Ордена России

RUSSIAN DECORATIONS

The State Armoury Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin, the oldest Russian museum treasure-house, besides its rich collection of the decorative and applied art contains also a collection of numismatics: coins, memorial decoration medals, seals, orders and insignias.

The Russian orders, witnesses of the heroic past of our Homeland, present a fascinating part of this display. The Russian decoration system has a history of many centuries. From time immemorial those who had distinguished themselves on battlefields or excelled in the state service received various awards. Very often they were awarded with firearms, precious furs, gold and silver goblets and vessels. However, an especial award-"zolotois"-became particularly widespread in the 15th-17th centuries. "Zolotois" were actually gold coins of different denomination intended for decorating en mass the participants of certain battles and military campaigns. Infrequently it was an entire army back home with victory that was awarded. Proud of this most honourable award, Russian soldiers wore those "zolotois" sewing them onto a sleeve or a hat. At the end of the 17th century the participants in the Crimean Campaigns of 1687 and 1689 were awarded thousands of these "zo/otois". The size of each of the coin strictly corresponded with the rank of its bearer. "Zo/otois" awarded to Prince V. V. Golitsin, Army Commander and his staff were much bigger in size than those awarded to soldiers and officers.

At the beginning of the 18th century these traditions were revived in Peter the Great's decoration medals.

His transformations entailed changes in the Russian decoration system, too, originating new national orders. 1698 saw the institution of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, which at that time was Russia's highest award, and General-Admiral and Field Marshal F. A. Golovin was the first to receive officially the Order No. 1 on March 10, 1699.

Initially, it was intended to award maximum 24 persons, but already in Peter the Great's reign the Order was awarded to 38 heroes and subsequently the number of those decorated became unlimited. The Tsar himself, holding the rank of a bombardier-captain, won the Order only in 1703 for capturing two Swedish warships in the mouth of the Neva River becoming the seventh order-bearer. The first-class Order with the motto "For Faith and Devotion " consisted of an oblique gold cross, a blue ribbon, a star and a gold chain. The cross was worn at the waist on a broad ribbon over the right shoulder and on festive occasions-on the chest round the neck on a chain decorated with multi-coloured enamel. The chain had an alternating links of three kinds-double-headed eagles, ornamented frames with Peter the Great's monogram and St. Andrew crosses. The Order's insignias bestowed with diamond decorations signified the Order's highest class.

Members of the tsar's family, heads of foreign states, high officials, generals and diplomats were among the first to receive the first Russian order. Starting with 1797, those awarded with the Order of St Andrew the First-Called at the same time became the bearers of the minor orders of St. Alexander Nevsky and of St. Anne first class. In the 19th century added to them were the Order of the White Eagle and the Order of St. Stanislaus. Early in the 18th century gold decoration insignias-crowned miniature of Peter the Great's portraits decorated with enamel and diamonds were introduced alongside with the medals and the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Attaching paramount importance to this award, Peter the Great himself awarded these panagias to his closest associates and generals who had distinguished themselves on battlefields.

The Russian women's Order of St. Catherine with the motto "For Love and the Motherland" was instituted in 1714. Wife of Peter the Great was the first to receive the Order on a festive occasion of her name-day and until 1726 was the only woman to bear this decoration. In later years the Order was awarded to court ladies for charity work.

The appearance of the third Russian order was also linked with the name of Peter the Great. He decided to institute a military award in memory of Prince Alexander Nevsky famous for his victories over the Swedes. However, officially the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky was instituted on May 21, 1725 directly after the death of Peter the Great. Catherine I instituted the Order, the motto of which was "For Feats and the Motherland", as a reward for military feats and civil service to the Homeland. The Order's insignias, adorned with diamonds, signified its highest class. The bearer of this Order with diamonds was the famous ataman of the Cossack Don Army M. I. F4atov, who had been awarded the same order but without diamond decorations for the 1806-1807 campaign.

