The fundamental changes in the award system that took place in the Petrine era are closely connected, on the one hand, with the military transformations of the reformer tsar, and on the other hand, with the reform of the monetary system. Coin and medal business in the first quarter of the 18th century developed very quickly in Russia and reached high level both industrially and artistically. Peter I, visiting abroad, was invariably interested in the work of mints: in London, for example, Isaac Newton introduced him to the construction of machines for minting. The Russian tsar invited Western medalists to his service, and took care of the training of Russian masters.
Under the influence of Western European medal art, commemorative medals began to be minted in Russia at the very beginning of the 18th century. They were issued in honor of the most important events of that time, most often battles, which Russian masters sought to display as accurately as possible. At that time, medals were one of the most important means of demonstrating state power, as well as a kind of “mass media”: they were handed out during solemn ceremonies, sent abroad “as a gift to foreign ministers”, and purchased for Mintz offices collecting coins and medals. Peter I himself was often engaged in "composing" medals.
Medal for taking Nut. 1702
The Russian award medal that appeared soon connected the tradition of “golden” (mass military awards), unfamiliar in the West, with some external design techniques that have developed in European medalistics. Petrovsky military medals differed significantly from the "gold" ones. In appearance and size, they corresponded to the new Russian coins - rubles; on their front side there was always a portrait of the king (therefore the medals themselves were called “patrets”) in armor and a laurel wreath, on the back - as a rule, the scene of the corresponding battle, the inscription and the date.
The principle of mass awarding was also fixed: for the battle on land and at sea, not only officer, but also soldier's and sailor's medals were issued - to every one of the participants, and an outstanding personal feat could be specially noted. However, awards for commanders and the lower ranks were not the same: for the latter they were made of silver, and the officers were always gold and, in turn, differed in size and weight, and sometimes in their own appearance(some were issued with chains). All medals of the first quarter of the 18th century were still minted without an eye, so the recipient himself had to adapt the award for wearing. Sometimes lugs were attached to medals right at the Mint, if the awards complained with a chain.
Most of the award medals established by Peter I are associated with military operations against the Swedes in the Northern War. According to the documents of the Mint, 12 battles of the first quarter of the 18th century were marked with award medals, and the "circulation" of some of them reached 3-4 thousand copies.
In October 1702, the ancient Russian fortress Oreshek (Noteburg), which had been in the hands of the Swedes for a long time, was taken by storm. Only volunteers - "hunters" participated in the assault, whose valor was awarded with gold medals. On the front side of the medal there is a portrait of Peter I, on the reverse side there is a detailed depiction of the scene of the assault: a fortress city on an island, Russian guns firing at it, many boats with "hunters". The circular inscription says: "He was with the enemy for 90 years, taken on October 21, 1702."
In 1703, medals were minted for officers and soldiers of the Guards infantry regiments - Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky, who attacked two Swedish warships at the mouth of the Neva on boats. Peter I himself, who led this unprecedented operation, received the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called; "Officers were given gold medals with a chain, and soldiers were given small ones without chains." The scene of the battle on the back of the medal is accompanied by the saying: "The unimaginable happens."
The mass awarding of officers with medals is associated with the defeat of the Swedes at Kalisz (Poland) in 1706; the soldiers then received awards of the old type in the form of silver "altyns". The gold medals for the Kalisz victory were of different sizes, some were oval. The colonel's medal (the largest) received a special design: it is bordered by an openwork gold frame with an ornament at the top in the form of a crown, the entire frame is covered with enamel, studded with diamonds and precious stones. On the front side of all the medals there is a bust portrait of Peter in knightly armor, and on the back, their king is depicted on a horse in antique attire, against the backdrop of a battle. The inscription reads: "For loyalty and courage."
Medal "For the victory near Lesnaya", 1708
Similar medals, but with the inscription "For the Battle of Lewenhaupt" were awarded to participants in the battle near the village of Lesnaya in Belarus in 1708. The corps of General A. Levenhaupt, who was going to join the troops of the Swedish king Charles XII, was defeated here.
Shortly after the famous Battle of Poltava, Peter I ordered the production of award medals for soldiers and sergeants (non-commissioned officers). They were minted in the amount of a ruble, they did not have an ear, and the recipients themselves had to attach the ears to the medals in order to wear them on a blue ribbon. On the reverse side of the officer's medal, a cavalry battle is depicted, and on the soldier's (smaller sizes) - a skirmish of infantrymen. On the front side was placed the chest image of Peter I.
Medal "For the Poltava Battle" 1709
In 1714, only staff officers - colonels and majors - were awarded for the capture of the city of Vasa (on the Finnish coast). The medal, which was issued on this occasion, had no image on the back, only the inscription: "For the Battle of Vasa on February 1714, 19 days." This is the only example of such a design of the award in the time of Peter the Great, but it will become typical later - in the second half of the 18th century.
