Tricolor black yellow white flag. How the black-yellow-white flag appeared

The embassy of the Holstein Duke Frederick III arrived with a request for permission for the latter's subjects to travel through Russian territory to Persia on trade matters. To transport Holsteins, an agreement was reached on the construction of ten ships on the Volga. With the help of hired Russian carpenters, the first ship, named "Frederick" after the Duke, was launched by June 1636; the remaining ships were never built. The flag of Schleswig-Holstein, under which "Frederick" flew, was also a blue-white-red panel with the order of colors opposite to the Dutch one. Undoubtedly, the fact of the existence of a ship with such a flag in the Volga-Kama system could have influenced the choice of Alexei Mikhailovich.

It is possible that Alexei Mikhailovich’s choice of white, blue and red as Russian national colors was influenced by the fact that they repeat the colors of the Moscow coat of arms: “In a scarlet shield, the Holy Great Martyr and Victorious George, in silver weapons and an azure robe (mantle) on a silver […] a horse slaying […] a dragon.”

Be that as it may, the flag of these very colors was raised on the Eagle. Prince Alexander Putyatin in his article “On the Russian National Flag” writes that this flag was in fact the first Russian national flag.

Estimated appearance of the flag of the ship "Eagle"

Flag of the Russian Kingdom
(1668(?)-1721)

If the situation with the colors of the Russian flag seems quite clear, then regarding its design there are different opinions:

• Another famous naval historian, P.I. Belavenets, does not agree with these arguments. In his work “Colors of the Russian State National Flag” he refers to the famous engraving “The Capture of the Azov Fortress. 1696" by the Dutch artist Adrian Schonebeek. The flags of the Russian fleet on it look like panels divided into equal parts by a cross. It should be noted, however, that the capture of Azov dates back to the time of Peter I; The first documentary mention of the white-blue-red flag, which is as close as possible to the modern flag of Russia, dates back to the same time.

Flag of the Tsar of Moscow

Flag of the Tsar of Moscow (1693)

A flag similar to the modern Russian flag began to be used as the naval flag of Russia. Considering the fact that in ground forces each regiment had its own banner, the single naval flag adopted by Peter was the de facto state flag of Russia.

Flag of the Russian Empire

Despite the fact that Peter I developed a huge number of flags during his life (various versions of the St. Andrew's flag, standards of the Tsar of Moscow and the All-Russian Emperor, versions of the jacks, etc.), he never installed the state flag of the Russian Empire.

Peter's successors continued this “tradition” for almost a century and a half: despite the widespread use of the Russian white-blue-red tricolor in everyday life, its status as the flag of the Russian Empire was not legally established.

P.I. Belavenets describes the distribution of two national flags: the white-blue-red Russian and the black-yellow imperial standard, pointing out that there was “no talk yet” about the national flag itself. He notes that, for example, under Alexander I, “after the occupation of Paris, white-blue-red flags were displayed, which everyone considered to be national Russian state» .

At the same time, many flags based on the Peter the Great tricolor were created in the Russian Empire. So, in 1806, the flag of the Russian-American Company appeared, which was a panel of three horizontal stripes (white, blue and red), with a black double-headed eagle in the middle of the white stripe and the inscription “Russian-American Company”.

Image of the flag of the coat of arms of the Russian Empire in the appendix to the decree of Alexander II of June 11, 1858

Russian society did not accept this new symbol state power: in the minds of Russians, black and yellow colors were associated with Austria and the House of Habsburgs ruling there. There were two parallel flags in the empire: black-yellow-white - the national “de jure” and white-blue-red - the national “de facto”, and the first flag was not widespread, and the preference of the population was universally given to the latter.

Alexander III issued the “Order on Flags for Decorating Buildings on Ceremonial Occasions,” which ordered the use of exclusively white-blue-red flags. On April 28 (May 7) this decision was included in the Collection of Legislation of the Russian Empire). The white-blue-red flag is highly approved by Emperor Alexander III and “for commercial vessels.” From that moment on, black-yellow-white was considered the dynastic flag of the reigning house of the Romanovs.

The last Russian Emperor Nicholas II in 1896 finally assigned the white-blue-red flag the status of the only state flag of the Russian Empire (despite the fact that during the reign of Nicholas II the issue of the national flag of Russia was repeatedly discussed).

Flag of the Russian Empire "for private use" (1914-1917)

Flag of the Russian Republic

Flag of the Russian Federation

Flag of Russia (1991-1993)

Standard of the President Russian Federation(since 1994)

Appendix to the Federal Constitutional Law of December 25, 2000 No. 1-FKZ “On the State Flag of the Russian Federation”

Flag of the Supreme Commander Armed Forces Russian Federation

By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin dated February 15, 1994 No. 319 “On the standard (flag) of the President of the Russian Federation,” a special flag was introduced - the standard of the President of the Russian Federation. Its colors repeat those of the Russian national flag; the difference lies in the ratio of the width of the flag to its length - 1:1 - and in the image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation located in the center of the standard without heraldic shield. The original standard is one of the official symbols of the President of Russia. Its panel is edged with gold fringe, and a silver bracket with the engraved surname, name and patronymic of the President of the Russian Federation and the dates of his tenure in this post is attached to the shaft. The shaft of the standard itself is topped with a metal pommel in the form of a spear.

The flag of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the design of which was approved by the Minister of Defense on September 21, 1995, also almost completely repeats the design of the Presidential Standard, but has the proportions of the Russian flag - 2:3.