However, the idea about the award presented for combat feats persisted and 45 years later Catherine II decreed the statute of the highest military order of the Russian Empire. The Order of St. George was instituted on November 26, 1769 in St. Petersburg. During a festive ceremony Catherine If awarded herself wizh the first class of this order, the most honoured in pre-Revolutionary Russia. The four-class Order of St. George with the motto "For Service and Courage" was intended exceptionally for decorating officers in wartime for valour and courage displayed in battle. The Order was named in honour of St. George the

Victor, who from time immemorial was looked up to as the protector of Russian troops. In early Rus the picture of St. George on horseback with a spear was attached to the helmets, shields, banners and seals. The Order included a gold cross covered with white enamel with a picture of St. George in the centre, a gold star bearing the Order's motto and a black and orange ribbon. The statute forbode to decorate the insignias with precious stones. The Order was awarded starting with the fourth class upwards. Over the 150 years from the day of its, institution and until 1917 only 25 people were awarded with the Order of St. George first class. Heroes of the Patriotic War of 1812 Generals M. I. Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly and somewhat later general Field Marshals I. F. Paskevich and I. I. Dibich were awarded Orders of all the four classes. Instituted in 1807 was a combat award for soldiers and non-commissioned officers-a sign of favour of the Military Order-a silver cross with the picture of St. George.

In 1856 it became a four-class award: the first and second classes were gold and the third and fourth-silver. In accordance with the new 1913 statute the sign of favour began to be called the St George Cross. During World War / officers, too, were awarded the St George Cross for persona/ courage in battle.

Instituted in 1782, the four-class order of St. Vladimir was awarded for service to the Homeland, for combat feats and for long service record. The Order's insignias included a gold cross with red enamel and a black border, a star with the Order's motto "Usefulness, Honour and Glory" and a red ribbon with a broad black edge. Among the bearers of the Order of St. Vladimir, second in importance after the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, were G. Derzhavin, a poet and a stateman, N. Karamzin, a writer and a historian, who was awarded for his work "History of the Russian State", and many other scientists and explorers.

The Order of St. Anne, instituted in Holstein in 1735, joined the statute of Russian decorations in 1797 on the coronation day of Paul I and had three classes with an unlimited number of order-bearers. The Order's motto was "To a Lover of Truth, Honour and Loyalty". Early in the 19th century the Order was granted its fourth class, which replacing the former third class, became a military award for junior officers and was attached to the hilt of the presentation sword inscribed with the words "For Bravery".

The Decree on Orders of 1797 ranked the sign of favour of the Order of St. Anne, instituted on November 12, 1796, for soldiers and non-commissioned officers for long service record and special merits, among the insignias of the Order of St. Anne.

In 1831 two Polish orders, the Order of the White Eagle and the Order of St. Stanislaus, joined the statute of Russian decorations. The system of the Russian highest state regalia had practically been formed a/though projects of instituting new orders cropped up once in a while. Beginning with 1845, the pictures of the saints were replaced on all the orders awarded to non-Christians with the depiction of the Russian state coat-of-arms. As of 1855, crossed gold swords were mounted on all the orders, except the Order of St. George, intended for decorating heroes for combat feats. In Russia two foreign orders were awarded to Russian citizens for a brief period of time. At the close of the 18th century Emperor Paul I, elected the Grand Magister of the ancient Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Maltese Order), giving it his preference, awarded this Order to his subjects. Nicholas I awarded the Polish Order Virtuti Military to those who took part in crushing the 1830 Polish revolt.

Every Order had its statute and seal. Visitors will find on display genuine statutes of nearly all Russian orders together with their insignias in the halls of the State Armoury Chamber. The collection of Russian regalia popularizes the history of the appearance and development of the system of Russian decorations and gives an insight into the specific branch of jewelry art. The very first orders were made by the Armoury's masters and in the 18th-beginning of the 19th centuries-this work was entrusted to the best jewellers of St. Petersburg. The 19th century saw the appearance of craftshops and major firms making order insignias of all kinds which employed gold- and silver-smiths, painters and enamellers. High quality processing of the precious metal, radiance and pureness of the enamel of a wide range of tints, the play of light in diamonds lent each and every order an artistic value and inimitable beauty.

V. NIKITINA Head of the Numismatics Section of the State Museums of the Moscow Kremlin.

Translated by A. ZDORNYKH.

В состав государственных регалий наряду с короной, державой и скипетром входили большая цепь ордена Андрея Первозванного с крестом и звезда.

