Badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle.
And the Imperial Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the highest award in Russian Empire. The first to receive it was Peter I's comrade-in-arms, Count Fyodor Golovin, in 1699. IN Soviet era The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was not awarded. And the award was restored only in 1998 - as the highest in Russian Federation.
The oldest in the Russian state
When Peter the Great undertook to reshape his state in a European manner, he needed to establish official awards - after all, the order system did not exist in the Russian kingdom.
The Order of St. Andrew was created in 1698 or 1699 - after the return of Tsar Peter from the Great Embassy to Europe, where he carefully studied how everything worked among his neighbors. Thus, it became clear that due to the inconsistency of our diplomatic ceremonies, the Russians seemed barbaric to foreigners - in particular, due to the fact that we could not present our orders in response to those presented. In Europe, they wanted to award young Peter with the Brandenburg Order of Generosity and the British Order of the Garter, but he refused them, since he could not respond “on an equal footing” with his own order.
Peter I with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on a blue St. Andrew's ribbon and with a star on his chest. Painting by J.-M. Nattier. 1717. Hermitage
Dmitry Levitsky. Portrait of Empress Catherine II (1794, Novgorod Museum)
Dmitry Vladimirovich Golitsyn. Hood. Franz Riess, 1835
Portrait of Alexander I as a child. Artist: Dmitry Levitsky.
Portrait of Grand Dukes Alexander Pavlovich and Konstantin Pavlovich as children. Artist Heide. 1790
Oblique Order Cross
The badge of the order is an oblique, so-called St. Andrew's cross. According to legend, the Apostle Andrew, condemned to torture, chose him out of humility, so as not to imitate Jesus Christ in his death. (And the Apostle Peter, for the same reason, asked to be crucified upside down.)
The Apostle Andrew died around 70 AD. e. in Patras, in modern Greece, on the site of his death, a cathedral now stands in his honor. An Orthodox relic is also kept there - wooden cross Andrew, which was taken from Byzantium by the crusaders in 1250, was kept in Marseille and only in 1980 was transferred to Greece.
Latin abbreviation
At the four ends of the order's cross - latin letters“S.A.P.R.”, which stands for “Sanctus Andreus Patronus Russiae” (“St. Andrew the patron of Russia”), because, according to legend, the apostle preached the gospel in Rus'.
It is also decorated with the motto “For Faith and Fidelity.” The heraldic figure of a double-headed eagle did not appear in the design of the order immediately. The order was worn on a blue moire ribbon, and on special occasions - on an order chain.
Star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Kremlin, XVIII century
Ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called
Chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Kremlin.
Star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called
Gift for baby
The order quickly became a symbol of imperial power. Already in the Peter the Great era, the image of a chain with the St. Andrew's Cross appeared on state seals.
Starting with Ioann Antonovich, all members imperial family males received the order at birth. Princes of imperial blood (the title appeared in the 2nd half of the 19th century) were given it upon coming of age. Romanov girls were similarly given the highest female order of the country - St. Catherine.
Nikolay Lomtev. Apostle Andrew the First-Called erects a cross on the Kyiv mountains
Badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. OK. 1800. Hermitage
Badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called with swords. Kremlin, 19th century
Cross of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Kremlin, XVIII century
Required for coronation
The Order of St. Andrew was not only awarded to subjects of the empire and foreigners for their merits. Along with the crown, mantle, orb and scepter, it became a necessary regalia during the coronations of emperors.
This custom arose in the 18th century, the era of palace coups, to legitimize the occupation of the throne by pretenders who did not have a legal right to the throne. This was especially true for women - autocratic empresses, who did not receive the order in advance, at birth, and placed its signs on themselves.
