Do you know what the Russian flag looked like before? History of the Imperial Flag of Russia

The history of the Russian flag dates back several centuries. Over the centuries, the banner has been modified, but has not ceased to fulfill its most important functions - to serve as an identification mark, as well as to represent and symbolize the country and the nation as a whole. Every citizen should know what the Russian flag looked like before and what it represents today, what it personifies and what it means.

Flag and banner are two terms denoting the most important symbol of any state

In the Russian language, two words have long been used, having a similar semantic meaning: "banner" and "flag." The first has Slavic roots and comes from the word "sign" or "sign". He points to his owner and acts as a special symbol. The second term "flag" came to us from Holland and in translation means "ship and seaworthy flag". Usually he climbed a special mast, called the "flagstaff".

Since long ago, the flag looked like a piece of cloth of a certain geometric shape that was attached to a cord or shaft. It could have a different color, and often its colors carried a special meaning. It is difficult to overestimate the role of the banner in ancient land, sea battles and medieval battles, when it was used to control the military detachments. To this day it is used as a symbol of the state, the authorities, as a "representative" of the nation.

All countries of the world have their own single-colored or multi-colored banner. The modern flag of the Russian Federation is easily recognized - it is a rectangular panel with three horizontal stripes of white (top), blue (middle) and red (lower) colors. About three centuries the Russian people "passed" under the tricolor. And what did the Russian flag look like earlier? What did he symbolize? Let's try to figure this out.

Stitching of the ancient Slavs

Historians know little about the ancient banners of the Slavic peoples. Presumably, the first of them were primitive and consisted of grass or horse tails, which were attached to poles, spears or simply long sticks. It is believed that they were like Bunchuk Turkic tribes. The "Tale of Bygone Years" referred to the banners that marked the military detachments-banners (canvases fastened to the shaft). Gradually appeared and a special post - the rapier: he had to keep the banner and deploy it during the battle. Over time, banners not only served as reference points in the battle, but also transformed into special symbols of power. Princes, seizing cities, began to hoist their banners over them, informing about their claims.

Banners of the Old Russian State

In Russia in the IX-XIII centuries. Were extended banners elongated triangular shape, prapors with a beveled wedge and rim, as well as banners with sutures attached to them, waving in the wind. Often battles were used and banners - special sacred banners, which depicted the faces of saints, the Virgin or Savior. Ancient banners were made from different fabrics and painted in different colors. In this case, the most frequently used are green, red, blue, white and blue shades. On the Kulikovo field, above the Russian soldiers, stretched a large red banner, on which was depicted the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Tsarist banners during the XVI-XVII centuries.

Up until the 18th century, Russia did not have a single state banner. There was a large number of various banners and banners. The small and large royal banners were very bright and beautiful. As a rule, they were richly decorated and decorated with religious themes.

An example of such banners is the famous "Great banner" of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. He was a huge multi-colored cloth trapezoidal shape. It was decorated with images of St. Michael sitting on a golden winged horse, and Jesus Christ in glory. Also on the canvas were skillfully painted golden cherubs, seraphim and angels in white robes. This is the greatest banner for more than 150 years accompanied in the battles and campaigns of the Russian army: it visited the Crimean (1687, 1689) and the Azov (1696) campaigns, as well as in the war with the Swedes. Photo of the flag of Tsarist Rossi, unfortunately, does not convey all of its beauty and power. Such royal honors were given special honors: they were illuminated, along with icons, they were worshiped. Regimental and hundred banner were smaller in size and not as richly decorated as the royal ones. Often, instead of the saints' faces, a simple cross was depicted on them. Since the XVII century. On the banners in the western manner began to put secular emblems, for example, drawings of a snake, eagle, lion, etc.

What did the flag of Russia look like under Peter the Great

During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, the first mention of the united Russian flag appeared. The sovereign, having studied the banners of other countries, chose for his three basic colors - white, blue and red. In 1686, on the first merchant ship "Eagle" was raised a new flag of tsarist Russia. According to some versions, it had a rectangular shape. It showed a blue cross, the left upper and lower right corners were painted white, and the remaining two - in red. Peter I, continuing the work of his father, modified the flag, determining on it the order of the horizontal bands. A photo of the flag of Tsarist Russia is presented below - it looked like a modern tricolor, but had a double-headed eagle in the center. Also, Peter the Great created a flag for the merchant fleet. It was a white cloth with a black double-headed eagle, with a power and a golden scepter in its paws. Since 1705, the Russian commercial flag, tricolor, was officially approved, which was used on military ships until 1712, until the single stern Andreevsky flag was approved - a white cloth with a blue cross diagonally. After that, tricolor was used only on commercial ships.

History of the imperial flag of Russia. The Tsar's Flag in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Later, the Russian flag underwent significant changes. In 1742, a new banner was made in connection with the upcoming coronation of Elizabeth I. What did the Russian flag look like now? On the yellow canvas was depicted a black double-headed eagle, which was surrounded by oval shields with coats of arms. Under Alexander I black-and-white-yellow colors gradually began to be perceived as state colors. On the banners of the Russian regiments depicted a black two-headed eagle on a gold background. In 1858, a new coat of arms was developed, as well as the flag of the Russian Empire. Alexander II approved from three bands - black top, yellow in the center and white from below - the imperial flag of Russia. The photo shows how the banner was in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the new kind of flag did not suit the common people, but was perceived as purely official. In addition, the new banner was very similar to German. For this reason, Alexander III, the famous Russophile, again returned the white-blue-red tricolor to the pedestal. In 1914, after a wide celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty on the Russian throne, a symbiosis of banners appeared. The white-blue-red flag was supplemented with a black and yellow imperial standard, which was depicted in the upper corner of the shaft. Such a banner existed before the 1917 revolution .

Flags and banners of the RSFSR and the USSR. Complicated 20th Century

The Russian and February revolutions were held under bright scarlet banners. Not only they, but all the mass symbols were red. The October Revolution of 1917 was also carried out under the scarlet flag. On July 10 of the same year, the final version of the new banner was adopted. The flag of the RSFSR was a red cloth. In the upper left corner, at the shaft, there was a gold inscription - "RSFSR". Since 1918, the use of the imperial tricolor has been strictly prohibited. Above the Kremlin, a scarlet banner was planted.

In 1924 the Constitution of the USSR approved a new flag. On the scarlet cloth now depicted a golden hammer and sickle, over which was placed a five-pointed star with a gold border. In the Second World War, the Soviet banner became a great symbol of the victory of the Russian people over fascism.

Return of the famous Russian tricolor

After more than seventy years, a Russian tricolor was raised in the capital, above the Supreme Council building. This significant event happened in the days of the August 1991 coup . Now the flag of the Russian Federation rises not only on the buildings of authorities in the territory of our country, but also on diplomatic missions abroad. In addition to the tricolor, the St. Andrew's flag is used to this day, as well as the Banner of Victory, which was established by presidential decree in 1996. It symbolizes the heroism and great courage of the Russian people manifested during the Great Patriotic War. We hope that our article was useful, and now you know which flags were in Russia. Every citizen should know the great historical past of his people!