Coronation of the Russian monarch
The
While months or even years could pass between the initial accession of the sovereign and the performance of this ritual, church policy held that the monarch must be anointed and crowned according to the Orthodox rite to have a successful tenure.
Even when the imperial capital was located at
Starting with the reign of Ivan IV, the ruler of Russia was known as "Tsar" rather than "
Symbolism
In medieval Europe, the anointed Christian ruler was viewed as a mixta persona, part priest and part layman, but never wholly either.[8] The Russian Orthodox Church considered the Tsar to be "wedded" to his subjects in the Orthodox coronation service.[9]
The Orthodox concept on this subject was explained by Russian
The Tsar was and is anointed by
Royal Doors[10] into the altar,[11] goes to the altar table and receives the Holy Mysteries as does the priest, with the Body and Blood taken separately.[12] Thus the Holy Church emphasises the great spiritual significance of the podvig (struggle) of ruling as a monarch, equalling this to the holy sacrament of the priesthood ... He (the Tsar) is the sacramental image, the carrier of the special power of the Grace of the Holy Spirit."[13]
Since no Orthodox layperson, regardless of societal or political rank, was ever permitted to pass through the Royal Doors or partake of communion in both kinds separately, the permission given to the Tsar to do both during his coronation ritual was intended to demonstrate both the solemn nature of the ritual, and the spiritual duties and authority devolving upon the new monarch. Sacred and secular, church and state, God and government were all welded together by the coronation service in the person of the anointed Tsar—or so many Russians believed.[14]
Since the newly ascended sovereign was permitted all the privileges of rule immediately upon his accession, coronations were not necessarily held right away. Instead, one or more years might be permitted to elapse between the initial accession of a Tsar and the ceremony itself. This allowed the court to finish its mourning for the new sovereign's predecessor, and permitted completion of the immense arrangements involved in staging the ritual.[15]
Imperial regalia
As in most European monarchies, the Tsars of Russia retained a sizable collection of Imperial regalia, some of which was used in their coronation ceremonies. The most important items included:
The sovereign's crown
Russian rulers from
With the accession of Peter the Great as
The consort's crown
A smaller crown, virtually identical in appearance and workmanship to the Great Imperial Crown, was manufactured for the crowning of the Tsar's consort. It was encrusted with diamonds, and first used for Tsaritsa Maria Feodorovna, wife of Paul I, being last used at the coronation of Nicholas II by Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. An identical new consort crown was made for Alexandra Feodorovna. The reason for this was that an already-crowned dowager empress outranked a new empress consort at the Russian court. The consort crown was often referred to as the "Smaller Imperial Crown", to differentiate it from the Tsar's Great Imperial Crown.[21]
Sceptre and orb
The Imperial
The
The banner of state
Each Tsar had a Banner of State manufactured for his coronation and reign. This banner was blessed on the eve of the coronation, in the Kremlin Armoury, and was present at his crowning the next day, as well as at significant events during his reign thereafter.[23]
The coronation
Entry into Moscow
Russian coronations took place in Moscow, the country's ancient capital. The new ruler made a great processional entrance on horseback into the city, accompanied by multiple cavalry squadrons, his consort (in an accompanying carriage) and the pealing of literally thousands of church bells. The new Tsar stopped at the Chapel of Our Lady of Iveron, home of the Icon of the Blessed Virgin of Iveron, one of the most revered icons in Moscow. It was a tradition with Russian Tsars that every entry to the Kremlin be marked by the veneration of this image.[24]
Following his entry into the city the new Tsar and his entourage took time to rest and prepare for the following day's ceremony, while heralds in medieval clothing read out special proclamations to "the good people of Our first capital".[19] Receptions were held for foreign diplomats, the Banner of State was consecrated, and the imperial regalia were brought from the Kremlin Armoury to the throne hall for the procession to the cathedral.[24] In conjunction with the Tsar's entry into Moscow, fines were remitted, prisoners pardoned, and a three-day holiday was proclaimed.[25]
Coronation procession
The Tsar was met on the morning of his coronation at the
The Tsar and his wife were met at the cathedral door by the Orthodox prelates, chief among them either the
The ceremony begins
The ceremony itself commenced with the singing of
The Tsar now removed the chain of the Order of St. Andrew, and was robed in Purple by the Metropolitans of St. Petersburg and
O Lord our God, King of kings and Lord of lords, who through