The largest victory of Peter I at sea is the Battle of Cape Gangut in 1714, when the vanguard of the Russian galley fleet defeated the Swedish squadron of Rear Admiral N. Ehrenskiöld and captured all 10 enemy ships. For the brilliant "victory", the participants in the battle received special medals: officers - gold, with and without chains, "each according to the proportion of his rank", sailors and landing soldiers - silver.
The design on all medals is the same. On the front side, as usual, there was a portrait of Peter I, and on the back - a plan of a naval battle and a date. There was an inscription around it: "Diligence and fidelity exceeds greatly." This legend has become a kind of tradition for awards for naval battles; it can be seen, for example, on the back of the medal for the capture of three Swedish ships by the squadron of N. Senyavin off the island of Gotland (1719). And on the medals for the victory in the Battle of Grenham (1720), the inscription is placed in this version: "Diligence and fidelity surpass strength."
One of his contemporaries, talking about the battle of Grengam, did not forget to mention the awards to its participants: “The staff officers on gold chains were awarded gold medals and which were worn over their shoulders, and the chief officers were given gold medals on a narrow blue ribbon, which were pinned worn to a caftan loop; non-commissioned officers and soldiers - silver portraits on a bow of a blue ribbon, pinned to a caftan loop, were sewn on, with an inscription on those medals about that battle.
So in Russia, almost a hundred years earlier than other European states, they began to award medals to all participants in the battle - both officers and soldiers.
Award soldier's medal for the battle of Gangut
A huge number of participants in the Northern War received in 1721 a medal in honor of the conclusion of the Treaty of Nystadt with Sweden. The soldiers were awarded silver medal, and officers - gold medals of various denominations. Complicated in composition, with elements of allegory, a very solemnly decorated medal "After the Flood of the Northern War" is evidence of the great importance that it had for Russian state this event. On the front side of the soldier's medal and on the back of the officer's one, the following composition is placed: Noah's Ark, and above it - a flying dove of peace with an olive branch in its beak, in the distance - Petersburg and Stockholm, connected by a rainbow. The inscription explains: "We are bound by the union of the world."
Silver award medal for the Gangut battle for sailors (reverse side)
The entire reverse side of the soldier's medal is occupied by a lengthy inscription glorifying Peter I and proclaiming him emperor and father of the Fatherland. There is no such inscription on the reverse side of the officer's medal, and on its front side there is a portrait of Peter I. The Nystadt medal marked another an important event in the life of the state: it was first minted from “gold” or “domestic” silver, that is, mined in Russia, which was noted in the inscription.
Medal for the Battle of Grenham. 1720
Award medals of Peter I
The fundamental changes in the award system that took place in the Petrine era are closely connected, on the one hand, with the military transformations of the reformer tsar, and on the other hand, with the reform of the monetary system. Coin and medal art in the first quarter of the 18th century developed very rapidly in Russia and reached a high level both in production and in artistic terms. Peter I, visiting abroad, was invariably interested in the work of mints: in London, for example, Isaac Newton introduced him to the construction of machines for minting. The Russian tsar invited Western medalists to his service, and took care of the training of Russian masters.
Under the influence of Western European medal art, commemorative medals began to be minted in Russia at the very beginning of the 18th century. They were issued in honor of the most important events of that time, most often battles, which Russian masters sought to display as accurately as possible. Medals were at that time one of the essential funds demonstration of state power, as well as a kind of means " mass media”: they were distributed during solemn ceremonies, sent abroad “as a gift to foreign ministers”, purchased for mints-offices collecting coins and medals. Peter I himself was often engaged in "composing" medals.
The Russian award medal that appeared soon connected the tradition of “golden” (mass military awards), unfamiliar in the West, with some external design techniques that have developed in European medalistics. Petrovsky military medals differed significantly from the "gold" ones. In appearance and size, they corresponded to the new Russian coins - rubles; on their front side there was always a portrait of the king (therefore the medals themselves were called “patrets”) in armor and a laurel wreath, on the back - as a rule, the scene of the corresponding battle, the inscription and the date.
The principle of mass awarding was also fixed: for the battle on land and at sea, not only officer, but also soldier's and sailor's medals were issued - to every one of the participants, and an outstanding personal feat could be specially noted. However, the awards for the command staff and the lower ranks were not the same: for the latter they were made of silver, and the officers were always gold and, in turn, differed in size and weight, and sometimes in their appearance (some were issued with chains). All medals of the first quarter of the 18th century were still minted without an eye, so the recipient himself had to adapt the award for wearing. Sometimes lugs were attached to medals right at the Mint, if the awards complained with a chain.
Most of the award medals established by Peter I are associated with military operations against the Swedes in the Northern War. According to the documents of the Mint, 12 battles of the first quarter of the 18th century were marked with award medals, and the "circulation" of some of them reached 3-4 thousand copies.
