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Like many other monarchies, the Russian Empire had vast collection of regalia belonging to the Tsars. This collection is now on display in Kremlin in Moscow. ==Oldest Russian regalia== * Barmas of Old Ryazan, One of the greatest masterpieces of ancient jewelry were produced by masters of Old Ryazan in late 12th - early 13th century. They belonged to the local prince's family, but in 1237 the city was completely destroyed by Batu Khan, and the jewelry lay underground for nearly 600 years. In 1822, the royal barmas were found by archeologists and brought to the Armory. These precious barmas are proof of the high level of local jewelry, enameled with their precious stones, gold medallions decorated with engraving. Medallions on one of the sets have a picture: The Crucifixion with the Virgin and John the Baptist, Virgin, Martyr Irene and Barbara, in royal attire Saints and others of the medallion has a Greek inscription, it is likely these parts have Byzantine origins. * "Cap of Monomakh" The oldest crown is the "Cap of Monomakh" or Crown of Monomakh, used in the ceremony of crowning a monarch in Russia. Its name is connected with a Russian legend of the 15th century, according to which it has been brought to Russia in ancient times as a gift from the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomachos. The cap is of oriental workmanship of the late 13th or early 14th century. The question of its origin is still unspecified. The oldest section of the crown consists of eight gold plates adorned with very fine gold lace in a pattern of six-pointed rosette-stars and lotus blossoms. The semi-spherical top with a cross, the sable trimming and the pearls and gemstones belong to a later period. It weighs 698 gramme and is the lightest Russian crown. Since the late 14th till the late 17th century, "The Cap of Monomakh", a symbol of power, was used in the ceremony of setting the ruler of the Russian State for reigning. In the first quarter of the 18th century, after Peter the Great's reforms, the ceremonial setting for reigning was replaced by coronation, the main attribute of which became imperial crown. Since 18th century "Cap of Monomakh" served as heraldic crown of "Tsardom of Great, Little and White Russia". (詳細はEdiger Mahmet, the last ruler of the Tatar (Tartar) state of Kazan. This 16th century crown is the second oldest in Russia. The gold crown is studded with pearls, garnets, and turquoises. The sable-fur trimming was for comfort. The Kazan Crown is dated by 1553. It was first mentioned in the treasury of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, whose reigning was signed by a series of eminent events in the Russian history. Among them is the capture of Kazan in October 1552 and annexation of the Kazan khanate to the Russian state. The precious crown might have been executed by Moscow Kremlin jewelers on the successful solution of "The Eastern problem", so important for Muscovy. Its name might have immortalized the memory of the glorious victory of Russian warriors. The crown's look combines national and eastern artistic traditions. Some elements remind decor traditions of Russian churches of the epoch. At the same time, combination of stones, e.g. red tourmalines and rubies with blue turquoise and carved ornament of knitting herbs on niello background represent oriental artistic influence. Since 18th century this crown served as heraldic crown of "Tsardom of Kazan". * Ivory throne This is earliest survived tsars throne of the mid-16th century. This fine specimen of Renaissance culture was made of wood faced with plates of ivory and walrus tusk therefore it was called the "carved bone armchair". The carved ornament unites the various subjects and representations into a single composition. Decorative scenes include images from Greek mythology and the Old Testament. The depicted themes, the style of the carving and the motifs, which include grotesques and Cupids, enable researches to date most of the pieces to the 16th century and attribute them to Western European Renaissance craftsmen. This bone throne has been renovated several times in Russia: worn pieces of bone were remade by local craftsmen; in 1856, on the occasion of the coronation of Emperor Alexander II, the throne was decorated with a gilded silver two-headed eagle. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Regalia of the Russian tsars」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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