Russian coronation regalia. Coronation album of Alexander II. 1856
Small plate from the service of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (St. Andrew's service). 1778–1780. Hermitage
Basically, these imperial orders are kept in the collection of the Moscow Kremlin Museums. Some, however, were sold by the Bolsheviks (especially those decorated with diamonds). The situation is being corrected: thus, on December 9, 2015, in the Grand Kremlin Palace, as part of the ceremonial events dedicated to the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland, gifts from patrons were transferred to the museum funds - a badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called made of smoky quartz, which belonged to the heir to the throne Pavel Petrovich - the future Emperor Paul I and Catherine the Great.
Editor's responseThe motto of the order is “For faith and fidelity.” The order badge looks like a St. Andrew's cross, usually covered with blue or light blue enamel with the image of a crucified saint. At the ends of the cross are the Latin letters SAPR (Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae - St. Andrew the Patron of Russia).
When and by whom was the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called established?
Historical sources indicate that the order was established by the emperor Peter I December 10, 1698. According to the old style, this day falls on November 30 - the day of remembrance of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called.
Peter I with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on a blue St. Andrew's ribbon and a star on his chest. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Jean-Marc Nattier
It is assumed that Peter I, who had just returned from, wanted to have in his state an order similar to those that he learned about in England.
During Peter's lifetime, the order was the only one in the Russian Empire. The first holder of the order was diplomat Fyodor Golovin, and this happened on March 20 (March 10, old style) 1699.
The Order was awarded, but there was no officially approved statute. The draft statute of 1720 is known, then there was the draft statute of 1744, but only in 1797, under Paul I the statute was approved and published for the first time.
Initially, the eight-pointed star of the order was not metal, but embroidered (“The eight-pointed star of the order should be sewn on the caftan and epanche, in the middle of it there is a golden field in which there is a silver cross”). Only the badge of the order was issued - a cross. Although historians claim that stars began to be made of silver only in early XIX century, with Alexandra I, in the portrait of Peter I the star does not look like fabric. From the description of the badge of the order before the reign of Paul I:
“The order badge has two sides: the front one represents the image of St. Andrew hanging on the so-called St. Andrew’s Cross, represented by an oblong image in the form of an oblique cross on which this holy Apostle was crucified.... On the back side there is a double-headed eagle with three gold crowns, indicated by a golden and bluish shadow on the wings. This cross should be gold with diamonds, enamel, decorated with a diamond crown, costing about 85 rubles, hung through hooks on loops made of solid gold. The angels holding the crown over him should be embroidered in silver, the crown in gold, and the words “For faith and fidelity” serve as an inscription or motto. However, the gentleman can give several diamonds and other expensive stones to the Treasurer for use on the cross and decorate it at his own will.”
Badge on the order chain and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle. From the collection of the State Historical Museum. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org / Maxim Razin
Cavaliers of the order, according to the charter, had to have the highest noble or state rank, military rank not lower than a general. The recipient of the order had the right to the rank of lieutenant general if he was in a lower rank. The gentlemen were required to have a considerable fortune in order to “support the importance of this event.” No more than 12 Russians could be holders of the order at the same time. Total number the number of holders of the order (Russian and foreign subjects) should not have exceeded twenty-four people.
In 1798, the order's attire of the Knights was approved. It consisted of a green velvet cloak, lined with white fabric; the collar on top was made of silver brocade with silver cords and the same tassels. On the left side of the cloak there is an embroidered Star of the Order. The clothes under the white brocade cloak are trimmed with gold braid and with a cross on the chest made of the same braid. Cashmere pants, white silk stockings, a black velvet hat with white and red feathers and a St. Andrew's Cross made of sky-blue ribbon.
Before 1797 (the accession of Paul I to the throne), in almost 100 years, 231 people became holders of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Over two centuries, from 900 to 1100 people received the order.
Under Paul I there was a ban on decorating the order precious stones at your own discretion. On April 5 (new style, 16) April 1797, Emperor Paul I signed a special establishment - the first official statute of the imperial order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle.
Paul I was the first to bestow orders on clergy. Paul also legitimized the awarding of the Order of St. Andrew to infants - male grand princes at baptism, and princes of imperial blood - upon their attainment.