In October 1702, the ancient Russian fortress Oreshek (Noteburg), which had been in the hands of the Swedes for a long time, was taken by storm. Only volunteers took part in the assault - "hunters", whose valor was awarded gold medals. On the front side of the medal there is a portrait of Peter I, on the reverse side there is a detailed depiction of the scene of the assault: a fortress city on an island, Russian guns firing at it, many boats with "hunters". The circular inscription says: "He was with the enemy for 90 years, taken on October 21, 1702."
Medal for taking Nut. 1702
In 1703, medals were minted for the officers and soldiers of the Guards infantry regiments - Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky, who attacked two Swedish warships in boats at the mouth of the Neva. Peter I himself, who led this unprecedented operation, received the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called; “The officers were given gold medals with a chain, and the soldiers were given small ones without chains.” The scene of the battle on the back of the medal is accompanied by the saying: "The unimaginable happens."
The mass awarding of officers with medals is associated with the defeat of the Swedes at Kalisz (Poland) in 1706; the soldiers then received awards of the old type in the form of silver "altyns". The gold medals for the victory in Kalisz were of different sizes, some were oval. The colonel's medal (the largest) received a special design: it is bordered by an openwork gold frame with an ornament at the top in the form of a crown, the entire frame is covered with enamel, studded with diamonds and precious stones. On the front side of all the medals there is a bust portrait of Peter in knightly armor, and on the back, their king is depicted on a horse in antique attire, against the backdrop of a battle. The inscription reads: "For loyalty and courage."
Medal "For victory near Lesnaya" 1708
Similar medals, but with the inscription "For the Battle of Lewenhaupt" were awarded to participants in the battle near the village of Lesnaya in Belarus in 1708. The corps of General A. Levenhaupt, who was going to join the troops of the Swedish king Charles XII, was defeated here.
Shortly after the famous Battle of Poltava, Peter I ordered the production of award medals for soldiers and sergeants (non-commissioned officers). They were minted in the amount of a ruble, they did not have an ear, and the recipients themselves had to attach the ears to the medals in order to wear them on a blue ribbon. On the reverse side of the officer's medal, a cavalry battle is depicted, and on the soldier's (smaller size) - a skirmish of infantrymen. On the front side was placed the chest image of Peter I.
Medal "For the Poltava Battle" 1709
In 1714, only staff officers, colonels and majors, were awarded for the capture of the city of Vasa (on the Finnish coast). The medal, which was issued on this occasion, had no image on the back, only the inscription: "For the Battle of Vasa on February 1714, 19 days." This is the only example of such a design of the award in the time of Peter the Great, but it will become typical later - in the second half of the 18th century.
The biggest victory of Peter the Great at sea was the Battle of Cape Gangut in 1714, when the vanguard of the Russian galley fleet defeated the Swedish squadron of Rear Admiral N. Ehrenskiöld and captured all 10 enemy ships. For the brilliant "victory", the participants in the battle received special medals: officers - gold, with and without chains, "each according to the proportion of his rank", sailors and landing soldiers - silver. The design on all medals is the same. On the front side, as usual, there was a portrait of Peter I, and on the back - a plan of a naval battle and a date. There was an inscription around it: "Diligence and fidelity exceeds greatly." This legend has become a kind of tradition for awards for naval battles; it can be seen, for example, on the back of the medal for the capture of three Swedish ships by the squadron of N. Senyavin near the island of Gogland (1719). And on the medals for the victory in the Battle of Grenham (1720), the inscription is placed in this version: "Diligence and fidelity surpass strength."
Award soldier's medal for the battle of Gangut
Silver award medal for the Gangut battle for sailors (op. side)
One of his contemporaries, talking about the battle of Grengam, did not forget to mention the awards to its participants: “The staff officers on gold chains were awarded gold medals and which were worn over their shoulders, and the chief officers were given gold medals on a narrow blue ribbon, which were pinned worn to a caftan loop; non-commissioned officers and soldiers - silver portraits on a bow of a blue ribbon, pinned to a caftan loop, were sewn on, with an inscription on those medals about that battle.
Medal for the Battle of Grenham. 1720
So in Russia, almost a hundred years earlier than other European states, they began to award medals to all participants in the battle - both officers and soldiers.
A huge number of participants in the Northern War received in 1721 a medal in honor of the conclusion of the Treaty of Nystadt with Sweden. The soldiers were awarded a large silver medal, and the officers were awarded gold medals of various denominations. Complicated in composition, with elements of allegory, a very solemnly decorated medal "After the Flood of the Northern War" is evidence of the great significance that this event had for the Russian state. On the front side of the soldier's medal and on the back of the officer's medal, there is the following composition: Noah's Ark, and above it - a flying dove of peace with an olive branch in its beak, in the distance - Petersburg and Stockholm, connected by a rainbow. The inscription explains: "We are bound by the union of the world." The entire reverse side of the soldier's medal is occupied by a lengthy inscription glorifying Peter I and proclaiming him emperor and father of the Fatherland. There is no such inscription on the reverse side of the officer’s medal, and on its front side there is a portrait of Peter I. The Nystadt medal marked another important event in the life of the state: it was first minted from “gold” or “domestic” silver, that is, mined in Russia, which was noted in the inscription.