Выполненные в конце XVIII в. для коронации Павла I, в последующие годы они без переделки, как символы государственной власти, использовались для коронации русских императоров. Поражают необычайная роскошь и ювелирное мастерство исполнения всей этой группы предметов. Обращает на себя особенное внимание ажурная орденская цепь - с ослепительным блеском бриллиантового кружева, композиционным совершенством и четким ритмом рисунка. Эти орденские знаки имеют огромную историческую, художественную ценность и представляют большой интерес как образцы ювелирного искусства.

Grand imperial chpin, insignia and star of tie Order of St. Andrew the First-Cabled, 1735-1800.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

(The USSR Diamond Fund)

The Russian state regalias alongside with the crown, the orb and the sceptre included the grand chain of the Order of St Andrew the

First-Called with the cross and the star.

Executed at the end of the 18th century' for the occasion of the coronation of Paul I, they were used without alterations in the following years as the symbols of state power for the coronations of Russian emperors. An exceptional splendour and the skill with which these intricate objects were made truly boggle imagination. What attracts the greatest attention is the open-work order chain with its dazzling glitter of the diamond lace, perfection of composition and precise rhythm of the pattern.

These insignias have great historical and art value and are an interesting examples of jewelry craftsmanship.

Крест ордена Андрея Первозванного, усыпанный бриллиантами, выполнен с характерным для ранних знаков высокорельефным изображением распятого святого. Оборотная сторона креста - золотая, украшена гравировкой.

The insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, mid-18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

(The USSR Diamond Fund)

The cross of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called decorated with diamonds carried the depiction of the crucified saint in high relief characteristic of early insignias. The back gold side of the cross was decorated with an engraving.

Орден Белого орла - один из старейших польских орденов. В 1712г. король Август II возложил знаки ордена на Петра I.

Войдя в состав русских орденов, знак ордена в 1831 г. претерпел некоторые изменения.

Знак ордена - золотой крест, залитый красной эмалью, с белой каймой, с накладным белым одноглавым орлом. Крест наложен посередине черного двуглавого российского орла, увенчанного императорской короной. Знак носили на синей муаровой ленте через левое плечо.

Звезда ордена - серебряная золоченая с крестом в центре медальона. Вокруг креста латинский девиз «За Веру, Царя и Закон».

Временное правительство в 1917 г. заменило на звезде девиз ордена лавровыми веточками.

The Order of the White Eagle (cross, star, ribbon), 19th century.

Gold, silver, enamel, moire ribbon.

(The Armoury).

The Order of the White Eagle was one of the oldest Polish orders. In 1712 King Augustus II conferred the insignias of the Order on Peter the Great. Having joined the statute of Russian decorations in 1831, it underwent certain alterations The Order is a gold cross, covered with red enamel with a white border and white single-headed eagle. The cross is superposed on the black double-headed Russian crowned eagle. The Order was worn on a dark-blue moire ribbon over the eft shoulder

The Order's star is silver gold-plated with a cross in the centre of the medallion. The cross is girdled with a sign For Faith, Tsar and the Law".

In 1917 the Provisional Government replaced the motto on the star with laurel leaves.

Орден св. Анны, вошедший в состав российских орденов в 1797 г., имел три степени. В 1815 г. для ордена была учреждена четвертая степень. Таким он и сохранился до начала XX века. Девиз ордена - «Любящим Правду, Благочестие, Верность». Орденом награждали как за военные, так и за гражданские заслуги.

Первоначально крест ордена Анны изготавливался с красными выпуклыми стеклами на концах, ажурный золотой орнамент между его концами украшали алмазы. В начале XIX в. стекла были заменены красной эмалью, а знаками, украшенными алмазами, стали награждать иностранных подданных. Орден первой степени - красный эмалевый крест с изображением св. Анны в центре - носили на красной ленте с желтой каймой через левое плечо, второй степени - на узкой ленте на шее. Орден третьей степени, пожалованный за военные подвиги по указу от 6 августа 1828 г., носили на банте из орденской ленты, четвертой степенью награждали только младших офицеров за участие в сражении и крепили его на эфесе холодного оружия с надписью «За храбрость». Звезду ордена в отличие от всех других орденов носили на правой стороне груди.

