A double-headed eagle (coat of arms of the Russian Federation) above the entrance of the Kremlin Arsenal in Moscow, Russia
The coat of arms of the Russian Federation derives from the earlier arms of the Russian Empire, as restored in 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Even if it has undergone several modifications since the reign of Ivan III (1462-1505), the current Coat of Arms is directly derived from the various precedent versions. The general chromatic layout corresponds to the early 15th century standard. The shape of the eagle can be traced back to the times of Peter the Great (Peter I), although the eagle in the modern arms is gold in preference to the imperial black. The two main elements of Russian state symbols (the two-headed eagle and the mounted figure slaying a serpent or dragon) predate Peter the Great. The Great State Seal of Ivan III, Duke of Moscow, featured a horse rider slaying (or struggling with) a dragon. The figure was not officially identified as Saint George until 1730, when it was described as such in an Imperial decree. The older form (a mounted dragon slayer known as Saint George the Victory-bearer, was always associated with the Grand Duchy of Muscovy, later becoming the official arms of the city of Moscow. The earliest graphic representation of a rider with a spear (1390) figures in a seal of the prince of Moscow, Vasiliy Dmitriyevich. The serpent or dragon was added under Ivan III. Saint George henceforth became the patron of Moscow (and, by extension, of Russia). Today, the official description does not refer to the rider on the central shield as representing Saint George, mainly in order to maintain the secular character of the modern Russian state. The double-headed eagle was adopted by Ivan III after his marriage with the Byzantine princess Sophia Paleologue, whose uncle Constantine was the last Byzantine Emperor. The double-headed eagle was the official state symbol of the late Byzantine Empire, spanning both East and West. It, amongst other aspects, symbolized the unity of Church and State.
Size: 5242px × 3493px
Location: Kremlin Arsenal, Alexander Garden, Moscow, Russia, Eastern Europe
Photo credit: © DE ROCKER / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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