This text is an introductory piece. From the book of 100 great treasures of Russia author Nepomniachtchi Nikolai NikolaevichSt. George medals The St. George medal was established on August 10, 1913 instead of the medal "For Courage", established in 1878, and ranked among the Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George. The change in the statute of the medal was caused by the peculiarities of the battle on land and
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 1 author Kuznetsov AlexanderAward banners Award banners and standards first appeared in Russia in Last year XVIII century, when several regiments were awarded these insignia for victories over the French. During Napoleonic Wars, V Patriotic war 1812 and in a foreign campaign
author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 2 (1917-1988) author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 2 (1917-1988) author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 2 (1917-1988) author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 2 (1917-1988) author Kuznetsov Alexander author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 1 (1701-1917) author Kuznetsov Alexander From the book Award Medal. In 2 volumes. Volume 1 (1701-1917) author Kuznetsov Alexander author Kuznetsov AlexanderCHAPTER IX. Award medals of the Russian Empire Palace grenadier in dress uniform. Con. XIX - early. XX century. The Russian word "medal" comes from the Latin "metallum" - metal. Medals are of various types and types: commemorative, sports, laureate, etc. The largest group
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 2 author Kuznetsov AlexanderAward medals of the Catherine era After the death of Peter I, the traditions of mass awarding of participants in wars and individual battles were almost completely lost in Russia. And this despite the fact that in those years there were wars with Turkey (1735-1739) and Sweden (1741-1743), and
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 2 author Kuznetsov AlexanderAward medals of the 19th century At the beginning of the century late XVIII – early XIX century, the Caucasus was annexed to Russia. The repeated and devastating ruins of Georgia by the Turks and Persians forced the king of Kakheti and Kartli, Erekle II, to turn to the Russians for help and in 1783
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 2 author Kuznetsov Alexander“General” award medals In the 19th century, award medals appeared that can be conditionally called “general”, as they noted a variety of services to the tsar and the Fatherland, could be given to the military (“For diligence”) and civilians - “For useful”, "For the salvation of the perishing" and
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 2 author Kuznetsov AlexanderCHAPTER X. Decorations of the White Army The award system of the Russian Empire, which has been in existence for more than 300 years, has traditionally been focused on celebrating the valor and courage of soldiers in the defense of the Motherland with orders, medals and other insignia. But
From the book Symbols, shrines and awards of the Russian state. part 2 author Kuznetsov AlexanderJubilee medals In honor of ancient Moscow 10 years after the appearance of the jubilee medal "XX Years of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army", which was mentioned above, another jubilee medal appeared. On September 20, 1947, the jubilee medal "In memory of the 800th anniversary of Moscow" was established.
By the period of the joint reign of Peter and John 1689-1696. in the Hermitage collection there are gold coins in 9 chervonets, as well as in 2.5 chervonets, with circular inscriptions: “By the grace of God we are great sovereigns and tsars and great princes - John Alekseevich, Peter Alekseevich of all Russia autocrats” and with the image of a double-headed eagle on both sides . They were probably awarded to the most senior participants in the coup of 1689. There are also rare gold kopecks with the name of one Peter or one John. Finally, gilded and white altyns of this time, with the names of John and Peter, have been preserved in large numbers. Among them are also found round; the weight of these signs is the most uncertain - from 0.67 to 1.34 g, and one especially heavy one weighs 4.24 g.
From 1696, all silver coins issued for circulation were dated; therefore, it also appeared on premium altyns, which were still minted with penny stamps. Petrovsky altyns with dates of Slavic numbering are 1697, 1698, 1699 and 1700. (the last two types, with dates according to the old and new chronology, from the creation of the world and from the birth of Christ). One copy of the altyns of 1706 and 1716 has also been preserved.
In September 1696, a large number of awards were issued for service near Azov. A. S. Shein was awarded gold in 13 chervonets, F. Lefort - in 7 chervonets, P. Gordon and F. A. Golovin - in 6 chervonets. Ordinary soldiers and archers received gilded kopecks. It is very possible that in the message about this awarding, altyns are called kopecks, which have come down to us much more than kopecks, including dated altyns of 1697, the minting of which could begin from the new year, i.e. from September 1, 1696 The named general awards are difficult to identify with any gold ones that have come down to us: Ivan Alekseevich died on January 29, 1696, so the gold ones mentioned above with the names of Peter and Ivan, it would seem, could no longer be used, and meanwhile any gold ones of Peter alone , which could be attributed to this time, are not known at all.
