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The Full Blason of the Greater Arms of the Russian Empire

By /

Cmdr. Valery Yegorov, SHA

This version of the Greater Arms of the Russian Empire and its proper blazon was approved by His Imperial Majesty the Lord Emperor and Autocrat of All Russias, Alexander the Third Alexandrovich, on the 24th of July 1882.

The first ever translation of this blazon from Russian into English was done in 1991 by Commander Valery Yegorov, St Andrew Principal Herald Master of the Collegium Heraldicum Russiae. This translation was for the first time published in a Russian heraldic magazine Gerboved, number One, 1992, on pages 77-82. © V. Yegorov, 1992. 

Or, a double-headed Imperial Eagle displayed Sable, twice imperially crowned proper, armed and membered Gold, langued Gules, grasping in the dexter claw an imperial sceptre, and in the sinister claw an imperial orb, all proper. In chief another bigger imperial crown with issuant and pendent therefrom a blue-celeste ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.

The Imperial Eagle is charged on the breast with an escutcheon: Gules, an image of St. George Martyr the Victorious in complete armour Argent, wearing a flying cloak Azure, riding a horse in full gallop Argent, the latter is covered with a horse-cloth Gules, fringed, bridled and maned Or, and treading upon a dragon crawling in base Or, winged Vert, whose head the rider is piercing through with a spear, the rear end of the latter is terminating in an Orthodox cross Gold (for Moscow).

Above the escutcheon is placed a helmet of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky, with a mantling Sable, doubled Or. The shield is encircled with the collar and pendent therefrom a badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. And for supporters: on the dexter side St. Archangel Michael in complete armour, holding in the dexter hand a sword enflamed, all proper; and on the sinister side St. Archangel Gabriel habited proper, holding in the sinister hand a long cross Gold.

All displayed within an imperial robe of estate with a pavilion Or, semée of imperial eagles, doubled Ermine, and ensigned with an imperial crown proper. Along the pavilion`s rim is this motto: “СЪ НАМИ БОГЪ,” which means “GOD WITH US.” lettered Gules. And above all, issuant from behind the pavilion and the imperial crown, is a state gonfannon Or, fimbriated of the state livery colours: Sable, Or, and Argent, and emblasoned with the Lesser Arms of the Russian Empire.

The imperial robe of estate is semicircled below by seven shields, each being ensigned with its proper crown, displaying the coats of arms of the titular Kingdoms and Principalities of the Russian Empire, and the ancestral Arms of the Russian Emperor. Namely:

  1. Argent, a wyvern Sable, crowned and armed Or, winged, langued and tailed Gules (for the Kingdom of Kazan).
  2. Azure, a royal crown of eight arches (five visible) Or, doubled Vert, above a sabre curved in fess point to the dexter Argent, hilted and pommelled Or (for the Kingdom of Astrakhan)
  3. Gules, an eagle displayed Argent, royally crowned proper, armed and membered Or (for the Kingdom of Poland).
  4. Ermine, two sables rampant combattant Sable, supporting an ancient crown Or, and a bow in fess, with two arrows saltirewise points downwards, all Gules (for the Kingdom of Siberia)
  5. Or, a double-headed Byzantine eagle displayed Sable, twice royally crowned and armed Gold, charged on the breast with an escutcheon: Azure, an Orthodox cross within a bordure, all Or (for the Kingdom of the Taurian Chersonesus – now the Crimea).
  6. Quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon (for the Caucasus):
    1. Gules, between in sinister chief and dexter base two mullets of eight points, a horse in full gallop all Argent (for Iberia).
    2. Or, a volcano fumant Vert, pierced through with two arrows saltirewise points upwards Sable (for Kartalinia).
    3. Azure, between in chief and at either side three mullets of six points Argent, two arrows saltirewise points upwards of the same, debruised by an inescutcheon Or, charged with an increscent Gules (for Kabarda).
    4. Or, a lion rampant Gules, crowned proper (for Armenia).
    5. Enté en pointe Or, a Chercassian warrior in complete armour Argent, habited Gules and wearing a fur cloak Sable, holding a spear of the same on the dexter shoulder, and riding a horse in full gallop Sable (for the Chercassian and Mountaineer Princes).The inescutcheon: Or, an image of St. George Martyr the Victorious in complete armour Azure with a cross on the breast, wearing a flying cloak Gules, and riding a horse in full gallop Sable, covered with a horse-cloth Gules, fringed Gold, treading upon a crawling dragon Vert, winged Sable, eyed and langued Gules, whose head the rider is piercing through with a spear Gules (for the Kingdom of Georgia)
  7. Tierced per pale and enté en pointe (for the united ancient principal Grand Duchies):
    1. Azure, an image of St. Archangel Michael in complete armour with the wings inverted all Argent, holding in the dexter hand a sword enflamed proper, and in the sinister hand a shield Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Kiev).
    2. Gules, a lion rampant guardant Or, crowned with an iron crown proper, holding in the dexter forepaw a long cross Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Vladimir).
    3. Enté en pointe Argent, two bears statant erect combattant Sable, supporting a throne Or, cushioned Gules, on which are placed a sceptre and a long cross saltirewise, both Or. On the back of the Throne is a triple candle-stick Gold with three lighted candles proper. In a base Azure, two fish fesswise respectant naiant and counter-naiant Argent (for the Grand Duchy of Novgorod).
  8. Gules, between eight roses Argent, barbed and seeded proper, a lion rampant Or, ducally crowned proper, holding in the dexter vambraced forepaw a straight-bladed sword proper, hilted and pommelled of the Or, and resting the sinister forepaw on a curved sabre proper, hilted and pommelled as the latter, the blade of which the lion is treading upon with the dexter hindpaw (for the Grand Duchy of Finland).
  9. Beneath all is placed a shield, ensigned with a royal crown proper, displaying the Ancestral Arms of His Imperial Majesty, the Lord Emperor and Autocrat of All Russias. Namely:

Per pale,

    1. Argent, a griffin segreant Gules, holding a sword proper and a round shield Or, ensigned upon its upper edge with an eaglet Sable, all within a bordure Sable, charged with eight lion’s heads erased Or and Argent alternately (for the House of Romanov).
    2. Quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon. i. Gules, a lion rampant Or, crowned properly, holding in the forepaws a long-handled axe of St. Olaf Argent, handled Or (for Norway); ii. Or, two lions passant Azure (for Schleswig); iii. Gules, an inescutcheon per fess Argent and Gules, between three nettle leaves and as many passion nails in pairle Argent (for Holstein); iv. Gules, a swan Argent, beaked, membered and royally gorged Or (for Stormarn); v. Enté en pointe: Gules, a knight in armour Or, on a horse Argent, brandishing a sword Argent, and with a shield Azure, charged with a cross pattée Or (for Ditmarsen); vi. Over all, an inescutcheon of pretence ensigned with a Duke`s crown proper, namely: Per pale, a) Or, two bars Gules (for Oldenburg); b) Azure, a cross pattée fitchy Or (for Delmenhorst).

The imperial robe of estate is semicircled above by six shields, displaying the coats of arms of the Imperial titular Provinces and Lands, namely:

    1. The united arms of the Principalities and Provinces of Great Russia. Twice per fess and twice per pale, with enté en pointe:
      1. Argent, a stag trippant Gules, unguled and attrired of twelve tynes Sable (for Nizhny Novgorod).
      2. Argent, two arms vested Gules, issuant from either side of the shield out of clouds Azure, and holding in the hands two spears in saltire Gules (for Yugora).
      3. Or, a knyaz (prince) vested Vert, with a fur hat on, wearing a cloak and booted Gules, holding in the dexter hand a sword proper and in the sinister hand a scabbard Sable (for Ryazan`).
      4. Argent, a cannon Sable, its carriage and wheels Or, with perching on the fuse a “Paradise Bird” proper (for Smolensk).
      5. Azure, a snow leopard Or, in chief issuant out of clouds Argent a dexter hand proper (for Pskov).
      6. Gules, a throne Or, cushioned Vert, on which is placed a royal crown proper (for Tver`).
      7. Argent, a bear passant erect guardant Sable, holding in the sinister forepaw a long-handled axe Or (for Yaroslavl`).
      8. Gules, a stag statant Argent, gorged Or (for Rostov Veliky).
      9. Azure, two fish in saltire Argent, in chief a crescent of the same, in dexter chief a cross pommelled Or (for Belo-Ozero).
      10. Enté en pointe: Sable, a fox Argent, langued and eyed Gules (for Udora).
    2. The united arms of the South-Western Provinces. Tierced per pale and enté en pointe:
      1. Gules, a cross formy Argent (for Volyn`);
      2. Azure, the sun in splendour accompanied in chief with a cross couped, all Or (for Podolsk);
      3. Argent, an eagle crowned displayed Sable, holding behind the back in the sinister claws a long cross tilted bendwise Or (for Chenigov).
    3. The united arms of the White Russia`s and Lithuanian Provinces. Quarterly with enté en pointe and an inescutcheon: Per fess.
        1. Gules, an eagle displayed Argent.
        2. Or, a knight (Pogonia) in complete armour Azure, holding a sword proper and a shield Argent, charged with a cross Lorraine Gules, riding a Horse Sable, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth of the fourth, fringed of the field (for Belostock).
      2. Or, a Bear statant erect Sable, langued and eyed Gules (for Samogitia).
      3. Argent, a knight (Pogonia) in complete armour Sable, holding a scimitar proper and a circular shield Gules, charged with a double cross Argent, riding a horse Sable, bridled Argent and Gules (for Polotsk).
      4. Gules, a knight (Pogonia) in complete armour Argent, holding a sword and a round shield of the same, charged with a double cross Gules, riding a horse Argent, saddled Gules, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth Or, fringed Azure (for Vitebsk).
      5. Enté en poite: Argent, a wolf passant reguardant Gules (for Mstislav).
      6. The inescutcheon: Gules, a knight (Pogonia) in complete armour Argent, holding a sword and a shield of the same, charged with a double cross Gules, riding a horse Argent, covered with a three-tailed horse-cloth of the field, fringed Or (for the Grand Duchy of Lithuania).
    4. The united arms of the Baltic Provinces. Quarterly:
      1. Or, three lions passant Azure (for Estland)
      2. Gules, a griffin segreant Argent, holding a sword Or, and charged on his breast with a cypher ПВ ИВ (Peter the Second, Emperor of All Russias) Gules, ensigned with an imperial crown (for Liefland).
      3. Quarterly, i and iv: Argent, a lion rampant crowned Gules (for Kurland). ii and iii: Azure, issuant from the side a demi stag trippant ducally crowned, attired of twelve tynes, Argent; the figures in the 1st and 3rd quarters being contourné (for Semigalia).
      4. Gules, two arms embowed vambraced combatant Argent, each holding in the hand a scimitar proper, with in chief a crown Or (for Korelia).
    5. The united arms of the North-Eastern Provinces. Quarterly, with an inescutcheon:
      1. Or, an arm vested Gules, issuant from the sinister side out of clouds Azure, holding a bow and an arrow in full draught, with in dexter chief a cross pommelled, all Gules (for Vyatka).
      2. Vert, an Agnus Dei Argent carrying a gonfannon Gules, shafted Or, charged with a cross Argent (for Bulgaria).
      3. Argent, a fox passant Sable, langued and eyed Gules (for Obdora).
      4. Vert, a savage wreathed with oak foliage both about the temples and loins, and holding a club Argent on the dexter shoulder (for Kondia).

The inescutcheon: Gules, a bear passant Argent, carrying on the back a book of the Gospel Or, ensigned with a cross formy rayonnant of four rays Argent (for Perm`).

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