Since 1855, two crossed golden swords, placed on top of the cross and on the star in the center, were added to the insignia of the order received for military exploits.
In 1917, awarding of the order was discontinued in Soviet Russia. The last holder of the order by right of birth was Prince of the Imperial Blood Roman Petrovich (1896-1978).
On July 1, 1998, by decree President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin(No. 757) the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was restored as the highest award in Russia.
Who is being awarded the Order of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called now?
The presidential decree states that the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is awarded to:
- outstanding state and public figures and other citizens of the Russian Federation for exceptional services contributing to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia;
- for outstanding services to the Russian Federation - heads and leaders of governments of foreign states.
- for distinction in military operations the badge and star of the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called with swords are awarded.
Rules for wearing the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. On the left is an option for special occasions. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The insignia of the order remained unchanged, with the exception of the provision that the ribbon without the order on civilian clothing is worn in the form of a rosette, and on uniform clothing - on a bar. The first holders of the order were Academician D. S. Likhachev, small arms designer M. T. Kalashnikov, President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev And His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.
In June 2008, at Sotheby's auction, a diamond star for the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, made around 1800, was sold for 2,729,250 pounds (about $5.4 million), which became an absolute record not only for Russian awards, but also for orders in general. At the same auction, a set of the order with badge and silver star, made between 1908 and 1917, was sold for £1,721,250.
Who was Andrew the First-Called?
Apostle Andrew, or Andrew the First-Called, was one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, and was also the brother of the Apostle Peter.
According to the Gospel, John the Baptist pointed out Jesus to the brothers Andrew and Peter: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Andrew was the first to follow Christ, which is why Andrew is usually called the First-Called. At that time, the Lord Jesus Christ came to John the Baptist on the Jordan for baptism, and he, pointing to the Lord, said to his disciples: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” Hearing this, Andrew and John followed Jesus. The Lord, seeing them, asked: “What do you need?” They said: “Rabbi (Teacher), where do you live?” “Come and see,” answered Jesus, and from that time they became His disciples. On the same day, the Apostle Andrew went to his brother Simon Peter and told him: “We have found the Messiah.” So Peter joined the disciples of Christ.
Francisco de Zurbaran. Saint Andrew Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
However, the apostles did not immediately devote themselves entirely to the apostolic title. The Gospel says that brothers Andrew and Simon Peter and brothers John and James had to return to their families and take up their usual work - fishing. A few months later, the Lord, passing by Lake Galilee and seeing them fishing, said: “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left their boats and nets and from that day became constant disciples of Christ.
Together with other disciples, Apostle Andrew was an eyewitness to the crucifixion of Christ and later testified to His Resurrection.
Tradition says that after the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples, each of them went to preach the teachings of Christ. Andrew the First-Called headed to the East: he passed through Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, ended up on the coast of the Black Sea, passed through Crimea and from there reached the place where the city of Kyiv is now located. Having passed through the lands where the Slavs lived, he returned to Thrace, where he founded a Christian community in a small town of Byzantium at that time.
The last city visited by the Apostle Andrew was the Greek city of Patras. Andrew the First-Called converted most of its inhabitants to Christianity. However, the ruler of Patras, Egeates, remained a pagan, and called the teachings of the apostle madness. By his order, Andrew the First-Called was crucified on an oblique cross, but within three days remained alive and continued to preach. Only after praying that the Lord would take him to himself, Andrew the First-Called accepted martyrdom.
The apostle's body was taken down from the cross and buried by Aegeates' wife Maximilla, whom Andrew the First-Called had cured of a serious illness. In 357, the saint's relics were transferred to Constantinople, and in 1458 they were placed in Rome, in St. Peter's Cathedral. After some time, the Cross was enclosed in an icon case shaped like a cross, and in 1980 it was returned to Patras and placed in the Church of St. Andrew.
What does the Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called symbolize?