Both of these flags are actually similar to the so-called “Flag of the Tsar of Moscow” used by Peter I, but made in different proportions.

The description of the state flag of the Russian Federation, contained in the 1993 Regulations, was repeated without changes in the first article of the Federal Constitutional Law of December 25, 2000 No. 1-FKZ “On the State Flag of the Russian Federation,” which came into force on December 27, 2000.

Day of the State Flag of the Russian Federation

State Flag Day of the Russian Federation is celebrated on August 22 of every year. It was approved in 1994 by decree of the President of the Russian Federation.

Meaning of flag colors

The colors of the Russian flag have many symbolic meanings. Currently, there is no official interpretation of the colors of the State Flag of the Russian Federation.

Since ancient times in Rus', white, blue and red colors have meant:

• white color - nobility and frankness;
• Blue colour- fidelity, honesty, impeccability and chastity;
• red color - courage, boldness, generosity and love.

It is believed that this is how the symbolism of the white-blue-red “Flag of the Tsar of Moscow” should be deciphered.

Another common interpretation was the correlation of the colors of the flag with the historical regions of the Russian Empire: Belaya (white), Malaya (blue) and Great Rus'(Red color) . This explanation came from the full title of the tsars and emperors of Russia: “All Great, and Little and White Russia,” symbolizing the unity of the Great Russians, Little Russians and Belarusians.

In addition, in pre-revolutionary times there was a different interpretation of the meanings of these colors, for example:

• white is the color of freedom;
• blue is the color of the Virgin Mary;
• red color is a symbol of sovereignty.

There was also an interpretation of these colors (similar to the symbolism of the Romanov dynastic flag) as a trinity Orthodox Church, royal power and people, where:

• white color is a symbol of the Orthodox faith;
• blue color is a symbol of royal power;
• red color is a symbol of the Russian people;

This trinity of faith, king and people was reflected in the public consciousness: in the call “For the Faith, the Tsar and the Fatherland!” and in the political principle “autocracy, Orthodoxy, nationality.”

In addition, it is often suggested that the three colors of the flag symbolize “Faith, Hope, Love.”

Pan-Slavic colors

The colors of the white-blue-red flag of Russia coincide with the colors of the pan-Slavic flag. These so-called Pan-Slavic colors are reflected in the flags of many Slavic states and peoples - Czechoslovakia (now the flag of the Czech Republic), Slovakia (in - and -1992 the flag of Slovakia was almost identical to the modern flag of Russia), Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, the old flag of Montenegro (in -2004 - with the replacement of blue with light blue), Bulgaria (with the replacement of blue with green) and Lusatian Serbs.

It should be noted, however, that in some of these cases the similarity of flag colors with Pan-Slavic flags is not intentional and is not associated with the Russian flag.

In recent years, black-yellow-white has become popular imperial flag, or white-yellow-black. What is the meaning of the imperial flag? What's its story? Why is he forgotten? For many decades now, the debate about which flag is the imperial one has not subsided. And each side finds irrefutable evidence that they are right. But after this the next question arises: is it worth returning to the imperial flag?

History of the flag

In 1453 Constantinople fell, holding back the Ottoman siege for two months. It was last hope Byzantine Empire. During the siege of XI Palaiologos was killed.

After some time, the Vatican began to look for allies, intending to organize a crusade against the Turks. The Moscow state, which was then ruled by Ivan III, could become a strong ally. Therefore, the Pope marries Ivan III with Sophia Paleologus, the niece of Emperor Constantine XI. The pope hoped that this marriage would bear fruit: the reconquest of the former possessions of Byzantium. In addition, the Vatican wanted Muscovy to accept the Union of Florence and submit to Rome. But Ivan III had other plans: strengthening power in Moscow.

Having married Sophia Paleologus, Ivan III became Tsar and defender of Orthodoxy. And Moscow became the heir of Constantinople and Rome. Therefore, the coat of arms of the Moscow State also changed. The Byzantine coat of arms was combined with the Moscow one - a yellow field and a double-headed black eagle and a white rider on a horse killing a snake.

Alexey Mikhailovich introduced this coat of arms into circulation. And other rulers followed this tradition of such a depiction of the coat of arms.

The Senate in 1731 issued a decree according to which every infantry and dragoon regiment had to have scarves and hats in the colors of the coat of arms. The Russian army had to use gold and black silk for tailoring. In addition, they now had white bows.

Peter I introduces new colors

Imperial flags as such did not exist at that time. The tricolor (white-blue-red) flag appeared in Russia, according to most historians, during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. The military had a banner, for the manufacture of which worm-like, white and azure fabrics were used, that is, red, white and blue. This detail, not noticed by everyone, destroys the main argument of critics of the tricolor, since the majority believes that Peter I “brought” this flag to our country. Peter the Great drew a different flag: the white cloth was divided by a blue straight cross into four equal parts, called kryzhy. The first and fourth are white, the second and third are red. Closer to end of XVII centuries, the flag firmly clung to the masts of Russian ships.

After a trip to Holland, the young king decided to build ships, so he immediately went to Arkhangelsk. On the way to the capital, he stopped at Vologda, where he presented Archbishop Athanasius with three flags from his ship. The largest was the "flag of the Tsar of Moscow." It consisted of three horizontal stripes: white, blue and red (from top to bottom). Also sewn onto the panel was a double-headed eagle holding a scepter and orb. The eagle's chest was decorated with a red shield with St. George.

