, they did not obey heraldic rules. Due to the lack of knighthood in Rus', coats of arms were not very common.
Until the 16th century, Russia was a divided state, so there could be no talk of a state emblem of Russia. But under Ivan III (1462-
1505) his seal acted as a coat of arms. On its front side there is a picture of a horseman piercing a serpent with a spear, and on the back side there is a double-headed eagle.
The first known images of a double-headed eagle date back to the 13th century BC. - This is a rock carving of a double-headed eagle grabbing two birds with one stone. This was the coat of arms of the Hittite kings.
The double-headed eagle was a symbol of the Median kingdom - an ancient power in the territory of Western Asia under the Median king Cyaxares (625-585 BC). The double-headed eagle then appeared on the emblems of Rome under Constantine the Great. After the founding of the new capital, Constantinople, in 330, the double-headed eagle became the state emblem of the Roman Empire.
After the adoption of Christianity from Byzantium, Rus' began to experience the strong influence of Byzantine culture and Byzantine ideas. Along with Christianity, new political orders and relations began to penetrate into Rus'. This influence especially intensified after the marriage of Sophia Paleolog and Ivan III. This marriage had important consequences for the monarchical power in Moscow. As a spouse, the Grand Duke of Moscow becomes the successor of the Byzantine emperor, who was considered the head of the entire Orthodox East. In relations with small neighboring lands, he already bears the title of Tsar of All Rus'. Another title, "autocrat", is a translation of the Byzantine imperial title autocrator; initially it meant the independence of the sovereign, but Ivan the Terrible gave it the meaning of the absolute, unlimited power of the monarch.
Since the end of the 15th century, the Byzantine coat of arms - a double-headed eagle - appears on the seals of the Moscow sovereign; it is combined with the former Moscow coat of arms - the image of St. George the Victorious. Thus, Rus' confirmed the continuity from Byzantium.
From IvanIII before PeterI
Great state seal of Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich (the Terrible)
The development of the Russian coat of arms is inextricably linked with the history of Rus'. The eagle on the seals of John III was depicted with a closed beak and looked more like an eaglet. Russia at that time was still an eaglet, a young state. During the reign of Vasily III Ioannovich (1505-1533), the double-headed eagle is depicted with open beaks, from which tongues protrude. At this time, Russia was strengthening its position: the monk Philotheus sent a message to Vasily III with his theory that “Moscow is the Third Rome.”
During the reign of John IV Vasilyevich (1533-1584), Rus' gained victories over the Astrakhan and Kazan kingdoms and annexed Siberia. The power of the Russian state is also reflected in its coat of arms: the double-headed eagle on the state seal is crowned with a single crown with an eight-pointed Orthodox cross above it. Obverse side of the seal: on the chest of the eagle there is a carved German shield with a unicorn - the personal sign of the king. All symbols in the personal symbolism of John IV are taken from the Psalter. Reverse side of the seal: on the eagle’s chest is a shield with the image of St. George the Victorious.
On February 21, 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the throne. His election put an end to the unrest that took place in the period after the death of Ivan the Terrible. The eagle on the coat of arms of this period spreads its wings, which means a new era in the history of Russia, which at this time became a unified and fairly strong state. This circumstance is immediately reflected in the coat of arms: above the eagle, instead of an eight-pointed cross, a third crown appears. The interpretation of this change is different: a symbol of the Holy Trinity or a symbol of the unity of Great Russians, Little Russians and Belarusians. There is also a third interpretation: the conquered Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian kingdoms.
Alexey Mikhailovich Romanov (1645-1676) ends the Russian-Polish conflict with the conclusion of the Truce of Andrusovo with Poland (1667). The Russian state becomes equal in rights with other European states. During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the eagle received symbols of power: scepter And power.
Great state seal of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich
At the request of the tsar, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I sent his king of arms Lavrentiy Khurelevich to Moscow, who in 1673 wrote an essay “On the genealogy of the Russian great princes and sovereigns, showing the existing, through marriages, affinity between Russia and eight European powers, that is Caesar of Rome, the kings of England, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, and with the image of these royal coats of arms, and in the middle of them the Grand Duke St. Vladimir, at the end of the portrait of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich.” This work marked the beginning of the development of Russian heraldry. The eagle’s wings are raised up and fully open (a symbol of the complete establishment of Russia as a powerful state; its heads are crowned with three royal crowns; on its chest there is a shield with the Moscow coat of arms; in its paws there is a scepter and an orb.