It is believed that during his trip to the eastern countries he visited the ancient Slavs and predicted the emergence of the city of Kyiv, where “God will erect many churches.” They say that on the territory of future Rus', Andrei left his pectoral (breast) cross and tirelessly preached Christianity.
Since the time of Peter the Great, Apostle Andrew was considered the patron saint of St. Petersburg, and the Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called became a symbol of the Russian fleet and is depicted on the St. Andrew’s flag: there is a blue cross on a white cloth.
The Grand Embassy is the diplomatic mission of Russia in Western Europe in 1697-1698. The embassy was sent to Austria, Saxony, Brandenburg, Holland, England, Venice and the Pope. The embassy's route went through Riga and Koenigsberg to Holland and England, from England the embassy returned back to Holland, and then it visited Vienna; The embassy did not reach Venice.
The custom of tying newborn boys with a blue ribbon and newborn girls with a pink ribbon goes back to the above-mentioned decree of Paul I to award every born Grand Duke at baptism with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called, and grand duchesses with the Order of St. Catherine.
*** Historically, meaning an organization whose members wear signs of belonging to it, the word “order” in Russia now, as a rule, is called a state award.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is the highest state award of the Russian Federation.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is awarded to outstanding state and public figures and other citizens of the Russian Federation for exceptional services contributing to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called can be awarded for outstanding services to the Russian Federation to the heads and heads of governments of foreign states.
The badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is worn on the order chain or on the shoulder ribbon. Wearing the badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on the order chain is allowed on especially solemn occasions. When wearing the badge of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the shoulder ribbon, it passes over the right shoulder. The star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is located on the left side of the chest, to the left of the orders below the order blocks.
Those awarded for distinction in military operations are awarded the badge and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle with swords.
When wearing the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the bar, it is located above other order ribbons.
Description of the order
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called has a badge, a star, an order chain and an order ribbon.
The badge of the order is an oblong oblique cross made of silver with gilding, covered with blue enamel, with the image of the crucified Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called on it. At the ends of the cross there are golden letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” (Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae - Saint Andrew the Patron of Russia). The cross is superimposed on a relief gilded double-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns and supporting the lower ends of the oblique cross with its paws. On the reverse side of the badge, on the chest of the eagle, on a white field, the motto of the order is written in black enamel: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY.” The cross is suspended on a blue enamel ribbon from the middle crown, which has a ribbon eyelet on the reverse side. Sign height - 86 mm, width - 60 mm.
The order's ribbon is silk, moire, blue, 100 mm wide.
Silver star, eight-pointed. In the center of the star, in a round medallion covered with red enamel, there is a gilded relief image of a double-headed eagle crowned with three crowns; on the eagle's chest is an image of the St. Andrew's cross (oblique, covered with blue enamel). At the top along the circumference, on a blue enamel background with gilded edging, is the order’s motto in gold: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY”; below is an image of two crossed laurel branches, covered with green enamel and tied with a gilded ribbon. The distance between the opposite ends of the star is 82 mm. The star is attached to clothing using a pin.
The order chain consists of 17 alternating links of three types: a gilded image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation in the form of a double-headed eagle with a round shield on the chest with a rider, made in color; crowned with a crown and framed with military fittings, a cartouche filled with blue enamel, in the center of which is placed the gilded monogram of Peter I; rosette covered with red enamel and divided by gilded stripes in the form of a radiance. A St. Andrew's cross (oblique, covered with blue enamel) passes through the middle of the rosette, between the ends of which the letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” are placed. The chain links are connected by rings. The chain is made of silver with gilding and hot enamels.
For those awarded for distinction in military operations, two crossed gilded swords are added to the badge and star of the order. When attaching swords to the badge of the order, they are located under the middle crown above the double-headed eagle. The length of each sword is 47 mm, width is 3 mm. When attaching the swords to the star of the order, they are placed behind its central medallion, on top of the middle rays of the diagonal ends of the star. The length of each sword is 54 mm, width is 3 mm.