Samuel the prophet didst choose Thy servant David and didst anoint him to be king over Thy people Israel; hear now the supplication of us though unworthy, and look forth from Thy holy dwelling place and vouchsafe to anoint with the oil of gladness Thy faithful servant N., whom Thou hast been pleased to establish as king over Thy holy people which Thou hast made Thine own by the precious blood of Thine Only-begotten Son. Clothe him with power from on high; set on his head a crown of precious stones; bestow on him length of days, set in his right hand a scepter of salvation; establish him upon the throne of righteousness; defend him with the panoply of thy Holy Spirit; strengthen his arm; subject to him all the barbarous nations; sow in his heart the fear of Thee and feeling for his subjects; preserve him in the blameless faith; make him manifest as the sure guardian of the doctrines of Thy Holy Catholic Church; that he may judge Thy people in righteousness and Thy poor in judgment, and save the sons of those in want and may be an heir of Thy heavenly kingdom. [Aloud] For Thine is the might and Thine is the kingdom and the power, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.[27]: 22–23
After the greeting of "
To Thee alone, King of mankind, has he to whom Thou hast entrusted the earthly kingdom bowed his neck with us. And we pray Thee, Lord of all, keep him under Thine own shadow; strengthen his kingdom; grant that he may do continually those things which are pleasing to Thee; make to arise in his days righteousness and abundance of peace; that in his tranquility we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity. For Thou art the King of peace and the Saviour of our souls and bodies and to Thee we ascribe glory: to the Father and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.[27]: 23
Crowning of the Tsar
Following this the new ruler directed the Metropolitan to hand him the Imperial Crown. The Tsar took the crown from the Metropolitan's hands and placed it upon his own head, as the prelate invoked the name of the
Most God-fearing,
Christ, with a most ample blessing, seeing that He bestows upon thee entire authority over His people.[29]
Next the Tsar received his sceptre and orb, given to him by the Metropolitan, who again invoked the Christian Trinity and then recited these words:
God-crowned, God-given, God-adorned, most pious Autocrat and great Sovereign, Emperor of All the Russias. Receive the sceptre and the orb, which are the visible signs of the autocratic power given thee from the Most High over thy people, that thou mayest rule them and order for them the welfare they desire.[30]
Crowning of the Tsaritsa-consort
Once the Tsar had received the crown, sceptre and orb, he seated himself upon his throne holding the orb in his left hand, and the sceptre in his right. Summoning an aide, he divested himself of the sceptre and orb as his wife knelt upon a crimson cushion before him. Taking off his crown, the Tsar placed it briefly upon her head before returning it to his own. The Tsar next placed the Tsaritsa's crown upon his consort's head and the chain of the Order of St. Andrew around her neck, accompanied by a purple mantle, signifying her sharing in his dignity and responsibility for the nation's welfare.[31]
According to
Prior to
The "many years" and the anointing
After the crowning of his consort, the newly crowned Tsar retrieved his orb and sceptre, while the cathedral
The text of the Tsar's prayer read as follows:
Lord God of our fathers, and King of Kings, Who created all things by Thy word, and by Thy wisdom has made man, that he should walk uprightly and rule righteously over Thy world; Thou hast chosen me as Tsar and judge over Thy people. I acknowledge Thy unsearchable purpose towards me, and bow in thankfulness before Thy Majesty. Do Thou, my Lord and Governor, fit me for the work to which Thou hast sent me; teach me and guide me in this great service. May there be with me the wisdom which belongs to Thy throne; send it from Thy Holy Heaven, that I may know what is well-pleasing in Thy sight, and what is right according to Thy commandment. May my heart be in Thy hand, to accomplish all that is to the profit of the people committed to my charge and to Thy glory, that so in the day of Thy judgment I may give Thee account of my stewardship without blame; through the grace and mercy of Thy Son, Who was once crucified for us, to Whom be all honor and glory with Thee and the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life, unto ages of ages. Amen.[33]
The Emperor now set aside his crown and the Orthodox
After his anointing, but prior to the partaking of Holy Communion, the Tsar recited a
The service concludes
After receiving Holy Communion, the Tsar and Tsaritsa returned to their thrones, where the "Prayers After Receipt of Holy Communion" were read over them by their Father Confessor. Following this, the Tsar received homage from his wife, mother (if living) and other family members, nobles, and notable subjects present at his coronation. The dismissal was read, as the Archdeacon intoned a special blessing for the Tsar and Imperial Family, with the choir singing "many years" three times.[27]: 29 This concluded the portion of the coronation conducted inside the cathedral, but other separate ceremonies and celebrations still remained.