There is a version that he created the flags already in Arkhangelsk. Some sources claim that Russian flag was conceived like the Dutch tricolor, but with a different order of colors. But the mistake is that Peter I had already created this flag before his trip to Holland.

After the appearance of the flag of the Moscow Tsar, the white-blue-red imperial flag with a sewn coat of arms remained the royal ship standard. In 1697, Peter introduced a new tricolor flag, without the sewn eagle.

Under Peter I, the tricolor was the battle banner of Russia, land and naval forces. But during Northern War the army and navy began to use In 1705, on January 20, Peter I ordered the use of the white-blue-red flag only in the merchant fleet.

In the post-Petrine era greatest influence provided by the German entourage of the reigning persons. Therefore, the national colors were practically lost.

Imperial standard

The imperial flags were also complemented by the imperial standard. It was approved by Peter I: on the yellow cloth there is a double-headed black eagle holding nautical maps with the White, Azov and Caspian Seas. Quite quickly a fourth nautical chart was added. Partially coast Baltic Sea joined in 1703.

Before this, in 1696, the emperor created a coat of arms banner, which was based on that used during the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. The banner was red with a white border, and in the center was a golden eagle soaring over the sea. In a circle on his chest they depicted the Savior, next to him were the Holy Spirit and the holy apostles Paul and Peter.

In 1742, the coronation of Elizabeth Petrovna took place. Before this event, a new State Banner of the empire was created: on a yellow cloth - a black double-headed eagle, surrounded by 31 oval shields with coats of arms. At that time, territorial coats of arms were not yet depicted on the eagle’s wings.

Baron Bergard Karl Köhne created the second state banner. He was prepared for the coronation of Alexander II (1856, August 26). In addition to the state banner, Bernhard Köhne also created a large, medium and small one. Afterwards, he created the coat of arms of the House of Romanov and generally carried out a heraldic reform of Russian territorial emblems. Koehne's main idea was to establish colors that reflect the colors of the coat of arms on flags and banners. Festive draperies and military uniform also had these shades. This was the custom in the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Empire. But the coat of arms colors were approved under Anna Ioanovna (1731, August 17).

Since the state coat of arms had a golden shield, a double-headed black eagle, silver crowns, a scepter and an orb, Bergard Karl Köhne decided that according to the rules of heraldry the coat of arms colors were black, gold and silver.

In 1883, the third state banner was created for the coronation. It was painted by the artist Belashev. But instead of a golden eyelet, they used silk fabric, which had the color of old gold.

For the coronation of Nicholas II, which took place in 1896, the fourth state banner was created. It was made of gold fabric with embroidery, not painting.

Strengthening the unity of the nation

The Patriotic War with Napoleon ended, and the white-yellow-black flag began to be hung only in holidays. The existence of the flag in this form lasted only until its official adoption. Nicholas I ordered the colors of the future imperial flag to be used on the cockades of civil servants.

Nicholas I generally sought to adopt state symbols and attributes. He was convinced that this could strengthen the unity of the nation. That is why the emperor approved the patriotic anthem “God Save the Tsar” as the state anthem.

Upside down flag

Alexander II wanted to restore order in state symbols, since they should have been brought into line with pan-European heraldic standards. Therefore, in 1857, the emperor appointed Baron Bergard-Karl Köhne as head of the stamp department.

The year 1858 serves as the point from which the history of the imperial flag as a state flag begins. In 1858, on June 11, Alexander II signed a Decree approving the new sovereign flag. Only now it was upside down: black, yellow and white. It was supposed to hang on all government institutions and government buildings. At the same time, private individuals had the right to use only the flag of the merchant fleet with the old tricolor: white, blue, red.

The author of the design of the imperial flag was Bernhard-Karl Köhne. It was he who came up with the idea to make a black, yellow and white imperial flag. What do the colors on the panel mean? Why did the baron turn the flag over? In general, in heraldry, an inverted banner signifies mourning. At sea it is a distress signal. The wonderful heraldist Koehne could not have known about this. Symbolically or not, but after this the fate of the country began to change greatly, not for the better.

Artists' paintings "fixed" the arrangement of colors in the following order: white, yellow and black.

The meaning of flowers

The colors of the imperial flag of Russia have a deep meaning that makes you think about the past, present and future of the country. We will consider the first version of the imperial flag.

The bottom layer is black - this is the personification of the sovereign coat of arms of the empire. The stability and prosperity of the entire country is concentrated here, with inviolable and strong borders and the unity of the nation.

The middle layer is yellow - moral development, high spirituality of the Russian people. This color is also interpreted as a reference to the times of the Byzantine Empire - as the ancestor of Russia in Orthodox world.

The top layer is white - a prayer and appeal to St. George the Victorious, who has been the patron saint of Russian lands for many centuries. In addition, this color is a symbol of the sacrifice of the Russian people. He is ready to shake the world in an impulse to give everything for his country, just to preserve its greatness and his own honor.

There is another version as to what the color of the imperial flag means. White stripe- Orthodoxy, which is the foundation and basis of life. The yellow stripe is autocracy, which is established on Orthodoxy, since this is the only given by God form of power. - a people based on Orthodoxy and autocracy. Black - because it is the color of the earth, Russia should live by noble labor on the earth.

Controversy

In the next 15-20 years, the white-yellow-black flag as a state banner was perceived unambiguously and was not disputed. But closer to the 70s of the 19th century, opposition from liberal circles, opposing the monarchical system, strengthened in the empire. Its representatives wanted the country to begin to follow the Western model of development. As a result, they had a craving for European symbols. The flag approved by Peter I to some extent relates to European symbols.

