The history of the Russian coat of arms dates back to the distant 1497. The first image of a two-headed eagle appeared on the seal of Ivan III. Since then, the symbolism of the Russian state has undergone significant changes, but its essence, the interpretation of the image on it and its meaning have practically not changed.
Initially, in 1497, a two-headed eagle and a horseman fighting a dragon were depicted on the coat of arms of the Moscow principality. The eagle is a symbol of the Byzantine Empire, which came to Russian land together with Princess Sophia, to whom Ivan III was married. Each of the monarchs introduced their own changes to the drawing on the coat of arms of the Russian state, but significant transformations date back to the reign of Alexander I. It was with his light hand, according to historical data, that the eagle spread its wings, and thunder arrows, a torch and a laurel wreath appeared in its paws …
Coat of arms of the Russian Empire and its meaning
The coat of arms of the Russian Empire was finally formed by 1885. It was then that three crowns appeared on it, which rise above the heads of the eagle, and it had two options - Big and Small. Moreover, this coat of arms is still considered the most difficult of all existing ones, in terms of reading and in terms of the meaning of the picture.
Many contemporaries ask themselves what the three crowns on the coat of arms of Russia symbolize. According to the interpretation relating to 1625, they symbolize the union into a single state of the Astrakhan, Siberian and Kazan kingdoms. In addition, they have become a symbol of the Holy Trinity and the three virtues of Christian significance - Faith, Hope and Love. But by 1670, after the unification of the three great Slavic peoples, the crowns had another meaning - they indicated the brotherhood of Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians.
The meaning of the two-headed eagle also changed, depending on the changes taking place in the history of Russia. But the essence remains the same - the eagle is the personification of the greatness of the people, their ability to win, to overcome any obstacles. His two heads indicate the unity of two cultures - eastern and western, his double wisdom and strength, indicate his relentless vigilance for enemies, his ability to see and prosper.
Coat of arms of the Russian Federation and its meaning
In the era of communism, the Russian government abandoned the emblem of the tsarist model as a symbol of the old regime of power. But in 1993, a new draft of the Russian coat of arms was adopted, which again returned the image in the form of a two-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns.
On the modern coat of arms of the Russian Federation, a golden two-headed eagle is located on a red background, in its paws it holds a scepter and an orb, and its chest is protected by a shield with a silver rider in an azure cloak, striking a black dragon.
Three crowns over the heads of the eagle, in the modern political reading, have become symbols of the sovereignty of the state, equal power in the government - legislative, judicial and executive systems.