Lavrenty Khurelevich in 1667 was the first to give an official description of the Russian coat of arms: “The double-headed eagle is the sovereign coat of arms of the Great Sovereign, Tsar and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich of All Great and Lesser and White Russia, the autocrat, His Royal Majesty of the Russian Empire, on which three crowns are depicted, signifying the three great Kazan, Astrakhan, Siberian glorious kingdoms, submitting to the God-protected and highest power of His Royal Majesty, the Most Gracious Sovereign... on the Persians is the image of the heir; in the box there is a scepter and an apple, and they reveal the most merciful Sovereign, His Royal Majesty the Autocrat and Possessor.”
From Peter I to Alexander II
Coat of arms of Peter I
Peter I ascended the Russian throne in 1682. During his reign, the Russian Empire became an equal among the leading powers of Europe.
Under him, according to heraldic rules, the coat of arms began to be depicted as black (before that it was depicted as gold). The eagle has become not only a decoration of state papers, but also a symbol of strength and power.
In 1721, Peter I accepted the imperial title, and imperial crowns began to be depicted on coats of arms instead of royal crowns. In 1722, he established the office of the King of Arms and the position of King of Arms.
The state emblem under Peter I underwent other changes: in addition to changing the color of the eagle, shields with coats of arms were placed on its wings
Great Duchies and Kingdoms. On the right wing there were shields with the coats of arms (from top to bottom): Kyiv, Novgorod, Astrakhan; on the left wing: Vladimir, Siberian, Kazan. It was under Peter I that a complex of attributes of the coat of arms eagle developed.
And after Russia entered the “expanses of Siberia and the Far East,” the double-headed eagle began to symbolize the inseparability of European and Asian Russia under one imperial crown, since one crowned head looks to the west, the other to the east.
The era after Peter I is known as the era of palace coups. In the 30s of the 18th century. the leadership of the state was dominated by immigrants from Germany, which did not contribute to the strengthening of the country. In 1736, Empress Anna Ioannovna invited a Swiss by birth, the Swedish engraver I. K. Gedlinger, who engraved the State Seal by 1740, which was used with minor changes until 1856.
Until the end of the 18th century. There were no special changes in the design of the coat of arms, but during the times of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine the Great, the eagle looked more like an eagle.
Coat of arms of Catherine I
Paul I
Coat of arms of Russia with the Maltese cross
Having become emperor, Paul I immediately tried to modify the Russian coat of arms. By decree of April 5, 1797, the double-headed eagle became an integral part of the coat of arms of the imperial family. But since Paul I was the Master of the Order of Malta, this could not but be reflected in the state emblem. In 1799, Emperor Paul I issued a decree on the image of a double-headed eagle with a Maltese cross on the chest. The cross was placed on the eagle’s chest under the Moscow coat of arms (“the indigenous coat of arms of Russia”). The emperor is also making an attempt to develop and introduce a complete coat of arms of the Russian Empire. At the upper end of this cross was placed the crown of the Grand Master.
In 1800, he proposed a complex coat of arms, on which forty-three coats of arms were placed in a multi-field shield and on nine small shields. However, they did not have time to adopt this coat of arms before Paul’s death.
Paul I was also the founder of the Great Russian Coat of Arms. The Manifesto of December 16, 1800 gives its full description. The large Russian coat of arms was supposed to symbolize the internal unity and power of Russia. However, Paul I's project was not implemented.
Alexander I, having become emperor in 1801, abolished the Maltese cross on the state emblem. But under Alexander I, on the coat of arms, the eagle’s wings are spread wide to the side, and the feathers are lowered down. One head is more inclined than the other. Instead of a scepter and an orb, new attributes appear in the eagle’s paws: a torch, peruns (thunder arrows), a laurel wreath (sometimes a branch), a lictor’s bun intertwined with ribbons.
Nicholas I
Coat of arms of Nicholas I
The reign of Nicholas I (1825-1855) was emphatically firm and decisive (suppression of the Decembrist uprising, limitation of the status of Poland). Under him, from 1830, the armorial eagle began to be depicted with sharply raised wings (this remained so until 1917). In 1829, Nicholas I was crowned the Kingdom of Poland, therefore, since 1832, the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland has been included in the Russian coat of arms.