The monarchists advocated the preservation of the imperial flag. Their motives are quite clear: one people means one Empire, and therefore one imperial flag. What all this means is that the country is invincible and strong.

Imperial flags: are there two of them?

1881 is the year of the death of Alexander II. His death came at a very difficult and important point for the state. Alexander III Quite soon (in 1883, April 28) he gave the white-blue-red flag the status of a sovereign flag, although he was offered to make it only a trade flag. The situation was complicated by the fact that the imperial flag was not cancelled.

In 1887, an Order was issued by the military department, which approved the black-yellow-white imperial flags as national ones.

The situation was very ambiguous; something had to be decided immediately. In April 1896, representatives of the Academy of Sciences and Ministries decided that the new sovereign banner could be national. And the imperial flag does not have any heraldic traditions.

Nicholas II ordered the preparation of a new coronation banner for his coronation, the prototype of which was similar banners of his predecessors.

In March 1896, before the coronation, Nicholas II gathered representatives from the Academy of Sciences and foreign and various ministries. At the meeting it was decided that the tricolor should be called national, Russian. Its colors are called state colors (red, blue and white).

Interpretation of the new tricolor

The new colors of the flag - white, blue and red - became national and received an official interpretation. So, a new imperial flag. What does each of its stripes mean?

The most popular decryption is the following:

• white is a symbol of nobility and frankness;
• blue is a symbol of honesty, chastity, fidelity and impeccability;
• red is a symbol of courage, love, courage and generosity.

Red - sovereignty. Blue - Our Lady covering Russia. White - freedom and independence. Also, these colors spoke of the commonwealth of White, Malaya and Great Russia. Despite complex history This flag, in fact, there is no historical or heraldic meaning behind its colors.

Interestingly, the Provisional Government continued to use the new tricolor as the state color. Soviet Union did not immediately abandon the tricolor. Only in 1918, Ya. M. Sverdlov put forward for approval the battle red flag, which became the state flag for 70 years.

Before the revolution

But the controversy continued. In 1910, on May 10, a Special Meeting was established, chaired by the Minister of Justice A. N. Verevkin. The purpose of this meeting was to clarify the question of what colors are state and national. The largest heraldists worked on this problem. Despite much work, they were unable to find clear heraldic justifications for any of the flags. But most scientists believed that the state colors were black, yellow and white. The Russian imperial flag must bear these colors. The other flag could only be used by merchant ships in inland waters.

In addition, the monarchists wanted to return the “correct” flag on the occasion of the approaching 300th anniversary of the House of Romanov.

On July 27, 1912, a meeting was held, during which it was decided to obtain another opinion from the point of view of feasibility and practical acceptability. This was to be dealt with by a special commission under the Ministry of the Navy.

The commission held two meetings. The majority of votes ultimately decided that the Special Meeting at the Ministry of Justice had proposed an inconvenient reform.

On September 10, 1914, the Council of Ministers decided to transfer the decision on flag issues to the Naval Ministry. But since 1914, the government and society could no longer engage in heraldic disputes. We managed to create a “symbiosis” of both flags. The white-blue-red cloth in the “kryzh” now had a yellow square with a double-headed black eagle. In World War I, this demonstrated the unity of the nation and monarchical power.

70 years later

On November 5, 1990, the government of the RSFSR decided to create projects for the State Emblem and flag of the country. For this purpose, a Government Commission was established. During the work, the idea arose to revive the white-blue-red flag. Everyone supported her unanimously. And on November 1, 1991, an amendment to the Constitution was adopted at the Congress of People's Deputies of Russia. In addition, the article that described the State Flag was changed.

Imperial flag today

IN Lately The question of returning to the imperial flag has been raised more than once. But there are many inaccuracies in this issue. Starting with the fact that the exact and correct location colors. It is also the flag of the imperial family. In a sense, now returning the flag of Rus' - the imperial flag - is inappropriate.

Unfortunately, many people do not understand what the imperial flag means. It is often mistaken for the Nazi flag, confusing them with nationalists.

There is an interesting modern version banner - "Kolovrat". The imperial flag bears symbols that are understandable to dedicated people and native believers. The center of the cloth is occupied by an ancient symbol Slavic peoples- Kolovrat, or thunderer. When our ancestors drew this solar symbol, they called on the gods for help. They counted on their help in military matters. They asked for a rich harvest, they wanted to receive sacred knowledge, which practically has not reached our time. Nowadays, few people understand what the imperial flag of Russia means. But for some people it still represents the greatness and victories of the Russian Empire.

In recent years, one can increasingly hear disputes and different opinions on the issue of the origin of the Russian state symbols and about the order of colors on the monarchical flag. Since the first years of the so-called Soviet “perestroika,” monarchists, like all Russian patriots, have held their public events under the imperial BLACK-YELLOW-WHITE flag. This flag has become in our days the flag of the nationally minded opposition and a symbol of the revival of the Russian Empire, headed, according to the prophecies of the saints, with the Russian Orthodox Tsar.

No. 1 Kharkov Provincial Bulletin

LEAF OF THE KHARKOV DEPARTMENT OF THE UNION OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE

HOW HAPPENED AND WHAT THE COLORS BLACK, YELLOW AND WHITE MEAN

RUSSIAN STATE SYMBOLS

The color of the flag - the shrine of the state - expresses a certain spiritual and sacred reality. In other words, can Russia, as well as Little Russia and Belarus, together fully and consistently carry out the Providence of God for Holy Rus' under the current flags? The flag, unifying the nation, at the same time, to some extent, predicts the nature and direction of its development.