A ribbon without an order on uniform is worn on a bar 12 mm high, the width of the ribbon is 45 mm. For those awarded for distinction in military operations, the ribbon additionally contains two miniature crossed gilded swords.
A ribbon without an order on civilian clothes is worn in the form of a rosette. The diameter of the socket is 22 mm.
The Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle has a sign and a star.
The badge of the order is an oblique cross made of silver with gilding, covered with blue enamel, with the image of the crucified figure of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called on it. At the ends of the cross there are golden letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” (Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae - Saint Andrew the Patron of Russia). The cross is superimposed on a relief gilded figure of a double-headed eagle, crowned with three crowns connected by a blue-enameled ribbon, and supporting the lower ends of the cross with its paws. On the reverse side of the sign, on the chest of the eagle, there is a ribbon covered with white enamel. On the ribbon, in straight letters covered with black enamel, is written the motto of the order: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY”; under the ribbon is the number of the badge. The badge is attached to the order ribbon using an eyelet on the reverse side of the middle crown. Sign height - 86 mm, width - 60 mm.
The order's ribbon is silk, moire, blue, 100 mm wide.
The star of the order is silver, eight-pointed. In the center of the star, in a round medallion covered with red enamel, there is a gilded relief image of a double-headed eagle crowned with three crowns; on the eagle's chest there is an image of the St. Andrew's (oblique) cross covered with blue enamel. Around the medallion there is a border covered with blue enamel with gilded edging. On the border, in straight gilded letters, is the motto of the order: “FOR FAITH AND LOYALTY.” At the bottom of the border there is an image of two crossed laurel branches, covered with green enamel and tied with a gilded ribbon. The distance between the ends of the opposite rays of the star is 82 mm. On the reverse side of the star, in the lower part, is the number of the star of the order. The star is attached to clothing using a pin.
The order chain consists of 17 alternating links of three types: a gilded image of the State Emblem of the Russian Federation in the form of a double-headed eagle with a round shield on the chest with a horseman made in colored enamels, striking a dragon with a spear; crowned with a crown and framed with military fittings, a cartouche covered with blue enamel, in the center of which is placed the gilded applied monogram of Peter I; gold plated rosette in the form of a radiance with a red enamel coated medallion. A blue St. Andrew's (oblique) cross passes through the middle of the rosette, between the ends of which the letters “S”, “A”, “P”, “R” are placed. The chain links are connected by rings. The chain is made of silver with gilding using hot enamels.
For those awarded for distinction in military operations, two crossed gilded swords are added to the badge and star of the order. On the badge of the order they are located under the middle crown above the double-headed eagle. The length of each sword is 47 mm, width is 3 mm. On the star of the order they are located on the diagonal rays of the star, under its central medallion. The length of each sword is 54 mm, width is 3 mm.
The ribbon of the order on uniform is worn on a bar 12 mm high, the width of the ribbon is 45 mm. For those awarded for distinction in military operations, the ribbon additionally contains two miniature crossed gilded swords
A miniature metal image of the order’s badge is attached to the order’s ribbon in the form of a rosette. golden color with enamel. The diameter of the socket is 16 mm.
For those awarded for distinction in military operations, on a ribbon in the form of a rosette there are additionally two miniature intersecting gilded swords, which do not extend beyond the rosette in size.
Statute of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is awarded to prominent government and public figures, outstanding representatives of science, culture, art and various sectors of the economy for exceptional services that contribute to the prosperity, greatness and glory of Russia.
The Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called can be awarded to heads (leaders) of foreign states for outstanding services to the Russian Federation.
The badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is worn on the order chain or on the shoulder ribbon. When wearing the badge of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the shoulder ribbon, it passes over the right shoulder.
Wearing the badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called on the order chain is carried out, as a rule, on especially solemn occasions or if the recipient has the Order of St. George, 1st degree.
The star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle is worn on the left side of the chest and is located below the orders worn on blocks.
