Alexander Nevsky is a very bright historical figure who has done enough for the greatness of Russia. Having entered the principality at a rather difficult time, he managed not only to preserve the territories entrusted to him, but also to strengthen relations with the Golden Horde, and also to give battle to the crusaders on Lake Peipsi. All these facts are well known, but in addition to this, around the prince canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church there are many secrets and mysteries that excite the minds of historians and archaeologists. Most of all, scientists are concerned about the helmet of Alexander Nevsky, which looks very unusual for Slavic culture. Although until now this item, stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin, was considered a genuine element of the military uniform of the Grand Duke, scientists expressed several other versions of its origin. Today we will try to solve the mystery that Alexander Nevsky’s helmet has kept for many centuries.
Helmet description
The helmet of Alexander Nevsky, whose photo can be seen on the pages of school history textbooks, has been kept in the Armory for many years. He is one of her most precious treasures. And this item really looks very impressive. It dates back approximately to the thirteenth century, but it is known that in the seventeenth centuries the helmet was subjected to some alteration and received additional jewelry.
The helmet of Alexander Nevsky is made of reddish iron and has a semicircular shape. It is covered with gold and silver ornate ornaments, the helmet is decorated with precious stones and pearls all around. Over two hundred rubies, almost one hundred diamonds and ten emeralds are located on it as a skilled court master. On the nose of the helmet is a lacquer miniature depicting the Archangel Michael, and the royal crowns and the Orthodox cross are engraved around the perimeter. But this does not make the museum exhibit so unique, the whole mystery lies in the inscription printed around the pointed top. Want to know what is written on the helmet of Alexander Nevsky? You will be very surprised, because the inscription is made in Arabic and contains a verse from the Koran. Why is there an Arabic script on the helmet of Alexander Nevsky? How could an Orthodox prince wear armor with inscriptions of other Gentiles? Let's try to slightly open this secret.
What is written on the helmet of Alexander Nevsky?
So what secret does this historical artifact keep? As we already mentioned, scientists for a very long time studied the helmet of Alexander Nevsky. The Arabic inscriptions (the photo we provided in this article) were able to be translated quite easily, and their coincidence with the Koran was known in ancient times. A beautiful pattern on the helmet of the Russian prince says the following: "Delight the faithful with the promise of God's help and speedy victory."
It is worth noting that this ayah is very popular among Muslims. He is considered one of the main verses of the Quran. With what intent did his master put on the helmet of the Russian prince? We have yet to reveal this secret.
Mysteries of Alexander Nevsky
Alexander Nevsky is an extraordinary personality of his time. As the son of Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodich, he appears before the descendants as a wise and far-sighted ruler who managed to establish relations with the Golden Horde, and even influence its foreign policy.
Surprisingly, this strange friendship with the Tatars caused even contemporaries of the prince many questions. At one time, there were even rumors that Alexander Nevsky was the son of Batu Khan. Most likely, this legend was born from the fact that the prince had been to the Horde four times in his entire life and called Sartak, the son of Batu, his named brother. It is known that in the horde, Prince Alexander dreamed of creating a stronghold of the Christian state and even persuaded Sartak to adopt Orthodoxy. This extraordinary influence and friendship between peoples could explain where the Arabic script on the helmet of Alexander Nevsky came from, if not for one “but”. It is hard to imagine that the Russian prince was going into battle for Russia in armor bearing inscriptions in Arabic and Orthodox symbols. It was simply impossible in those days. In addition, Russian craftsmen could not forge this product, which so perfectly matches all the traditions of oriental forging. Where did this helmet come from, and who is its author?
The master who forged the helmet: who is he?
Scientists have been debating for a long time about who forged the helmet of Alexander Nevsky. Arabic inscriptions seemed to quite clearly indicate its eastern origin. But with respect to history, one should never be so sure of anything.
In Russia, blacksmithing was quite developed, Slavic masters often even taught representatives of various nations to this craft. Therefore, it is not surprising that Russian armor turned out to be very durable and skillfully made. But decorating them with Arabic script was not accepted. And how can this be possible? Indeed, in the thirteenth century the Tatar-Mongol yoke dominated Russia. Then why is the inscription on the helmet of Alexander Nevsky made in Arabic? Scientists have made several assumptions about this.
According to one of them - the helmet was a gift from the Khan of the Golden Horde to the Russian prince, symbolizing friendship and respect. Alexander Nevsky did not disregard the received gift and put it on every military campaign. It is likely that the helmet was created in Saray-Batu, the capital of the Golden Horde. This version has a right to exist, because it is proved that the warriors of the khan never killed skilled craftsmen. They remained to live in the capital of the Horde and produced simply real masterpieces of art. Foreign masters made excellent jewelry, wonderful weapons and, of course, armor.
If you stick to this version, then there is only one question - why does the helmet of Alexander Nevsky, made by oriental masters, contain Orthodox symbols? Here, scientists had to seriously break their brains before they put forward a new hypothesis.