National flags, like anthems, appeared in Europe only at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries, that is, at the source of the formation of modern nations. Before this, there were flags of dynasties and aristocratic families, flags of the military and merchant fleets, banner badges of workshops and guilds. Since ancient times, military banners have also been known. In Russia, they depicted the faces of the Savior, Mother of God, saints. These banners were consecrated as icons, prayers were served in front of them and prayers were prayed before the battle. A special type of banner was the Sovereign, Tsarist banners, which, in fact, were the banners of the entire Russian state. But they also did not have the status of an officially approved state flag, and therefore could change their appearance, shape and colors.

Since all European states, except Switzerland, have been monarchies for centuries, the colors and emblems of state flags were formed either on the basis of dynastic heraldic banners, or on the basis of the coat of arms of the ruling dynasty. In the 17th century, the first banner in Russia can be considered a white “coat of arms” with the image of the Russian coat of arms - a golden or black double-headed eagle, which was inherited from Byzantium.

In the history of Russia and all of Europe in the second half of the 15th century, time and circumstances were of a fateful nature. This is the period when Sultan Mohammed II conquered the Greek Empire, and the place of cultural Byzantium was taken by a fanatical Muslim horde. The irrevocable fall of Byzantium was a difficult test for the entire civilized European world and threatened the enslavement of most of Europe by the Turks. But at this time, young Rus' had already formed into a strong power that could resist the Muslim invasion. The wise King John reigned then III Vasilievich, a strong leader of the unification of Rus' and the establisher of the Christian Autocracy. John achieved much greatness and enlightenment for himself and “all Rus'” through the sacrament of marriage with the Greek Queen Sophia Fominichna Palaeologus. He realized that this marriage had deep national significance, including the receipt of the inheritance rights of the Greek Emperors by the Russian Royal family. And therefore, as a visible sign of the new relations of Rus' to Greece and Constantinople, John III wisely accepted for Russia the symbolic coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire brought by Queen Sophia: a BLACK double-headed eagle on a YELLOW field and combined it with the Moscow coat of arms - the horseman (St. George the Victorious) in WHITE clothes on a WHITE horse, slaying the serpent. As such a symbol, the state's coat of arms expresses its distinctive idea and foundations, which the state considers itself called upon to implement.

Due to the use by Tsar John III of the Byzantine coat of arms together with the Moscow coat of arms on internal seals and external state acts preserved since 1497, this year is generally considered to be the year of the adoption and merger of the coat of arms of the Byzantine Empire with the coat of arms of the Russian Kingdom. According to the above basic concepts, due to its important of national importance, The Russian coat of arms with a BLACK-YELLOW-WHITE combination of its emblems, in greater and greater cases, objects and types, began to appear as a symbolic banner of the entire Russian, as an emblem of the entire Russian state, in its entire space and composition, with all citizens from the Autocratic Tsar to the last commoner. All the Sovereigns and Empresses of Rus' constantly emblematically demonstrated and honored the unchangeable foundations of the ancient Russian coat of arms: in a YELLOW field of a BLACK double-headed eagle with the Victorious in WHITE and on a WHITE horse, or in a simplified symbolization of this coat of arms, in a combination of its main colors: BLACK, YELLOW and WHITE.

Let's not touch on the ethical aspects of culture modern society consumption, let's get straight to the point. So, what is this unknown imperial flag?

To get started, you can go toInternet portal “Russian Symbols” is an official government resource that tells Russians (there is such a nation) about the state symbols of the Russian Federation. So, the imperial flag is written here with some kind of malice, even hatred. That, they say, there was such an Akaki Akakievich (Baron B. Köhne) who, due to the narrow-mindedness and formalism of his soul, decided to change the state symbols, and from his dusty clerical brains spewed out a new flag for Russian Empire: Black-yellow-white. Emperor Alexander II was simply “tired up” with some kind of business and, without looking, signed a decree giving the black-yellow-white flag the status of a state flag, but the flag never took root. And soon after an unfortunate misunderstanding, Alexander III, the wise and enlightened ruler, made the trade tricolor, “truly beloved by the people,” the state symbol.

That, in general, is the entire official “history” of the imperial flag in Russia. Such a yellow story, in the style of Aslambek Dudayev.

Trade Flag

Construction of the first sea ​​ships in Russia began by decree of Alexei Mikhailovich five years before the birth of Peter the Great - in 1667. Ships were built in the village of Dedinovo on the Oka River in order to subsequently take them along the Oka and Volga to Astrakhan, where the ships were to begin service to protect merchant caravans on the Caspian Sea and the Lower Volga from pirate attacks. Craftsmen, carpenters and sailors were called from Holland for construction. By 1669, the three-masted 22-gun ship "Eagle", a yacht, two sloops and a boat were built.

On April 9, 1668, a decree was passed on leave for ships under construction large quantity fabrics of white, blue and red colors. We do not know exactly what the flags constructed from the resulting fabrics looked like. The researchers put forward two assumptions. Some believe that, by analogy with the Streltsy banners common at that time, the first Russian flag was a panel with a straight blue cross and white and red corners. Others believe that the first state flag of Russia had the same composition that exists to this day: three horizontal stripes of white, blue and red. The second assumption seems more reasonable. The main evidence here is the fact that it was the striped white-blue-red flag that was used by Peter I during his first shipbuilding experiments and first sea voyage in 1693. The ships for this campaign were prepared by one of the participants in the construction of the "Eagle" - constable Karsten Brant, and Peter himself always diligently emphasized the continuity of his endeavors with the affairs of his father - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - and in this regard, it is likely that it was the striped flag that was used on the first Russian ships and was taken over from them by Peter I in 1693.