Those awarded for distinction in military operations are awarded the badge and star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle with swords.
When wearing the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle on the bar, it is located above other order ribbons.
When wearing the ribbon of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called in the form of a rosette, it is located on the left side of the chest above other order ribbons in the form of rosettes.
After the recipient of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called is awarded, the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation ensures the production of a portrait of the recipient of the order.
A portrait of the recipient of the Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is exhibited at the State Central Museum modern history Russia.
On March twentieth, one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine, the secretary of the Austrian embassy in Russia, John Georg Korb, wrote in his diary:
"His Royal Majesty established the Cavalry Order of St.
Andrew the Apostle."Desk medal “In memory of the establishment of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. 1698" Medalist Samoilo Yudin. Copper; 64 mm; 112.22 g.
This is the earliest known mention of the first Russian order. Here Korb adds:
“His Royal Majesty granted the boyar Golovin the first holder of this order and gave him a sign of it. That evening the boyar showed this order to the imperial envoy (ambassador of the Austrian sovereign Leopold I, head of the Holy Roman Empire) and told him the contents of the Charter.”
Almost all modern information known to us reliably about the establishment of the Order of St. Andrey and limit themselves to this diary entry.
The first Russian order had as its main element the “sign” itself - a specially shaped cross covered in blue enamel in the form of the letter “X”, on which, according to legend, St. Andrew (St. Andrew's cross), with the image of the figure of the saint himself. This cross was worn on a wide blue ribbon over the right shoulder, and on special occasions - on a gold chain covered with multi-colored enamels on the chest.
The order included a star, originally sewn, with eight rays, with a round central medallion, which also contained an image of the St. Andrew's Cross (replaced under Paul by a double-headed eagle). There was an inscription around the circle - the motto of the order “For Faith and Loyalty”. This inscription commemorates the merits for which the award was given. In the earliest draft of the statute of the Order of St. Andrew, compiled with the direct participation of Peter the Great in 1720, states who and for what this award should be given:
"... as reward and reward to some for loyalty, courage and various services rendered to us and the fatherland, and to others to encourage all noble and heroic virtues; for nothing so much encourages and inflames human curiosity and love of glory as clear signs and visible reward for virtue."
The draft charter contains a special chapter “On Cavaliers”. It talks about what requirements are imposed on candidates for the cavaliers of this order. They must have the title of count or prince, the rank of senator, minister, ambassador “and other high dignities,” or the rank of general or admiral. The order could also be received by governors who “provided useful and faithful services for several years, or at least ten.” In addition, an indispensable condition was that the gentleman had no physical defects, was at least 25 years old, and had the condition necessary to “support the importance of this event.”
Foreigners could also become holders of the order, and the same requirements were imposed on them as on Russian candidates. At the same time, holders of the Order of St. Andrei could have been no more than 12 people, “natural Russian gentlemen”. This condition was carefully observed throughout the reign of Peter. Only in 1719 the number of Russian holders of the order was twelve (their number did not include foreigners in Russian service); in other years there were fewer. The total number of holders of the order (Russian and foreign) should not exceed twenty-four.
Fyodor Alekseevich Golovin became the first holder of the order. Being one of Peter's closest associates, even among them, extraordinary people, he stood out for his deep intelligence and outstanding military and diplomatic abilities. It was Golovin who concluded the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689 - on the border Russian state with China. During Peter's first trip abroad, in 1697, he was busy organizing maritime affairs in Russia: he invited foreign officers and craftsmen, purchased the materials necessary for the construction of the fleet, and sent Russian students abroad. Upon returning to his fatherland, in 1698 he became the head of the newly created “Order of Military Naval Affairs.” At the same time, which is somewhat unusual even for the turbulent time of Peter the Great, he was also in charge of the Ambassadorial Prikaz. Golovin died in 1706, having the highest naval rank of admiral general (besides him, in the entire pre-revolutionary history of the state there were only six others who deserved this rank) and the land rank of field marshal general.