After the service
Return to the palace
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Tsar and his entourage proceeded to the nearby Archangel and Annunciation cathedrals within the Kremlin, where further rites were conducted. After this, the newly crowned monarchs proceeded under canopies back to the Red Porch of the Kremlin, where they rested and prepared for a great ceremonial meal at the Kremlin's Hall of Facets. During their procession back to their Kremlin palace, later rulers (starting with Nicholas I) stopped on the Red Staircase and bowed three times to the assembled people in the courtyard, symbolizing what one historian has called "an unspoken bond of devotion" between ruler and subjects.[36]
Inside the palace, the Tsar and Tsaritsa greeted representatives of their many
The coronation banquet
The Tsar's coronation banquet was held on the evening of his coronation, in the Granovitaya Palata, council chamber of Muscovite rulers. The walls were adorned with frescoes, and a special table was set for the Tsar and his consort, who dined alone while being served by high-ranking members of the court. Foreign ambassadors were admitted one at a time, and the new sovereign drank a toast with each in turn. Foreign princes (no foreign rulers were ever invited to a Russian coronation, but foreign princes attended as representatives of their own monarchs) were seated in an upper gallery or Tainik, as only Russians could take part in the banquet itself.[19]
According to biographer Robert K. Massie, the following items were served at Nicholas II's coronation dinner in 1896:[37]
- Borsch and pepper-pot soup,
- Turnovers filled with meat,
- Steamed fish,
- Whole spring lamb,
- Pheasants in cream sauce,
- Asparagus and Salad,
- Sweet fruits in wine,
- Ice cream.
Other celebrations
Following the banquet, the newly crowned monarchs attended other ceremonies, often including a grand
With the abolition of the monarchy after the Russian Revolution of 1917, coronation ceremonies no longer play any role in Russian political or religious life.
List of Russian coronations
While earlier rulers of Muscovy had been crowned prior to Prince Ivan III, the coronation ceremony in its "Byzantine" form was first brought to Russia by Ivan's wife,
While several Russian rulers had more than one consort during their reigns, this table will list only that consort (if any) who was crowned with him or her at the time of their coronation. There are two exceptions to this rule:
- Dmitriy I the Falseafter he had already been crowned as Tsar, and was afforded her own coronation after their wedding.
- Yekaterina Alexeyevna, second wife of Peter I, who was crowned as co-ruler of Russia in 1724[39] and subsequently ascended the throne as Catherine Iafter Peter's death.
Other Russian sovereigns either did not have consorts at the time of their coronations, did not ever crown their consorts, or (beginning with
Rurik dynasty
Grand Prince
Coronation | Monarch's image |
Monarch's name |
Reign | Consort's name |
Consort's image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
April 14, 1502 | Ivan III | 1462–1505 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
April 14, 1502 (with his father) | Vasili III | 1505–1533 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
January 16, 1547 | Ivan IV |
1533–1584 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
May 31, 1584 | Feodor I | 1584–1598 | consort uncrowned | / |
Time of Troubles
Following the death of Tsar Feodor I, Russia descended into a fifteen-year period of political unrest, famine, upheaval and foreign invasion known as the
At the time of Tsar
Coronation | Monarch's image |
Monarch's name |
Reign | Consort's name |
Consort's image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
February 21, 1598 | Boris Godunov | 1598–1605 | consort uncrowned | / | |
July 21, 1605 | Dmitriy I the False |
1605–1606 | no consort at time of coronation | / | |
May 8, 1606 | / | Dmitriy I the False (already crowned; see above) |
1605–1606 | Marina Mniszech |
Romanov dynasty
The Romanov dynasty came to power in July 1613, and ruled Russia until the
were never crowned, as neither reigned long enough to have a coronation ceremony. Peter the Great adopted the formal title of "Emperor" during his reign and his successors used it until the Revolution, but common usage still assigned the title of "Tsar" to the Russian monarch.Coronation | Monarch's image |
Monarch's name |
Reign | Consort's name |
Consort's image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
July 22, 1613 | Michael | 1613–1645 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