Peter's coin reform, which began in 1700, gave the Russian money circulation a coin of the correct form. In 1704, a silver ruble was put into circulation, the issue of which completed the creation new series gold, silver and copper coins; new technical capabilities should have affected the award business. But the circulation of old silver kopecks was not stopped either, and their minting continued for more than a decade and a half. Consequently, the technical basis for the minting of old-fashioned coins was also preserved.
A gilded “wire” altyn of 1706 has come down to us. There is some reason to assume that it contains the lowest degree of award for the battle of Kalisz, since there is a complex of gold officer medals of 1706 with different weights in the norm of 14, 6, 3 and 1 chervonets. A large series of gold medals was intended to reward the participants in the battle of Lesnaya in 1708; preserved specimens equal in weight to 13, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1 chervonets. This developed system of awards undoubtedly had to be supplemented by some kind of soldier's, more modest awards; it is possible that the altyns served for this purpose to a limited extent, although they did not reach us with this date. But the time of the Altyns ended in the same way as the time of the silver kopeck ended in monetary circulation, and the lowest awards for campaigns and battles of 1701-1708, the complete absence of which seems so strange, undoubtedly need to be sought among the new silver coin of the correct minting, the production of which began in 1701 at the Moscow Naval Mint. It was quite logical to put it in the award business in place of the old kopecks and altyns.
Seniors in the series of silver coins 1701-1703. fifty and half-fifty dollars had the image of the king on them and could well serve as new soldiers' "gold". Only considerations of economy could for some time partially preserve the role of awards for ugly, but small old altyns. Extremely close to the silver coins of 1701-1703. their compositional structure and real gold of the same time - preserved in a small number of gold, the so-called "baptismal rubles", "poltins" and "half-poltins" of 1702. The collective name "ruble" in this case raises special objections, since in 1702 The silver ruble did not yet exist at all. They were named so only by their resemblance to the coins that appeared later, while in reality they were nothing more than gold of the highest denominations. "Poltina" and "half-fifty" exactly correspond to the size of the named coins. "Ruble" and "poltina" and "half-fifty" completely repeat the type of silver half of the first issues of 1701-1703. and differ only in that on the reverse side, instead of denomination, there is an inscription on the “rubles”: “1702 on the first day of March”, on the “half” there are other numbers: “the tenth of January” and “the first of February”. The last inscription is repeated on half a half. In this case, gold "gold" is applied to the type of silver. Three genuine "poltina" in the Hermitage have a weight corresponding to 10 chervonets (one) and 8 (two).
According to I. A. Zhelyabuzhsky, for the Battle of Erestfer on December 28, 1701, at the beginning of 1702, gold was sent to B. P. Sheremetev with a “gracious word”, and dragoons and soldiers “every person was given a ruble”. Most likely, I. A. Zhelyabuzhsky, who wrote many years later, forgot and mixed some new large silver coins with rubles, which did not yet exist in 1702; but there is no reason to doubt the message of I. I. Golikov that when distributing gold coins for the capture of Dorpat in 1704, all soldiers received “a silver ruble”, that is, not just money, but coins.
It is impossible to find out which of the early Peter's poltins and ruble coins that have come down to us served as soldier's awards, although a pierced Peter's coin is not uncommon. The rewarded, who received their “coins” even without an eyelet, often had to fight the temptation to exchange their award ... The awarded ruble was supposed to receive some differences from the ruble-coin, i.e., turn into a medal.
A monument to the Battle of Poltava in 1709 are soldier's and "sergeant", i.e., non-commissioned officer award medals of the size of a ruble, with a "ruble" portrait of the tsar on one side, but with a depiction of a battle scene and with a corresponding inscription and date on the other. The tradition was so strong that the award medals of 1709, like many officer and soldier medals that followed them, were minted for decades without an eyelet, and the recipient was given the right to take care of it himself.
Systematic mass awards in the created by Peter regular army for all the seeming novelty of this undertaking, all roots go back to the age-old military traditions of pre-Petrine Rus'. In the same way as before, gold of different weights was received by the chiefs and the noble army - the guard, and the signs of the highest merits were issued with gold chains; in the same way as before, ordinary warriors were awarded silver signs. Except for the final rejection of the gilding of soldiers' medals, the difference between the awards of pre-Petrine Rus' and the system of awards introduced by Peter is no greater than the difference between pre-Petrine and new coins.
The most recent Peter’s wire altyn in the Hermitage collection is dated 1716. In all likelihood, it belongs to some kind of award (perhaps for irregular troops), in which the ancient tradition of the Russian army appears for the last time in its ancient forms.
At the exhibition of orders and badges opened in the Hermitage in 1955, Russian awarded gold medals, which, according to the old tradition of numismatists, were previously considered and exhibited together with coins, are shown for the first time together with Russian military medals of the 18th-19th centuries, which are genetically linked with them by the closest ties.