The historical value of the helmet
The helmet of Alexander Nevsky, the Arabic inscriptions on which raise so many questions, played a very significant role in the history of the Russian state. In the seventeenth century, he was presented to Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov as a gift. Funds from the royal treasury were allocated for its decoration, and as a result of the work of the court master Nikita Danilov, he gained unprecedented luxury.
From this moment on, the helmet became an indispensable attribute of the Russian tsars. And in the mid-nineteenth century he was even placed on the state emblem. Scientists believe that such an unprecedented attachment of the Romanovs to this subject is explained quite simply - it meant the continuity of the Romanov dynasty, who became rulers after the Rurikovich. This is what made the ancient helmet so important and significant, as if it affirmed the new royal authority. The helmet adorned with precious stones was called the "Erichon hat of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich."
Erichon hats: the meaning of the name
In the Armory there are several Jericho hats. They are helmets worn by Russian princes. These products have always had a formal appearance and numerous jewelry. Historians believe that these items were not so much used in battles as they served as paraphernalia in parades or during palace rituals.
The origin of the name of these "caps" is interesting. The fact is that the Russian tsars associated themselves with Jesus and the victory over Jericho. They considered themselves governors of higher powers on earth and in battle were ready to crush any enemy encroaching on Russia. In order to intimidate the enemy, inspire his army and give importance to his person, ceremonial helmets were put on, nicknamed "Jericho hats."
An interesting fact is that the very first hat of Jericho, which is the oldest, is also the most expensive. Its value exceeds the prices of five other similar items combined.
The mystery of the helmet of Alexander Nevsky
History, as you know, often gives scientists more riddles than guesses. Therefore, it is not surprising that many archaeological finds turn out to be completely different from what they are initially taken for. Unfortunately, a similar story happened with the helmet of Alexander Nevsky.
In the mid-twentieth century, technology reached such a level that they could accurately indicate the date of manufacture of a particular item. The famous helmet, which haunted historians with its uniqueness, has also undergone research. After long manipulations, it was found that the version of the helmet belonging to Alexander Nevsky is just a legend. Specialists determined that the item was made in the seventeenth century, almost four hundred years after the death of Prince Alexander.
Surprisingly, this did not make it easier for scientists to determine the master who made the helmet and its purpose. Riddles continued to multiply.
Disputes about the origin of the helmet
Interestingly, the studies of scientists did not put an end to the history of the helmet. Many experts continue to claim that it nevertheless belonged to Alexander Nevsky, and laboratory assistants simply made a mistake in the calculations.
Their main argument is the fact that the Romanovs would not turn an unknown helmet of no historical value into a relic and depict it on the state emblem. Of course, there is still a grain of truth in these arguments. It is hard to imagine that the newly made tsar spent so much money on decorating an ordinary helmet with Arabic inscriptions, and then began to use it as the main holiday paraphernalia.
No matter how attractive this story is in the eyes of the patriots, who advocate sensational discoveries, we cannot refute serious scientific research and will focus on them in the article.
Versions on the appearance of the Jericho cap of Mikhail Fedorovich
If we take as a basis the version that the helmet appeared at the king’s court only in the seventeenth century, then it is no less interesting to discover the secret of its origin than to learn about its master. Most historians are inclined to believe that the eastern helmet was a gift from a very important person.
Perhaps he was a diplomatic gift, which the king simply could not accept. But how to put on a helmet with a foreign inscription? This question, most likely, seriously bothered Mikhail Fedorovich. In those days, there were enough educated people in the court who spoke several foreign languages. Therefore, the assumption that the king did not know about the translation of the inscription is simply ridiculous.
Many experts are inclined to the version according to which Romanov found the best way out of a rather delicate situation - he ordered to decorate the item with Orthodox symbols, which distracted attention from the Arabic inscription, and turned the dangerous gift into the possession of the state.
Of course, this is just another version, but it is quite believable and does not go beyond the framework of historical events.
Mysterious East: a mixture of two cultures
Explanations of the origin of the inscription on the helmet stored in the Armory, given in this article, are verified scientific facts. But one mystery of Arabic inscriptions still remained - Arabic script was often applied on Russian weapons, various objects, and even Orthodox church attributes. It seems unbelievable, but the facts speak for themselves - the Arab and Slavic cultures were very closely interconnected.
The Armory stores ample specimens of weapons that engrave various phrases in Arabic. Moreover, all these weapons are not captured, they were either made by Slavic masters, or received as a gift. But the amount of these items is simply amazing.
Many historians have even put forward a rather bold hypothesis that in ancient times Arabic was used as a church language. This allows us to confirm the headdress of the bishop, on which is a beautiful gem with an Arabic inscription. Many archaeologists have made such finds.
Of course, neither the scientific world, nor the Orthodox Church officially recognize this fact, because it can completely change the idea of Russian history.
Conclusion
But what about the real helmet of Alexander Nevsky? Where is he located? It may upset you, but it has not yet been found. Therefore, archaeologists and historians have every chance to someday touch the real helmet, which belonged to the great son of Yaroslav Fedorovich.