The second holder of the order was Hetman I.S. Mazepa, who received it on February 8, 1700 from the hands of Peter himself. After the news of Mazepa’s betrayal, the following action was carried out by order of the angry tsar: on November 9, 1708, as the “Journal” of Peter the Great reports, “... the person (mannequin) of this traitor Mazepa was carried out and, having removed the cavalry (insignia of the order), which that person was dressed with a bow, that person was thrown into the executioner’s hands, which the executioner took and attached to a rope, dragged along the street and across the square even to the gallows and then hanged.” Mazepa managed to escape the well-deserved punishment for betrayal, and the matter was limited to hanging the traitor’s dummy.
The remaining 38 gentlemen of this order, awarded during the reign of Peter (including the Wallachian ruler Constantin Brancoveanu, who received this award secretly for his sympathies towards Russia, who was not even included in official lists awarded) turned out to be more worthy of this distinction. Peter himself was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the seventh, in 1703, for a specific military success - leadership in the capture of two Swedish warships at the mouth of the Neva. The insignia of the order was placed on the Tsar, who had the official military rank of captain of a bombardment company, by the first St. Andrew's Knight, Fyodor Golovin. At the same time, A.D. received the same award for participation in this battle. Menshikov, former bombardier lieutenant.
Subsequently, until the reign of Paul I, holders of the Order of St. Andrey became 231 more people. Among them are such outstanding domestic commanders as P.A. Rumyantsev, A.V. Suvorov, statesmen F.M. Apraksin, G.A. Potemkin.
Emperor Paul I, on the day of his coronation, April 5, 1797, signed a special Establishment, which is the first officially approved statute of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Among other specific provisions relating to order affairs, it was given detailed description a special order costume for St. Andrew's Knights, in which they had to appear at court on the day of the order's holiday, November 30, and on other days specified by the emperor himself: a long green velvet epancha, decorated with silver cords and tassels, with a star of the order sewn on the left side in size “more ordinary”, a white super vest with gold braid and fringe and a cross sewn on the chest, a black velvet hat with a white and red plume and a St. Andrew’s cross made of a narrow blue ribbon. Naturally, the gentleman on the solemn day had to appear with the sign of the Order of St. Andrew's is not on a shoulder strap, but on a gold chain with enamel.
Starting from Pavlov's time, gentlemen were forbidden to arbitrarily decorate their badges with precious stones, and a cross with a star, showered with diamonds (diamonds), became, as it were, a special, highest level of the order, bestowed solely at the personal discretion of the emperor. Paul began to bestow orders, including those of St. Andrew the First-Called, on persons of clergy rank. The first such Knight of St. Andrew was in November 1796, Metropolitan Gabriel of Novgorod and St. Petersburg. Paul also legalized the awarding of all male infants without exception - the Grand Dukes - with the Order of Andrew at baptism, and the princes of the imperial blood - upon reaching adulthood.
The twelve eldest in time to be awarded the Order of St. Andrew's cavaliers received commanderies associated with additional income: three commanderies of 1000 serf souls each, four of 800 souls each, five of 700 souls each. In each of these three groups, one commandery was given to a clergyman assigned to this order. These awards were for life and after the death of the gentleman passed to the next most senior holder of the award.
Under Alexander I, the St. Andrew's Knights, when awarded the order, began to contribute 800 rubles to the order's cash desk. During this period, which became one of the most glorious pages national history Thanks to the nationwide feat in 1812, the number of awards issued, especially for military merits, increased sharply.
The period of the Napoleonic wars dates back to the case of awarding the Order of St. Andrew of the French Emperor. In 1807, it was awarded to Napoleon I. On the occasion of the ratification of the Peace of Tilsit between Russia and France (as well as France and Prussia), the signs of the highest Russian order were received by the French emperor, his brother Jerome, marshals Berthier and Murat, as well as the famous master of diplomatic intrigue, Napoleonic minister Foreign Affairs, Prince Talleyrand. In 1815, foreigners who had the Order of St. Andrew, whose number was quite significant, was added by the famous English commander Duke of Wellington.