Статутом 1829 г. для знаков I и II степени была введена императорская корона, которая как бы повышала значение награды. Корона была отменена в 1874 г.

The Order of St. Anne (crosses, star, ribbon, presentation sword}, 19th century. Gold, silver, metal, enamel, moire ribbon. (The Armoury).

The Order of St. Anne joined the statute of Russian decorations in 1797 and had three classes with an unlimited number of order-bearers. After the fourth class was instituted in 1815, the Order with its motto "To a Love; of Truth, Honour and Loyalty" was awarded right up to the beginning of the 20th century both for military and civil merits.

Initially, the St. Anne Cross had red glass reliefs at its tips and the open-work gold ornament between them decorated with diamonds. Early in the 19th century glass was replaced with red enamel, and the Order, decorated with diamonds, began to be awarded to foreigners. The first class Order - a red enamelled Cross with the picture of St. Anne in its centre was worn on a yellow-edged red ribbon over the left shoulder, while the second class Order-on a narrow ribbon round the neck. By the decree of August 6, 1828, the third-class Order was awarded for combat feats and worn on the St. Anne ribbon bow and the Order of the fourth class was awarded only to junior officers for taking part in action and was attached to the hilt of the presentation sword inscribed with the words "For Bravery". As distinct from all other regalias, the Order star was worn on the right side of the chest

The 1829 Statute introduced an emperor's crown for the first and second class Orders thus enhancing their significance. But in 1874 the crown was eliminated.

Первые пожалования орденом Екатерина I произвела 21 мая 1725 года в день бракосочетания своей дочери Анны Петровны с герцогом Голштейн-Готторпским Карлом-Фридрихом. Орден имел одну степень и состоял из золотого креста, красной муаровой ленты и звезды.

Первоначально концы креста украшали рубиновые стекла в глухой оправе, между концами креста - золотые двуглавые орлы, в центре креста - белый эмалевый медальон с живописным изображением Александра Невского на коне. В начале XIX в. стекла были заменены красной эмалью.

В центре серебряной ажурной восьмиконечной звезды на белом поле медальона вензель св. Александра Невского из букв «SA» под короной, обрамленной девизом ордена «За Труды и Отечество».

Знаки ордена, украшенные бриллиантами или алмазами, составляли высшую его степень.

Орден принадлежал императору Александру I.

The Order of St. Alexander Nevsky, end of the 18th century.

Gold, silver, ruby glass, enamel, moire ribbon.

(The Armoury).

Catherine I conferred the Order for the first time on May 21, 1725 on the day her daughter Anna Petrovna married Duke Karl Friedrich of Holstein. The one-class Order consisted of a gold cross, a red moire ribbon and a star.

Initially, the ends of the cross were set in ruby glass with gold double-headed eagles mounted between them and the white enamelled medallion with Alexander Nevsky on horseback painted in the centre. Early in the 19th century red enamel came to replace ruby glass.

In the centre of the silver eight-pointed star the St. Alexander Nevsky's "SA" medallion stood out in bold relief against white background crowned with the motto "For Feats and Homeland".

The Order's insignias decorated with diamonds signified its highest class.

The Order belonged to Emperor Alexander I.

Миниатюрные эмалевые царские портреты, украшенные драгоценными камнями, наряду с первым высшим русским орденом св. Андрея Первозванного и наградными медалями считались высокой и почетной наградой. Император самолично производил награждение своими портретами ближайших сановников и отличившихся в сражениях полководцев. Носили их на груди на банте из андреевской ленты. Появление этих особых знаков отличия неразрывно связано с развитием в России живописной эмалевой миниатюры, которая вскоре становится излюбленным украшением ювелирных изделий, орденов и нагрудных знаков.

В начале XVIII в. миниатюры с портретами Петра I создавали как русские художники, работавшие в Оружейной палате и Петербурге, так и европейские мастера. Известны портреты работы русского художника-миниатюриста Г. С. Мусикийского. В музейных собраниях сохранилось совсем немного наградных знаков с портретом Петра I.

Insignia with the portrait of Peter the Great, beginning of the 18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel.