We must not forget that the builders of the first Russian ships were the Dutch, and they also made up their crews. The Russians did not know naval art and completely trusted the Dutch craftsmen in all matters of creating ships. It is likely that when the time came to create a flag and the colors that should be used in it were determined - white, blue and red - the Dutch masters created the flag according to the tradition accepted in their homeland, which was at that time a great maritime power. The flag of the Netherlands at that time was striped, red, white and blue.

But white-blue-red was precisely the flag of the merchant fleet, one might say specially created in the European style, for trade with the same Europeans. Therefore, assessing the white-blue-red flag as the state flag is erroneous. We do not consider the St. Andrew's flag a symbol of Russian statehood, it is the flag of the Russian Navy, and the white-blue-red tricolor is only the trade flag of the Russian Empire, copied from the Dutch flag. When swearing the oath to the Sovereign and the Fatherland, the regimental banner was carried out, and not the missing national flag. The Nizhny Novgorod militia, going to fight in the Crimea in 1854, asked to be given not the tricolor, but the banner of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. The white-blue-red tricolor was not visible at state ceremonies and social events, there is no mention of it in the literature. There were not even timid attempts to approve the commercial flag as a state flag, because in this case it would have come into obvious conflict with the colors of the imperial standard.

State flag

Coronation flag of Russian emperors

In 1819, our Army first adopted a battalion linear badge, consisting of three horizontal stripes: white (top), yellow-orange and black (Zholner badge).

But almost until the middle of the 19th century. In Russia, the imperial tricolor was not officially approved as a state banner. Only on June 11, 1858, the national state colors - black, yellow and white - were legalized by Alexander II. In his personal instructions in 1865, the reformer Tsar confirmed them as “the state colors of Russia” by signing a law included in the Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire under N 33289:

The arrangement of these colors is horizontal, the top stripe is black, the middle stripe is yellow (gold), and the bottom stripe is white (silver). The first two stripes correspond to the black State eagle on a gold field. The lower stripe corresponds to the white (silver) horseman of St. George in the Moscow coat of arms. Black color - the color of the Russian double-headed eagle - is a symbol of sovereignty, state stability and strength, the inviolability of historical borders, the meaning of the very existence of the Russian nation. Golden (yellow) color was once the color of the banner of Byzantium, adopted as the state banner of Russia by Ivan III, a symbol of spirituality, aspiration for moral improvement and fortitude. White color is the color of eternity and purity, which has no differences among all peoples. For Russians, this is the color of St. George the Victorious, a symbol of selfless sacrifice for the Fatherland, for the Russian land, which has always puzzled, delighted and frightened foreigners.

Black-yellow- White flag was perceived by society as imperial, governmental, in contrast to the white-blue-red flag of the Russian merchant fleet. The imperial flag was associated in the minds of the people with ideas about the greatness and power of the state. This is understandable, what can be majestic in the trade flag, in its very colors, which were artificially copied from the Europeans in order to “go out”, trading market still the same Europe?

This is how the black-yellow-white flag appeared, which became part of the state symbols of the empire under the name of the National Arms Flag (renamed the national flag in 1873).

Two state flags?!

On the eve of his coronation, on April 23, 1883, Alexander III unexpectedly legitimized the tricolor (white-blue-red) as the “Russian flag” instead of the one approved by his father. It remains to be seen why the nationally oriented Sovereign chose the colors that were a symbol French Republic. However, before late XIX century, this essentially republican flag did not become widespread among the people. The black-yellow-white flag itself was not officially abolished, and in Russia, in fact, after 1883 there were two national flags.

In the years Russian-Turkish war In 1877-1878, the white-blue-red flag was awarded to the Bulgarian People's Army and became part of the Serbian and Montenegrin flags.

By the way, there was also an unofficial interpretation of the black, yellow and white colors of the flag, which could also influence the desire to turn the flag over.

In particular, the Black Hundreds n. The twentieth century, being supporters of a return to the old flag, interpreted its colors based on Uvarov’s triad: “Orthodoxy, Autocracy, Nationality.” White (silver) stripe - Orthodoxy (symbolizes purity Christian faith, preserved only in Orthodoxy); Gold (yellow) stripe - Autocracy (symbolizes the splendor and glory of royal power); Black - Nationality (the color of the earth, the color associated with the common people - “black people”, “black hundreds”, etc.

The question of the Russian national flag was raised again in the 20th century under Nicholas II. On May 10, 1910, the Sovereign established a Special Meeting on this issue at the Ministry of Justice, which, over two years of work, conducted a comprehensive and in-depth study, inviting well-known specialists to participate in it.

“The majority of the Members of the Special Meeting came to the conclusion that the Russian state national colors should be black, yellow and white.” As you can see, nothing is said here about color reversal.

On June 18, 1913, the commission decided: “black-yellow-white colors must be depicted in the state (national) flag. ... Government and government buildings should be decorated with black, yellow and white flags.”