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.Order of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga
Year of foundation - 1914
Founder - Nicholas II
Status - ladies' order, the award of which is associated with military events
Tape color - white
Number of degrees - 3
Established on July 11, 1915 by Emperor Nicholas II to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov dynasty "taking into account the merits of women in various fields of state and public service, as well as their exploits and labors for the benefit of their neighbor." Designed exclusively for rewarding females. Has three degrees.
Badges of the order: Byzantine-type cross covered with light blue enamel, white ribbon 2.22 cm wide.
Wearing rules:
I degree - a golden Cross on a bow on the left shoulder;
II degree - a silver Cross on a bow on the left shoulder;
III degree- a smaller silver cross on a bow on the left shoulder.
Signs of lower degrees are not removed when awarding a sign of the highest degree.
With the name of the Grand Duchess of Kyiv Olga, ruling in Ancient Rus' after the death of her husband, Prince Igor, during the regency of the young son Svyatoslav, significant transformations are associated, including the establishment of the amount of tribute and the arrangement of graveyards: "Go Olga to Novgorod and set graveyards and tributes on Msta, and along Luza, dues and tributes, and her traps are all over the earth and signs and places and graveyards." But without a doubt, her main step in life was her acceptance of Christianity. In 955, during a trip to Constantinople, the sacrament of Orthodox baptism was performed on her: “Olga went to the Greeks and came to Tsaryugorod. mother of Emperor Constantine the Great and having comprehended the Rule of God, Princess Olga actively contributed to the spread of Christianity in Russia. Not by chance, called by the great prince of Kyiv Vladimir Svyatoslavich in 987 council, after the legendary "test of faith", spoke in favor of the adoption of Orthodoxy in Rus', referring to Princess Olga: "If the Greek law was bad, then your grandmother Olga, who was the wisest of people, would not have accepted it." Canonized Russian Orthodox Church The Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga became a true symbol of piety and wisdom.
Founded in 1907, the Society of St. Olga in January 1913, on the eve of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, proposed to establish an order bearing the name of the ancient Russian princess. On February 21, 1913, by a special clause of the Manifesto "On the monarch's favors to the population" on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, a special Badge of Distinction was established "in the form of encouraging merit rendered by females in various fields of state and public service". However, neither the name, nor the statute, nor the description of this new phaleronym for that time existed, and only in connection with the outbreak of the First World War did they remember it. In the autumn of 1914, work began on the development of a draft of his statute and drawing. One of them, proposed by the head of the Tsarskoye Selo Palace Administration, Major-General Prince M.S. Putyatin, was approved on July 11, 1915 by Nicholas II: “Having now approved the Statute of Onago, We recognized it for the good to assign the name “Insignia of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga”, in memory of the first Russian Princess, who accepted the Light of the Christian Faith and thereby laid the foundation for the holy work of the Baptism of Russia, completed under Her Grandson, Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. raised for the benefit and prosperity of our Fatherland, dear to our hearts".
The insignia of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga had three degrees. The first degree was a gold cross of the Byzantine type, on the front side covered with light blue enamel, framed by a gold chased border. In the middle of the cross in a round gold chased field was given the image of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga. On the reverse side of the cross was an inscription in Slavic letters: "February 21st day, 1613-1913". The second degree of the sign consisted of a silver cross with the same images as on the first degree cross, and the third degree consisted of the same silver cross as the second degree, but smaller and placed in a chased silver rim. All three degrees of the insignia were to be worn on the left shoulder on a white ribbon bow. Moreover, the signs of the lower degrees should not have been removed when awarding the sign of the highest degree.
