page_title: Regalia of the Russian tsars
section_title: Regalia of the Russian Empire
hierarchical_section_title: Regalia of the Russian tsars / Regalia of the Russian Empire
caption_attribution_description: Русский: 200 лет Музеям Московского Кремля. Государственный меч и щит. Конец XVII в.; XVIII в. English: The 200th anniversary of the Moscow Kremlin museums. State sword and shield. End 17th Century, beginning 18th Century.
context_page_description: Regalia of the Russian tsars are the insignia of tzars and emperors of Russia from the 13th to the 20th centuries. Some of the artefacts were changed or substituted, the most radical change happened in the 18th century, when Peter the Great reformed the state and transitioned it to European-style monarchy.
  After the Russian Revolution the great number of the Romanovs' was sold by the Bolsheviks, but the most important coronation regalia were placed in the Kremlin Armoury. Since 1967 they are displayed as a part of Diamond Fund permanent exposotion.
context_section_description: The coronation in the Russian Empire was a sophisticated ceremony, scrutinized in tiny details and requiring thorough preparation. The final set of Imperial regalia was formed in 1723-1724, since that time it included the Great Imperial Crown, the Small crown, the Imperial sceptre, the Imperial orb, the mantle, the Big Chain and Star of the Order of St. Andrew, the state shield, the state sword, and the state seal.
  The Crown of Empress Catherine I was first new-type Imperial crown after the  tzars' caps of previous monarchs. It was designed by the court master Samson Larionov and created with the help of 10 Moscow Kremlin masters in 1724 for the coronation of Empress Catherine I, second wife of Peter the Great. In a month after the ceremony the crown of Catherine I was dismantled, its 2000 diamonds and a huge Chinese tourmalin were added to the new crown. The gilded silver carcass of this crown is displayed in Kremlin Armoury.
  The Orb of Emperor Peter II is a simple small golden orb with silver belt and cross, not encrusted with any gemstones. It is kept in the Kremlin Armoury since 30 May 1728.
  The Crown of Empress Anna Ivanovna is one of the first new-type Russian crowns. It was crafted by Gottlieb Wilhelm Dunkel in St. Petersburg in 1731 for Empress Anna's coronation ceremony. Later, the crown was modified in the 1730s. The crown is made of silver and adorned with 2536 diamonds, 28 other gemstones and one huge red tourmaline in c.500 carat. The form was to become traditional: two open-work hemispheres divided by a movable arc with a cross in the middle and a broad circlet. This regalia was given to Kremlin Armory on 14 March 1741. In 1826 it was used for the personal coronation of Emperor Nikolas I in Warsaw as the polish king. Later this crown served as the heraldic crown of "Tsardom of Poland".
  The Agraf (a  buckle for imperial mantle) was made by Jérémie Pauzié for Empress Elizabeth in SPb in the 1760s. The Agraf looks as three small branches with leaves and tiny flowers. It is 25 cm long and 11 wide, encrusted with 805 diamonds, 475.44 carat. Currently it is displayed in the permanent exhibition of the Diamond Fund.
  The Great Imperial Crown is the largest of Russian the crowns. It was made in SPb by G.F. Ekart and Jérémie Pauzié in 1762, in 1797 crown was altered by L.D.Diuval. It has 4936 diamonds, 75 huge pearls and one huge red spinel in 398, 72 carat. The crown nowadays belongs to the Diamond Fund and stays in the permanent exhibition.
  The Imperial sceptre was crafted by the court jewellers L. Pfisterer and I. Leontovich for Empress Catherine II in SPb in 1771 and altered in 1774. The sceptre holds the famous "Orlov" diamond and 196 another diamonds. For the first time it was used in coronation ceremony of Pavel I and thus officially included into the Imperial Insignia.
  The Imperial orb was crafted by the jeweller G.F. Ekart for Empress Catherine II in Moscow in 1762 and altered circa 1774. The smooth golden orb has a diamond belt and a cross with huge 195K sapphire, that was added by order of Pual I. The belts have 1370 diamonds.
  The Maltese crown of Emperor Pavel I, and other Order's relics, were presented to Pavel I in 1798 by the Knights of Malta when he was elected as Grand Master. This regalia was made by stamping gilded silver, surmounted by a golden sphere and golden enamelled "maltese" cross. Until 1803 it also served as the heraldic crown. In 1827 it was given to the Kremlin Armory. Total weight - 1753,00 gr.
  The State sword appeared only in the late 18th century, in Pavel I's time. An old polish steel blade (late 17th century), with a newly gilded silver sword-hilt, was used to make it. Total length with a haft - 141 cm.
  The State shield was made by Russian masters in the late 17th century, but it only became the state regalia  in Pavel I's time. This shield is adorned by carving golden and silver designs with more than 150 gemstones: Its diameter - 58,4 cm.
  The Small Imperial crown was created by master L. Zeftigen for Empress Maria Alexandrovna in St Petersburg in 1856. The design was made on the 
caption: State sword and shield on Russian post stamp.
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