(The USSB Diamond Fund)

Alongside with the first highest Russian Order of St. Andrew the First-Called miniature enamelled portraits of Peter the Great-panagias- decorated with precious stones were considered to be a high and honourable award. Peter the Great himself awarded his portraits to closest associates and generals, who had distinguished themselves in battles. The insignias were worn on the chest on the bow of St. Andrew ribbon. These insignias made their appearance due to the development in Russia of the craftsmanship of enamelled miniatures, which soon won popularity in jewelry decorations, orders and insignias.

In the early 18th century both Russian artists, working in the Armoury and in St. Petersburg, and European wizards of art created miniatures with the portraits of Peter the Great. Among the few which are cherished today in the collections of the museum are the works of the Russian miniature-painter G. Musikiisky.

Орден св. Станислава, как и орден Белого орла, вошел в 1831 г. в состав российских орденов.

Александр I, награждая им польских граждан в 1815г., утвердил для ордена четыре степени, однако в 1839 г. четвертая степень была упразднена, а для второй степени была учреждена увенчивающая знак императорская корона.

Крест ордена золотой, с шариками на раздвоенных концах, соединенных золотыми дужками, покрыт с лицевой стороны красной эмалью. После 1831 г. изображение св. Станислава на белом эмалевом поле медальона было заменено вензелем святого из двух букв- «SS». Между концами креста были помещены золотые двуглавые орлы вместо одноглавых польских.

Лента - красного цвета с двойной белой каймой. При ордене I степени награжденный получал звезду с вензелем святого и девизом «Награждая, поощряет». В общем порядке старшинства орден св. Станислава занимал место после ордена св. Анны.

The Order of St. Stanislaus (crosses, ribbon, star), 19th century.

Gold, silver, enamel, moire ribbon.

(The Armoury).

The Order of St. Stanislaus, just as the Order of the White Eagle, joined the statute of Russian decorations in 1831.

Tsar Alexander II, awarding the Order to Polish citizens in 1815, instituted four classes for the Order. However, in 1839 the fourth class was abolished and an imperial crown introduced for the second class.

The Order's cross of gold had small beads on its dovetailed tips interlinked with golden hoops and coated on its face side with red enamel. After 1831 the picture of St. Stanislaus on the medal/ion's white enamelled background was replaced by the two-letter saint's monogram "SS" and double-headed eagles were mounted between the ends of the cross instead of the Polish ones.

The Order's red ribbon had a double white edge. When awarded the Order of the first class, future bearers received the star with the saint's monogram and a motto "Awarding Encourages", in the seniority rank the Order of St. Stanislaus came right after the Order of St. Anne.

Звезда ордена Андрея Первозванного, как и его знак, могла быть украшена по желанию награжденного до 1797 г. драгоценными камнями.

Эта звезда, выполненная по специальному заказу императорского кабинета, значительно отличается от других орденских звезд. Она скорее напоминает роскошное ювелирное украшение, в котором мастер с большим искусством использовал сочетания мерцающего блеска матового жемчуга с сиянием многочисленных бриллиантов. Лучи звезды составлены из чередующихся рядов жемчужин и бриллиантов, в центре медальона, под бриллиантовой короной- андреевский крест из девяти жемчужин равной величины. Вокруг девиза - кольцо из крупных жемчужин с двумя рядами мелких бриллиантов.

The star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, second half of the 18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, pearls.

(The USSR Diamond Fund)

The star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, just as its insignia, could have been decorated with precious stones at the wish of their bearer.

The star, executed by the imperial cabinet's special order, significantly differs from other order stars. It looks more like a sumptious jewelry decoration in which its master blended with exquisite skill the shimmering glitter of the opaque pearls with the radiance of a multitude of diamonds. The rays of the star are made up of the alternating rows of pearls and diamonds. A diamond-crowned medallion has St. Andrew cross in its centre consisting of nine pearls of equal size. The motto is girdled with large pearls and two rows of small diamonds.

Знак отличия Военного ордена - серебряный крест с Георгием Победоносием в центре, учрежденный в 1807 г. как награда за храбрость и мужество солдатам, имел одну степень. В марте 1856 г. для него были введены четыре степени: золотые кресты с бантом из георгиевской ленты для первой степени, без банта для второй, серебряные с бантом для третьей, без банта для четвертой.