September 28, 1645 | Alexis | 1645–1676 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
June 18, 1676 | Feodor III | 1676–1682 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
June 25, 1682 | Peter I "The Great" with Ivan V |
1682–1725 | first consort uncrowned; second consort crowned co-ruler as Catherine I (see below) |
/ | |
June 25, 1682 | Peter I "The Great" |
1682–1696 | consorts uncrowned | / | |
May 7, 1724 | Catherine I | 1725–1727 | consort to Peter I ; crowned as his co-ruler; ruled alone after his death without remarrying |
/ | |
February 25, 1728 | Peter II | 1727–1730 | no consort | / | |
April 28, 1730 | Anna | 1730–1740 | no consort | / | |
March 6, 1742 | Elizabeth | 1741–1762 | no consort | / | |
September 22, 1762 | Catherine II "The Great" |
1762–1796 | no consort | / | |
April 5, 1797 | Paul | 1796–1801 | Maria Feodorovna (Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg) | ||
September 15, 1801 | Alexander I | 1801–1825 | Elizabeth Alexeievna (Louise of Baden) |
||
September 3, 1826 | Nicholas I | 1825–1855 | Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia) |
||
September 7, 1856 | Alexander II | 1855–1881 | Maria Alexandrovna (Marie of Hesse) |
||
May 15, 1883 | Alexander III | 1881–1894 | Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) |
||
May 26, 1896 | Nicholas II |
1894–1917 | Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) |
Notes
- ^ Muscovy, Sections "The Evolution of the Russian Aristocracy" and "Ivan IV". For crownings of earlier rulers of Muscovy, see Alfred Rambaugh Rambaud on the Rise of the Grand Princes of Moscow Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Scenarios of Power. Princeton University Press.
- ^ a b "Museums of the Moscow Kremlin: ASSUMPTION CATHEDRAL".
- ^ Moscow the Third Rome[full citation needed]. See also Moscow Becomes the Third Rome.
- Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy; the second (Constantinople) had equally apostatized by accepting Roman Catholicism at the Council of Florence and had subsequently fallen to the Turks; Moscow and "Holy Russia" were the third Rome, and (according to this doctrine) "a fourth there shall never be". A History of Russia, Chapter 1: Medieval Russia, Section "Ivan the Great".
- ^ New York Times, May 31, 1896. Quoted in Wortman, Introduction. See also Blech, Annalise, The Russian Orthodox Church: History and Influence Archived 2012-10-18 at the Wayback Machine, University of Texas at Austin, 2008, pg. 9.
- ^ Francois Veldi, The Title of Emperor, section "Russia". See also Chancery of the Committee of Ministers, St. Petersburg: Statesman's Handbook for Russia: 1896, Section "On the Prerogatives of the Sovereign Power".
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 185.
- ISBN 0-686-83125-X.
- ^ A set of doors in the center of an Orthodox iconostasis, the often-ornate icon screen separating the altar area (called the "sanctuary") from the rest of the church (the nave). Only an Orthodox bishop, priest or deacon may ever pass through them, and then only at certain specified points in the service.
- ^ In Russian Orthodox usage, "altar" refers both to the altar itself, and the area behind the iconostasis (also called the sanctuary) where it is situated.
- chalice with the wine after all of the clergy present have communed. Laymen (regardless of societal or political rank) take the bread and wine together, from a small spoonheld by the priest. The Tsar was the only layman permitted to partake as a clergyman, and that only once, at his coronation ceremony.
- ^ Bishop Nektary Kontzevich, "The Mystical Meaning of the Tsar's Martyrdom", The Orthodox Word, Vol. 24, Nos. 5 & 6, p. 327.
- ^ Tauschev, Archbishop Averkey, Archbishop Averkey's View on Monarchy,[unreliable source?] See also Royal Family Regalia Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, quote after paragraph 3; and Tsar-Martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov II Archived 2010-11-30 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Massie, pg. 52.
- ^ Crown of Monomach.[full citation needed] See also Royal Family Regalia Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine, which contains photos of the Crown of Monomach and several other items of Russian regalia.
- ^ a b Russian Crown Jewels Archived June 27, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "The Russian Crown Jewels". Famousdiamonds.tripod.com. Archived from the original on 2014-06-27. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Buxhoeveden, Chapter 7, "The Coronation".