In 1914, by a special circular of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a new national white-blue-red flag was introduced “for use in private life” with a yellow square with a black double-headed eagle added at the top of the staff (a composition corresponding to the palace standard of the emperor); the eagle was depicted without titular coats of arms on its wings; the square overlapped the white and about a quarter of the blue stripes of the flag. The new flag was not introduced as mandatory; its use was only “allowed.” The symbolism of the flag emphasized the unity of the king with the people.

The white-blue-red flag was again left for private use, along with the state one. In November 1913, the materials of the commission and the Special Meeting were again transferred to the Council of Ministers, which, under the Ministry of Justice, convened a new special meeting, which confirmed in the spring of 1914 the decisions of the two previous, seemingly complex and important question decided once and for all in favor of the black-yellow-white flag.

However, a few months later the First World War and politics intervened in the matter, because... Russian government it was inconvenient to use the colors that were represented on the banners of the German (black-white-red) and Austro-Hungarian (black-yellow) Empires, while the flags of the Allies (France, England, USA) had a white-blue-red palette.

After February Revolution The Provisional Government abolished the second Russian flag - the “herald flag”, black, yellow and white, as a bearer of the imperial spirit. The white-blue-red tricolor remained the only state flag.

Where did the tradition of wearing the flag with the white side up come from?

Where did the practice of using the imperial flag with a white stripe at the top come from? While studying the history of the right-wing movement in Russia and the Russian diaspora, I myself was interested in this question. Initially, I thought that the confusion was caused by S. Baburin, whose party for a number of years used the inverted flag of the Russian Empire as “their” flag. In response to my question about why the flag was turned upside down, one of the Baburin residents answered me something like this: “But when we come to power, we will turn it the right way.”

Then it seemed to me that the person was simply laughing it off, but later I discovered the use of an inverted flag among Russian emigrants. It is possible that Russian immigrants proceeded from logic - for now historical Russia will not be restored, the flag will be turned upside down (as if lowered, as a sign of mourning for the lost Motherland - it was this (mourning) that explained the black uniform of the Russian nationalist emigrants). Or another option - state sovereign colors are used to create your own purely party flag, by simply changing their location.

Imperial flag today

IN modern era Patriotic forces began to use the imperial flag in the late 1980s. But he gained wide popularity only after the 1993 coup attempt.

"In the lead UAZ 66-11 MKM green, standing at the right door, Makashov gave us detailed instructions. On the roof I noticed two flags: imperial and red. Despite my strong allergy to the color red, at such a moment I simply did not pay attention to this."
The imperial flag has become one of the indispensable attributes of all patriotic events, and enjoys the same respect as the red banner with the Savior Not Made by Hands and, of course, the St. Andrew's flag.

Symbol of Russian victories

Every turn in Russian history invariably led to a change in state symbols. An entire generation of Russians has already grown up under the white-blue-red banner, but it has not always flown on the Kremlin flagpole. Turning over the pages of history, I would like to dwell on the period when the imperial flag of Russia was the state flag.

The background of the black-yellow-white flag in the Russian Empire goes back to the first half of the 18th century. It was a controversial period of the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna. By Senate decree of 1731, infantry and dragoon regiments were required to have scarves and hats “in the color of the Russian coat of arms.” For clothes Russian army it was ordered to use black and gold silk, as well as white bows. Before Elizabeth Petrovna ascended the throne in 1742, the state flag of the Russian Empire was made especially for coronation ceremonies, and later also for funeral ceremonies and other celebrations. The banner was a black double-headed eagle depicted on a yellow cloth. The coat of arms of the Empire was surrounded by the coats of arms of all 31 lands, kingdoms and principalities, mentioned in the imperial title.

Upon completion Patriotic War with Napoleon Bonaparte, the black-yellow-white flag began to be hung in all houses of the Russian Empire on holidays. During the reign of Nicholas I, these colors appeared on the cockades of civil servants.

The year 1858 became the starting point in the history of this flag as a state flag. A few words must be said about the fact that just two years before this event, Crimean War, which revealed problems that needed to be solved without delay. The great power was in dire need of technology, thanks to which it would be able to quickly bridge some of the gap with the Europeans. But above all, Russia was looking for new idea, new meaning, which made it possible not only to catch up with the British, but to surpass them many times over. And at that very moment, the imperial flag rose for the first time over the vast territory of our country.

By decree of Emperor Alexander II of June 11, 1858, the Russian Empire acquired a new sovereign flag. From now on, the black-yellow-white banner was ordered to be hung on government agencies, government buildings, while private individuals were only allowed to use the old white-blue-red flag of the merchant fleet. The introduction of a new symbol of Russia caused a rise in the national spirit. The empire took leaps and bounds along the path of bold reforms that could take the country to a qualitatively different level and erase the bitterness of the Crimean War.

The author of the design of the imperial flag introduced by Alexander II was Bernhard Koehne, who proposed a panel of black, yellow and white colors. The upper black stripe personified the sovereign emblem of the empire, the stability and prosperity of the entire Empire, the inviolability and strength of borders, and the unity of the nation. Middle lane yellow color, on the one hand, refers us to the times of the Byzantine Empire, hinting that Russia is its fair heir in the Orthodox world. Yellow is integrally connected with the moral development and high spirituality of the Russian people. Bottom band white- a kind of appeal and prayer to St. George the Victorious, the centuries-old patron of Russian lands. As well as a sign of the sacrifice of our people, capable of shaking the world in their selfless impulse to give everything for Russia, preserving its greatness and their own honor.