На концах креста указывалась степень и помещался номер знака, под которым он был внесен в список пожалования. С 1913 г. знак отличия Военного ордена стал официально называться Георгиевским крестом. Награждали Георгиевским крестом так же, как и офицерским орденом св. Георгия, начиная с четвертой степени. Награжденные Георгиевскими крестами не снимали их и по производстве в офицеры и даже в случае награждения орденом св. Георгия. Известны случаи награждения Георгиевским крестом женщин. Первой такой награды была удостоена Надежда Дурова - знаменитая женщина-улан за спасение в бою одного из офицеров.

Заслуживает внимания и тот факт, что в 1915 г. царское правительство в целях экономии драгоценных металлов перешло к изготовлению орденских знаков из бронзы и никелевых сплавов, солдатские же награды дольше других выполнялись из золота и серебра. И сегодня эта самая высокая почетная солдатская награда вызывает к себе большое и искреннее уважение.

The distinguishing sign of favour of the Military Order (soldiers' St. George crosses), 19th century.

Gold, silver, moire ribbon.

(The armoury).

The one-class distinguishing sign of favour of the Military Order-a silver cross with the picture of St. George the Victor in the centre, was instituted in 1807 to decorate soldiers for courage and valour. In March 1856 it became a four-class award: gold crosses with the.

St. George ribbon bow for the first class, without a bow-for the second, silver crosses with a bow for the third class and without a bow-for the fourth. The class and the registration number were stamped on the ends of the cross. Beginning with 1913, the sign of favour of the Military Order started to be officially called St. George Gross.

The Gross just as the officer's St. George Order was awarded starting with the fourth class. Those awarded St. George crosses continued to wear them after they were promoted to the officer's rank and even after being awarded with St. George Order. Nadezhda Durova, a junior Uhlan officer, was one of the first to receive the cross for saving an officer in a skirmish in 1807.

In 1915 the Tsarist government to cut down the expenditures of gold and silver began making orders and medals from bronze and nickel alloys. However, soldiers' awards continued to be minted from gold and silver for quite some time. Today, too, the highest soldiers' award evokes respect and genuine admiration.

В конце XVIII в. остров Мальта - резиденция ордена св. Иоанна Иерусалимского - был захвачен войсками Наполеона I.

Капитул ордена переехал в Санкт-Петербург, где на одном из собраний членами ордена император Павел I в 1798 г. был избран Великим магистром Мальтийского ордена.

Павел I, отдавая предпочтение этому иностранному ордену, щедро раздавал его своим сановникам и генералам за военные и гражданские заслуги. 9 февраля 1799 г. орденом был награжден фельдмаршал А. В. Суворов.

Знаки ордена в России не претерпели изменений. Знак-золотой крест с раздвоенными концами, покрытый белой эмалью, увенчан короной. Трофеи из рыцарских доспехов, лилии между концами креста, бант - определяли степени и чин награжденных. Носили орден на черной муаровой ленте. Звезда ордена нашивная матерчатая.

В 1801 г. император Александр I, вступив на престол, отказался от звания магистра, а е 1810 г. издал указ о прекращении награждений Мальтийским орденом в России.

Знаки Мальтийского ордена принадлежали императору Александру I, императрицам Елизавете Алексеевне и Марии Федоровне.

The Order of St. John of Jerusalem (Maltese cross), end of the 18th century.

Gold, enamel.

(The Armoury).

At the close of the 18th century the Island of Malta-residence of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, was surrendered to the troops of Napoleon II. Members of the Order moved to St. Petersburg, where at one of their meetings in 1798 they elected Emperor Paul I the Grand Magister of the Maltese Order..

Paul I, giving preference to this foreign order, lavishly decorated with it his officials and generals for combat and civil merits. On February 9, 1799 the Order was awarded to Field-Marshal A. V. Suvorov.

In Russia the Order-a crowned gold cross with dovetailed ends covered with white enamel suffered no changes. It was worn on a black moire ribbon. Its cloth star was sewn on.