According to the statute, the awarding of the Badge of St. Olga had to go sequentially, starting with the lowest degree, and the interval between awards was supposed to be five years. It was also envisaged that the awarding of the Badge of St. Olga was to be carried out at the direct discretion of "His Imperial Majesty, with the permission of the Sovereign Emperor, the Sovereign Empress or according to the Highest Approved Journals of the Committee on the Service of the Ranks of the Civil Department and on Awards." Each person awarded with the Badge of St. Olga received badges and a special letter from the Chapter of the Russian Imperial and Royal Orders. The awarding of the Badge of St. Olga was timed to coincide with April 23 - the Name Day of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and November 14 - the birthday of Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. The statute listed in detail "the types of merit for which the St. Olga Distinction complains:
a) merits testifying to selfless devotion to the Church, Throne, Fatherland;
b) exploits of personal self-denial, associated with a clear danger to life;
c) serving the cause of helping others;
d) long and useful activity By public education contributing to the religious and moral education of the people and the rise of its productive forces;
e) merit agriculture, handicrafts and other branches of folk labor;
e) excellent service in state and public institutions, certified by the appropriate authorities and
g) outstanding activity in the service of the sciences and arts. "Those in the state or public service had to have at least 10 years of service for awarding the third degree of the Badge of St. Olga, the second degree - 20 years and the first - 30 years. A special eighth clause of the statute provided that "The insignia of St. Olga can also be granted to the mothers of heroes who have shown feats worthy of perpetuation in the annals of the Fatherland. "It was on the basis of this point that the first and only award of the Insignia of St. Olga took place on April 2, 1916. Nicholas II in the "Highest Rescript" , given in the name of the then Minister of War D.S. Shuvaev, wrote: "Dmitry Savelyevich. In the current great war our army showed an endless series of examples of high valor, fearlessness and heroic deeds of both whole units and individuals. My particular attention was drawn to the heroic death of the three Panaev brothers, officers of the 12th Hussar Akhtyrsky General Denis Davydov, now Her Imperial Majesty Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of the regiment of captains Boris and Lev and staff captain Guria, who valiantly fell on the battlefield. The Panaev brothers, imbued with a deep consciousness of the holiness of this oath, dispassionately fulfilled their duty to the end and gave their lives for the Tsar and the Motherland. All three brothers were awarded the Order of St. George of the 4th degree and their death in open battle is an enviable lot of soldiers who have become their breasts to protect Me and the Fatherland. I fully attribute such a correct understanding of their duty by the Panaev brothers to their mother, who raised her sons in the spirit of selfless love for the Throne and Motherland. The consciousness that her children honestly and courageously fulfilled their duty, may it fill the mother's heart with pride and help her steadfastly endure the test sent down from above. Recognizing it as a blessing to note the merits to me and the Fatherland of the widow of Colonel Vera Nikolaevna Panaeva, who raised the heroes of her sons, I pity her in accordance with Art. The 8th Statute of the Insignia of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga with this badge of the 2nd degree and a lifetime annual pension of 3,000 rubles. "Thus, the Insignia of St. Olga adequately crowned the maternal feat of a wonderful Russian woman, and we remember the wisest of Russian wives, Blessed Olga, who "She was the forerunner of the Christian land... She shone like the moon in the night, and she shone among the pagans, like pearls in the mud... She was the first of the Russians to enter the kingdom of heaven, she is praised by the Russian sons - their initiator."
Until the end of the 17th century, monarchs celebrated the merits of their subjects either with donated lands or memorable gifts - “a fur coat from the royal shoulder”. Returning from a European tour, Peter I decided not to scatter estates and "fur coats" and introduce the practice of awarding honored people with awards.
Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called
In the spring of 1698, during the famous Great Embassy, Peter I visited England and met with the local king, William III. Apparently, something bribed the English king in the ambitious Russian ruler, and he invited him to become a member of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. On the one hand, it was a great honor: the members of the oldest knightly order in Europe were the most respected and influential people on the planet - in the amount of 24 people. On the other hand, having accepted the “English garter”, the Russian sovereign formally became a subject of the British king. Peter refused. This was the first and last refusal of the tsar of the Romanov dynasty from "British citizenship": Alexander I, Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander III and Nicholas II were holders of this order.
However, the tsar-reformer liked the idea. Upon his return to the Russian Land, in August 1698, Peter established his own order - the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the patron saint of Rus'. The monarch even independently created sketches of the award order, which were very reminiscent of the emblem of the Scottish Order of the Thistle. From now on, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (with a break from 1917-1997) became main award Russia.
Motto of the Order
"For Faith and Loyalty"
Some Russian Knights of the Order
Alexander Suvorov, Pyotr Bagration, Mikhail Kutuzov, Alexander Ermolov, Pyotr Semenov-Tyan-Shansky.
Some foreign holders of the order
Napoleon I, Prince Talleyrand, Duke of Wellington.
Interesting Facts
At the same time, no more than 12 people from Russians could be holders of the order. The total number of holders of the order (Russian and foreign subjects) should not exceed twenty-four people.
At Sotheby's in 2008, a diamond star to the Order of St. Andrew, made around 1800, was sold for 2,729,250. It was an absolute record not only for Russian awards, but also for orders in general.
Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine
In 1711, the Prut campaign of the Russian army against the Turks ended in failure: 38,000 Russian soldiers were surrounded. Only the bribery of the Turkish commanders saved our troops from complete disaster. Interestingly, the lion’s share of the bribe to the “Ottoman generals” was made up of the jewels of Empress Catherine I, the wife of Peter I. The Tsar, mindful that “diamonds are the best friends of girls”, two years later established the Order of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine (another name is Order of Liberation) and awarded them to his wife. From now on, this order has become the highest "female" award of the Russian State: it had two degrees, and it was awarded to all princesses of royal blood (by birth), the most noble ladies of the country and the most deserved (merits and spouses of ladies were taken into account).