At the end of the reign of Nicholas I, the manager of the heraldry department, Baron B.V. Kene, tried to give the coat of arms the features of Western European heraldry: the image of the eagle should have become more strict. The coat of arms of Moscow was to be depicted in a French shield; the rider was to be turned, according to heraldic rules, to the left of the viewer. But in 1855, Nicholas I died, and Quesne’s projects were implemented only under Alexander II.
Large, Middle and Small coats of arms of the Russian Empire
Large state emblem of the Russian Empire 1857
The large state emblem of the Russian Empire was introduced in 1857 by decree of Emperor Alexander II (this was the idea of Emperor Paul I).
The large coat of arms of Russia is a symbol of the unity and power of Russia. Around the double-headed eagle are the coats of arms of the territories that are part of the Russian state. In the center of the Great State Emblem is a French shield with a golden field on which a double-headed eagle is depicted. The eagle itself is black, crowned with three imperial crowns, which are connected by a blue ribbon: two small ones crown the head, the large one is located between the heads and rises above them; in the eagle’s paws are a scepter and an orb; on the chest is depicted “the coat of arms of Moscow: in a scarlet shield with gold edges, the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious in silver armor and an azure cap on a silver horse.” The shield, which depicts an eagle, is topped with the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, around the main shield is a chain and the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the sides of the shield there are shield holders: on the right side (to the left of the viewer) is the Holy Archangel Michael, on the left is the Archangel Gabriel. The central part is under the shadow of the large imperial crown and the state banner above it.
To the left and right of the state banner, on the same horizontal line with it, are depicted six shields with the connected coats of arms of the principalities and volosts - three to the right and three to the left of the banner, almost creating a semicircle. Nine shields, crowned with crowns with the coats of arms of the Grand Duchies and Kingdoms and the coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty, are a continuation and most of the circle that the united coats of arms of the principalities and volosts began. Coats of arms counterclockwise: the Astrakhan Kingdom, the Siberian Kingdom, the Family Coat of Arms of His Imperial Majesty, the united coats of arms of the Grand Duchies, the coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland, the coat of arms of Chersonis-Tauride, the coat of arms of the Polish Kingdom, the coat of arms of the Kazan Kingdom.
The top six shields from left to right: combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the Great Russian, combined coats of arms of the principalities and regions of the South-Western, combined coats of arms of the Baltic regions.
At the same time, the Middle and Small state emblems were adopted.
The middle state coat of arms was the same as the Great one, but without state banners and six coats of arms above the canopy; Small - the same as the Middle one, but without a canopy, images of saints and the family coat of arms of His Imperial Majesty.
Adopted by decree of Alexander III on November 3, 1882, the Great State Emblem differed from that adopted in 1857 in that it added a shield with the coat of arms of Turkestan (became part of Russia in 1867), combined the coats of arms of the principalities of Lithuania and Belarusian.
The large state emblem is framed by laurel and oak branches - a symbol of glory, honor, merit (laurel branches), valor, courage (oak branches).
The Great State Emblem reflects “the triune essence of the Russian idea: For the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland.” Faith is expressed in the symbols of Russian Orthodoxy: many crosses, Saint Archangel Michael and Saint Archangel Gabriel, the motto “God is with us,” the eight-pointed Orthodox cross above the state banner. The idea of an autocrat is expressed in the attributes of power: a large imperial crown, other Russian historical crowns, a scepter, an orb, a chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
The Fatherland is reflected in the coat of arms of Moscow, the coats of arms of Russian and Russian lands, in the helmet of the Holy Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. The circular arrangement of the coats of arms symbolizes equality between them, and the central location of the coat of arms of Moscow symbolizes the unity of Rus' around Moscow, the historical center of Russian lands.
Conclusion
Modern coat of arms of the Russian Federation
In 1917, the eagle ceased to be the coat of arms of Russia. The coat of arms of the Russian Federation is known, the subjects of which were autonomous republics and other national entities. Each of the republics, subjects of the Russian Federation, had its own national emblem. But there is no Russian coat of arms on it.
In 1991, a coup d'état took place. Democrats led by B. N. Yeltsin came to power in Russia.
On August 22, 1991, the white-blue-red flag was reaffirmed as the State Flag of Russia. On November 30, 1993, Russian President B.N. Yeltsin signs the decree “On the State Emblem of the Russian Federation.” Once again the double-headed eagle becomes the coat of arms of Russia.
Now, as before, the double-headed eagle symbolizes the power and unity of the Russian state.