Not only a visitor, but not every native inhabitant of the capital will give a positive answer to the question of what is depicted on the coat of arms of the Russian capital. In the best case, he will remember some horseman with a spear who is fighting the Serpent. This requires the history of Moscow. The coat of arms did not appear immediately, it was modified for a long time, creating the ideal symbol of a great city.
Who is this horseman
Connoisseurs of heraldry have no doubt that in this case a warrior in silver armor riding a horse is none other than the legendary George the Victorious. He is dressed in silver armor, with a blue cloak on top, in his right hand holds a golden spear, the tip of which pierces the mouth of the black Serpent. The name of George the Victorious is clearly indicated in the "Regulation on the coat of arms", adopted by the metropolitan authorities in 1993. Not everyone knows about him.
So how did the coat of arms of Moscow appear and why is this particular person depicted there? You can find answers to these questions at the bottom of the article.
Legend of the warrior
The basis of the following plot, detailing the battle. A brave warrior on horseback was waiting for the Serpent on the shore of a sea of excitement. Suddenly, a terrible and unpleasant monster emerged from the water and prepared to attack. His stinking mouth released a stream of flame, causing the horse, frightened, stood on its hind legs. But the rider was not at a loss. The left hand gripped the reins, the fighting friend calmed down; right - firmly grabbed the spear where the shaft ended.
With a deft movement, the warrior directed a formidable weapon towards the Serpent, and a magical silver tip entered the mouth of the monster. The serpent writhed in his death throes under the horse's hooves, life faded in him. One can safely assume that the emblem of the city of Moscow appeared for a reason in this form.
Patron of military affairs
Since ancient times, Christians have been honoring St. George. He patronized all men, especially those who devoted themselves to military affairs, knights, as well as hunters and travelers.
It is not surprising that in the 10th century, when Christianity strengthened its position in Russia, it was this representative of the Christian pantheon that became popular among hunters and warriors. A proud Caucasian could afford to take off his hat-swank from his head only when he saw the image of St. George. Ossetians who professed Christianity, during feasts, necessarily dedicated at least one toast to St. George, counting on his favor and patronage.
The Bible has a legend about a Palestinian warrior named George, who, in order to save the life of Princess Aya, killed a cannibal dragon. But how did the emblem of Moscow appear? What does the horseman and the monster symbolize under the spear?
The monster is a symbol of evil.
The old Russian legend also tells of George, who defeated with the help of the sword Zmiya. In gratitude for not having to be afraid of being eaten by a monster, the Göval idolaters believed in Christ.
One can go even further millennia ago into Indo-European history. Her character - the warrior Indra, who was both a deity, destroys the snake. As a result, humanity gains access to heavenly water. Different legendary personalities fight with the snake at different times:
- Theseus, the hero of ancient Greek myths.
- Perun, the Slavic pagan god. Veles, the ruler of the underworld, is represented in the form of a monster.
- The warriors Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich defeat the fire-breathing dragon.
In general, the snake of the ancient Slavs was associated with enemies who often came to Russia from the steppes. Therefore, the emblem of the city of Moscow was made in this form.
At first there were coins
Long before the prince or saint against the backdrop of the red shield was approved as a symbol of Moscow, his appearance was originally printed on the coins of the Byzantine Empire. Prince of Kiev Yaroslav the Wise, who ruled in the 11th century, made seals and minted coins with St. George. Few people know about the second name of the prince - Yuri (or George). He received it when he became a Christian. In honor of the patron saint, the prince built the city of Tartu (aka Yuryev), the Novgorod monastery, the church of St. George in Kiev. The coat of arms of Moscow appeared only after some time.
In subsequent centuries, traditionally continued to depict on the coins a warrior-serpentine Russian princes. This is the founder of the capital of the future great state, Yuri Dolgoruky, the winner of the Teutonic Knights Alexander Nevsky, Ivan II, Vasily II. For the sculptural image of the holy victorious Serpent, the Frolov Tower of the Kremlin was chosen.
Heroic symbol on the coat of arms
As a starting point, when the horseman who fights with the Serpent is fixed on the coat of arms of the Moscow principality and “all Russia”, the period of the reign of Ivan III can be considered. But, oddly enough, for some reason no one called the "Moscow rider" Saint George then. Moreover, even on state seals, it was placed on the chest of a two-headed eagle. But even then, many chroniclers made a description of the coat of arms of Moscow. The picture symbolized that any enemy of Russia would be defeated.
Only Peter I, by a special document, approximately in the second decade of the 18th century, finally, bothered to assign a specific name (St. George) to the famous horseman. Until the mid-19th century, the Petrine variant served as a symbol of the capital of Russia. By decree of Emperor Nicholas I in 1856, the design of the coat of arms was slightly transformed.
After its approval, after 27 years, it acquired the following form:
- Scepters appeared instead of oak leaves .
- The warrior, along with the horse, was turned in the opposite direction, as required by the rules of heraldry adopted in Western Europe. It was explained simply. Knights of the Middle Ages often had coats of arms on their shields. During the battle, the shield was usually in the left hand. Therefore, the animals depicted (bears, lions, etc.) should look towards the attacker. The emblem of Moscow on this did not stop changing.
- The cloak has now turned blue.
- The dragon, which was originally black, was plated with gold, and the wings turned green.
- The color of the horse has changed - from snow-white it has become a silver hue.
The Bolsheviks, who came to power as a result of the October Revolution of 1917, got rid of everything that was connected with the bourgeois past. The same fate befell the symbolism. In 1924, Moscow received a new coat of arms. The authorities did not want to leave the old coat of arms of Moscow, which symbolizes tsars and knights.
Only in 1993, George the Victorious "returned" to its former place, thereby confirming the fact that sooner or later, good must triumph over evil. Many argue which animal is depicted on the emblem of Moscow. The dragon is mysticism, so they decided to stop at the snake, which is trying to denigrate the homeland. But the defenders will always destroy the creeping reptile.