The father of Emperor Alexander II, autocrat Nicholas I, advocated the adoption state symbols and attributes designed to strengthen the unity of the nation around the monarch and the true interests of Russia. One of his steps in this direction was the approval of the patriotic anthem “God Save the Tsar” as a sovereign anthem. Later it acquired the status of a folk song, thereby penetrating all layers Russian society. Likewise, the imperial flag of Alexander II contributed to the revival of the Russian spirit through community with the symbols of the state.

Over the next 15-20 years, the right of primacy of the state banner of the Empire was perceived unambiguously and was not disputed. However, by the 70s of the 19th century, opposition to the monarchical system emerged in Russia in the form of liberal circles. As is known, liberals have always leaned toward the Western model of development. Accordingly, they gravitated towards European symbols, which, to a certain extent, included the white-blue-red flag, approved during the reign of Peter I. A counterbalance to the liberals was a bloc of patriotic monarchists who advocated maintaining the imperial flag as the only state flag. The motivation of the latter was extremely clear: one people, one Empire, one flag.

At such an important moment for the state, in the year 1881, Alexander II died at the hands of the “People's Will”. 36-year-old Alexander III ascends to the throne of the Russian Empire. It is not worthwhile to dwell in detail on the activities of this monarch in the field of power, but we will tell you about one mistake that had negative consequences for the power. In April 1883, the emperor endowed the white-blue-red flag, proposed by the Minister of Internal Affairs Count Tolstoy only as a trade flag, with sovereign status, complicating the situation by not canceling the imperial flag. In 1887, the Order of the Military Department approved the black-yellow-white flag for use by the troops as a national flag.

The created duality had to be resolved so as not to lead to a split in society, for the sake of preserving national unity. A special meeting of representatives of the Ministries and the Academy of Sciences volunteered to cut this knot, deciding on April 5, 1896 that the white-blue-red banner alone has the right to be considered national, and the black-yellow-white one has no heraldic traditions. The motivation for this decision is highly controversial. The members of the meeting referred to the colors of clothing of the peasants of the Russian Empire as the main argument. Does this have anything to do with heraldry and tradition? That's another question.

Flag of the Russian Empire in its last years

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Russia entered a rather difficult period of its development. Protest sentiments among the proletariat intensified, defeat in Russo-Japanese War reminded me of the Crimean tragedy half a century ago. A spirit of nihilism and anarchy hovered over the great power; a dark shadow flashed, which later degenerated into the monster of Bolshevism. The plan of the government of Nicholas II to contrast the new national flag with the red banners increasingly flashing at workers' demonstrations and strikes was not successful.

At such a difficult moment, circles of patriotic monarchists again advocated for the return to Russia of a true national flag, based on historical traditions and heraldic roots - the black, yellow and white imperial one. Their slogan “For the Tsar and the Fatherland” found support among broad sections of the empire’s population. In 1914, a symbiosis of the historical and commercial banners of Russia arose, which, however, did not receive official recognition due to the outbreak of the World War.

Here a few words must be said about the political factor. The black, yellow and white colors had some commonality with the banners of the German and Austro-Hungarian empires, while the red and blue palette was close to the palette used in the symbolism of England, France and the USA - allies of Russia. For several years this flag was used by private individuals, as well as on the war fronts. The revolution that came in 1917 could put an end to our story about the black-yellow-white flag of Russia. Fortunately, the dot became just an ellipsis.

Imperial Russian flag in modern times

The deep crisis of the communist system and the impending collapse of the USSR gave the beginning of a new life to the imperial flag. S. Baburin was one of the first in Russia to use its colors with the amendment that the order of colors was changed: white at the top, black at the bottom.

The same combination was used in the emigrant environment. The flag of the Russian Empire was widely used during the October events of 1993. An interesting fact is that the defenders of the White House used both a black-yellow-white flag and a red one. This was the reaction to the first years of power of liberal democrats in Russia.

Today there is a revival of the Russian national spirit again. The imperial flag, like other Russian paraphernalia, is increasingly visible during football matches, and is used by fans of most Russian teams. In this light, it carries a unifying principle.

Another event closely related to sports, albeit not professional, but aimed at improving the health of the Russian nation, cannot be completed without the use of a black-yellow-white flag. “Russian Jogging” is a patriotic movement that has become not only a sporting event for everyone. Now they include a number of educational and cultural events, taking place in nine countries around the world.

It also became one of the integral attributes of patriotic events such as the “Russian March”. Right-wing movements are gaining more and more popularity and are becoming larger in scale. This annual action of Russian nationalists has been held annually on November 4, since 2005, when National Unity Day was established. The black-yellow-white flag has become a definite symbol of protest. Almost everyone united under its flowers nationalist parties and the country's right-wing movements.

IN different time The organizers of the “Russian March” were the “Slavic Union”, the Movement against Illegal Immigration, “Russian Order”, the National Sovereign Party of Russia, the Russian National Union and many others. Since 2011 the organizing committee decided that the event will take place without using party symbols under the common black, yellow and white imperial flag of Russia. In 2012, this action, held in Moscow and for the first time allowed by the authorities in the city center, attracted from 25 to 35 thousand people.

Manifesto voiced by the organizers of the march, Dmitry Demushkin, Alexander Belov, and other representatives nationalist organizations Russia, had such goals as giving Russians the status of a state-forming people, introducing a visa regime with the countries of Central Asia, and amnesty for political prisoners. Today, the “Russian March” action takes place in more than 70 cities not only in Russia, but also in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and other countries. Solidarity actions in 2012 also took place in Belgium, Estonia, and Germany.