- ^ "Diamond Fund Treasures". Almazi.net. Archived from the original on 2007-07-26. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
- ^ The Tsarina's Crown Monde Archived 2011-08-30 at the Wayback Machine. See Royal Family Jewelry Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine for a photo of the Empress's crown, together with the orb, sceptre and Great Imperial Crown.
- ^ Burton, E. (1986). Legendary Gems or Gems That Made History, pp. 45-47. Chilton Book Company, Radnor, PA. See also The Orlov, which contains photos of the sceptre itself and a portrait of Catherine the Great holding it.
- ^ Finial of the Russian National Banner Archived 2008-07-20 at the Wayback Machine.[full citation needed] See also Nicholas II's Throne Speech, 1906 Archived 2008-11-21 at the Wayback Machine, which contains photos from Nicholas II's opening of the first State Duma in 1906; the Imperial Banner is being held by a Grand Duke to Nicholas's left (a close-up photo may be seen by scrolling down this page).
- ^ a b c d e f g Last Coronation of a Russian Tsar Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine.[full citation needed]
- ^ Tsar-Martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov II Archived 2010-11-30 at the Wayback Machine.[full citation needed]
- ^ a b c King, Greg The Court of the Last Tsar: Pomp, Power and Pageantry in the reign of Nicholas II (John Wiley & Sons, 2006)
- ^ a b c d e f g Wooley, Maxwell, B.D., Coronation Rites. Cambridge University Press, 1915.
- ^ Last Coronation of a Russian Tsar Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine. For the Trinitarian invocation, see Sokholov, p. 132.
- ^ Thurston, Herbert (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
- ^ Archpriest D. Sokholov, A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services
- ^ Liebmann, pg. 200. At The Royal Passion-Bearer: Tsar-Martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov II, pg. 4.
- ^ Wortman, pg. 34. See also R. Nisbet Bain, Peter the Great and His Pupils Archived 2007-05-26 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b Liebmann, pg. 200.
- ^ Sokholov, p. 134.
- ^ Massie, pg. 395.
- ^ Wortman, Introduction.
- ^ Massie, pg. 57.
- ^ Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewski, B.F.A.,The Princes of Novgorod and the Grand Princes of Moscow. Section "Ivan III".
- ^ "Russia's First Catherine". Time. July 9, 1945.
- ^ Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewski, B.F.A.,The Princes of Novgorod and the Grand Princes of Moscow. Section "Ivan IV". See also Ivan the Terrible Archived 2007-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.
References
- Buxhoeveden, Baroness Sophie, The Life and Tragedy of Empress Alexandra Fedorovna. Longmans, Green and Co., 1928. ASIN: B00085D73E
- Gilbert's Royal Books, Last Coronation of a Russian Tsar.
- R. Monk Zachariah (Liebmann), "Martyrology of the Communist Yoke: The Life of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II", The Orthodox Word, 153 (1990).
- Massie, Robert K., Nicholas and Alexandra. Athenium Books, 1967.
- Sokholov, D., Archpriest, A Manual of the Orthodox Church's Divine Services, Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY, date unknown.
- Wooley, Maxwell, B.D., Coronation Rites. Cambridge University Press, 1915.
- Wortman, Richard S., Scenarios of Power: Myth and Ceremony in Russian Monarchy from Peter the Great to the Abdication of Nicholas II. Princeton University Press, 2006.
- Слюнькова И. Н., Проекты оформления коронационных торжеств в России XIX века. — М., Буксмарт, 2013 438 с. ISBN 978-5-906190-07-9
External links
Although no photography was permitted inside the
Video
- Coronation of Nicholas II. Rare outdoor motion picture footage from Nicholas II's crowning ceremony, on YouTube.
Photos
- Royal Russia Coronation of Tsar Nicholas II and Alexandra. Article in two parts with two videos and over 60 vintage photographs of the coronation.
- 1896 Coronation of Nicholas II and Alexandra. Contains hundreds of photos from Nicholas II's coronation.
- Coronation of Nicholas II. Contains drawings from a commemorative album of Nicholas II's coronation. Includes portraits of the heralds, entry procession, and of Nicholas receiving Holy Communion at the cathedral altar.
- The Russian Crown Jewels. Contains photos of the Imperial crown, sceptre and orb, with details about each.
- In Memory of the Coronation of their Imperial Majesties. Contains scenes from another commemorative album of Nicholas II's coronation.