Motto of the Order
"For Love and Fatherland"
Interesting Facts
In 1727, the son of Alexander Menshikov, Alexander Alexandrovich, became a cavalier of the order, becoming the only man awarded. He received the order for his shy, "ladies'" character.
The custom of bandaging baby girls with a pink ribbon goes back to the aforementioned custom of awarding each born Grand Duchess the Order of St. Catherine. The color of the sash is pink.
Imperial Military Order of the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George
The main military award of the Russian Empire. It was established by Catherine II in 1769 during Russian-Turkish war. The order was divided into 4 degrees, and was intended to be awarded purely for distinction in military exploits.
The establishment of a military order was supposed to be a moral incentive for the entire officer corps, and not just the generals, as previously established orders. In order to increase the significance of the order, Catherine II took over her successors “of this order, the Grandmastership”, as a sign of which she placed on herself the signs of the 1st degree.
Motto of the Order
"For Service and Courage".
Pyotr Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky, Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Mikhail Barclay de Tolly.
Duke of Wellington, Karl-John, aka Jean Bernadotte (later King Karl XIV Johan of Sweden), Wilhelm I, King of Prussia, Louis de Bourbon.
Interesting Facts
Order of Saint Vladimir
The order in 4 degrees was established by Catherine II in 1782 on the 20th anniversary of her reign. for awarding both military officials and civil servants. The number of gentlemen was not limited. The statute of the order says: “The Imperial Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir was established as a reward for feats performed in the field public service, and in recompense of labor, for the benefit of the public lifted.
Motto of the Order
Benefit, honor and glory.
Some Russian cavaliers of the order of the 1st degree
Vladimir Dal, Ivan Gannibal, Thaddeus Bellingshausen, Mikhail Miloradovich, Metropolitan Ambrose (Podobedov)
Some foreign cavaliers of the order of the 1st degree
August I, Duke of Oldenburg, Josef Radetzky, Austrian commander,
Interesting Facts
In the entire history of the order, only four people have become full cavaliers: Mikhail Kutuzov, Mikhail Barclay de Tolly, Ivan Paskevich-Erivan Prince of Warsaw and Ivan Dibich-Zabalkansky.
The 4th degree of the order until 1855 was also given for length of service in officer ranks (subject to participation in at least one battle).
Since 1845, those who were awarded only the orders of St. Vladimir and St. George of any degrees received the rights of hereditary nobility, while other orders required the highest 1st degree.
Order of Saint Alexander Nevsky
Peter I planned to make this order the main military award. But he didn't. After his death, Catherine I implemented the idea of the deceased husband and established in honor of St. Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. However, St. Alexander Nevsky did not succeed in becoming a truly main military award: the order became a purely court order. For example, Catherine II awarded them to almost all of her favorites.
Motto of the Order
"For Labor and Fatherland".
Some Knights of the Order
Alexander Menshikov, Mikhail Golitsyn, Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov.
Interesting Facts
On July 29, 1942, a new Order of Alexander Nevsky was established in the USSR to reward the command staff of the Red Army.
Order of the White Eagle
At the beginning, this was the highest state award in Poland. After most of the Commonwealth passed to the Russian Empire, the Russian emperor decided to include the "White Horde" in the list of Russian orders.
Motto of the Order
"For faith, the king and the law."
Some Knights of the Order
Hetman Mazepa, Ivan Tolstoy, Dmitry Mendeleev.
Interesting Facts
In 1992, the order was restored as the highest state award in Poland. The Grand Master of the Order is the President of Poland. The first restored orders were awarded to King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Pope John Paul II.
Order of Saint Anne
The prehistory of the order began in 1725, when Anna, daughter of Peter I, married Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein-Gottorp. After the wedding, they left for the duchy, where in 1728 a boy was born, who was named Peter Ulrich. Soon after the birth of her son, on the day of the celebrations arranged in Kiel on this occasion, Anna fell seriously ill and died. In memory of her, in 1735, the duke established the Order of St. Anne (named after the righteous Anna, mother of the Most Holy Theotokos). The first awarding of this order was carried out only as an imperial dynastic award. The right to award gave the rank of colonel and above. On the day of Paul's coronation on April 16, 1797, the Order of St. Anne was added to the state orders of the Russian Empire and was divided into three degrees (later there were four).
Motto of the Order
"To those who love truth, piety and fidelity"
Some Knights of the Order
Vasily Golovnin, Alexander Suvorov, Sergei Volkonsky, Izmail Semenov.
Interesting Facts
Those awarded with any degree of the Order of St. Anne automatically became hereditary nobles, but since 1845 this position has been changed. It was found that henceforth only the 1st degree of the order gives hereditary nobility, and the remaining degrees - only personal. The exceptions were those of the merchant class and Muslim foreigners, who, when awarded any of the degrees of the order, except for the 1st, did not become nobles, but received the status of "honorary citizens".