After enthronisation in 1801 Emperor Alexander I rejected the title of a magister and in 1810 decreed to stop awarding his subjects with the Maltese Order.

The insignias of the Maltese Order belonged to Emperor Alexander/ and Empresses Elizaveta Alexeyevna and Maria Fyodorovna.

Польский орден Виртути милитари, учрежденный в 1792 г., предназначался в награду офицерам за боевые заслуги в борьбе за свободу и независимость Польши.

В 1815 г. по решению Венского конгресса Польское королевство отошло к России. Александр I, включивший в свои титулы звание польского короля и присоединивший к орденам России польские ордена, никогда не производил награждений орденом Виртути милитари.

Николай I жестоко подавил восстание поляков, начавшееся в 1830 г., и приказал в 1831 г. наградить всех участников подавления этого восстания польским орденом Виртути милитари, разделенным на пять степеней.

Знак ордена I степени - золотой крест, увенчанный королевской короной, покрыт черной эмалью. В центре креста - одноглавый польский орел, на его концах - название ордена. На оборотной стороне креста в центре в отличие от собственно польского ордена помещена дата подавления восстания- «1831».

Звезда - серебряная с накладным орденским знаком. Лента - шелковая муаровая голубого цвета, с широкими черными полосами по краям.

The Order of Virtuti Military-"For Combat Valour" (cross, star, ribbon), 1831-1834.

Gold, silver, enamel, moire ribbon

(The Armoury).

The Polish Order Virtuti Military, instituted in 1792, was awarded to officers for valour in the fighting for Poland's liberty and independence.

In 1815, pending the decision of the Vienna Congress, Poland found herself under Russian control. Alexander I, who added to his titles that of the King of Poland and included Polish orders into the Russian system of regalias, had never awarded the Order of Virtuti Military.

Nicholas I cruelly crushed the Polish revolt of 1830 and in 1831 ordered to award all those who had taken part in suppressing the revolt with the 5-c/ass Polish Order Virtuti Military.

The first-class Order is a gold crowned cross covered with black enamel and having a single-headed Polish eagle in its centre. The ends of the cross carry an inscription of the Order's name. On the backside right in the centre of the cross, as distinct from the Polish Order proper, there is the date of the suppression of the revolt "1831".

The silver star had a superposed order's insignia. The silk moire ribbon is blue, boarded with broad black bands.

Высший женский орден св. Екатерины учрежден в 1714 г., он имел две степени.

Знак ордена - большой овальный медальон в оправе из бриллиантов с живописным изображением сидящей святой Екатерины с крестом и пальмовой ветвью в руках. Между концами креста латинские буквы «DSFR», означающие «Господи, спаси царя». На оборотной стороне медальона изображение орлиного гнезда на скале, у подножия которой два орла истребляют змей, и латинская надпись, прославляющая Екатерину I: «Трудами сравнивается с супругом».

Знак ордена носили на банте с девизом «За Любовь и Отечество», закрепленным на красной муаровой ленте с серебряной каймою. К старшей степени ордена принадлежала звезда с изображением в центре креста на полукружии - части колеса (орудие пыток и мучений) и девизом ордена.

Шитая жемчугом звезда принадлежала императрице Екатерине II.

The Order of St. Catherine (insignia, ribbon with a bow and star), end of the 18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, enamel, pearls, moire ribbon.

(The Armoury).

A semi-circle (decoration) to the hat that goes with the Order, end of the 18th century.

Gold, silver, diamonds, rubies.

(The USSR Diamond Fund).

The highest two-class women's Order of St. Catherine was instituted in 1714.

The Order itself was an oval diamond-set medallion with the depiction of the seated St. Catherine holding a cross and a palm leaf in her hands. Between the ends of the cross are the letters "DSFR" "God, Save the King". Depicted on the back side of the medallion is an eagle's nest perched on a rock with two eagles devouring snakes at its foot and a sign in Latin glorifying Catherine I, who in state deeds was on par with her spouse.

The Order was worn on a bow with the motto "For Love and the Motherland" attached to the moire silver-edged ribbon.

The star with the cross on top of a semi-circle-a half of the torture wheel, and the Order's motto, belonged to the Order's senior class.

The pearl-sewn star belonged to Empress Catherine II.