From 1801 to 1916 there were about 600 awards. During this time, changes occurred in the appearance of the order's insignia. From about the time Patriotic War In 1812, silver stars appeared. By the middle of the 19th century, metal stars completely replaced fabric ones.
Star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Unknown workshop, Russia, first third XIX V. Silver, enamel. Size 80x79 mm. On the reverse side there are wire ears at the ends of the rays for sewing onto the uniform. This star represents the earliest type of “forged” star, which gentlemen, according to the fashion of that time, ordered from private workshops to replace the “sewn” one received from the Chapter of the Imperial Orders. Stars of this type with an eagle with its wings down in the center are known in single copies.
Until 1855, the insignia of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called for military merit were no different in appearance from the badges for civilian merit. Later, crossed swords were added to the battle award.
After the February Revolution, the Provisional Government, leaving the reward system of the empire essentially the same, made only some “cosmetic” changes to appearance orders in accordance with the spirit of the republican system, removing some monarchical symbols. On the Order of St. It was decided to remove the crowns from St. Andrew’s cross, and replace the royal eagle in the central round medallion with a new, Republican eagle, without crowns, according to a sketch made by the famous artist I. Bilibin. But the highest awards Russian order there were none in 1917, and we don’t know St. Andrew’s signs of this type, even trial ones.
Badges of the highest order of steel in pre-revolutionary Russia part of military symbolism. St. Andrew's star was a kind of symbol of the guard in military paraphernalia and adorned guards' headdresses, as well as lyadunki - bags for cartridges, super vests for the cavalry guards of the heavy guards cavalry, and even saddle cloths - cloth mats under the saddle.
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries, many regiments of the Russian army celebrated their anniversaries - 100, 150 or more years, the so-called “seniority” of units. On this occasion, almost all anniversary regiments established their own regimental insignia - a kind of corporate distinction worn by all ranks of the regiment on their uniform. The design of the regimental badge was approved by the Tsar himself or the Minister of War and, as a rule, included images and inscriptions reminiscent of the heroic pages of the history of the unit.
Regimental insignia of more than ten guards units included the image of St. Andrew's star and ribbon as an element, and three guards infantry regiments made the St. Andrew's cross the basis of their insignia. At the same time, the oldest regiment of the Russian army - Preobrazhensky - established its regimental badge based on a sketch of the St. Andrew's Cross, personally made by Peter in his time.
Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Firm "Eduard", 1903-1908, 90.9x60 mm, weight 72.6 g, gold, enamel.
Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. St. Petersburg, Albert Keibel’s workshop, 1882–1899, 62x87 mm. Gold, enamel, mount.
Dress badge of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Unknown workshop, Russia, late XIX - early XX centuries. Unsampled gold, enamel. Size 18x14 mm.
A set of badges of the Russian Imperial and Royal Orders of one-time issue, awarded to the holder of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called:
1) Set of insignia of the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree. a) Badge of the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree. Albert Keibel firm, St. Petersburg, 1899-1904. Gold, enamel. Weight, 27.35 g. Size 62x67 mm. b) Star of the Order of St. Stanislaus. Firm "Keibel", St. Petersburg, 1870-1880s. Silver, enamel, gilding. Weight, 50.50 g. Size 88x89 mm. c) Ribbon of the Order of St. Stanislaus, 1st degree. Unknown workshop, Russia, late 19th century. Moire.
2) Set of insignia of the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree. a) Badge of the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree. Albert Keibel's company, St. Petersburg, before 1899. Gold, enamel. Weight, 22.25 g. Size 56x51 mm. b) Star of the Order of St. Anne. Firm "Keibel", St. Petersburg, 1870-1880s. Silver, enamel, gilding. Weight, 51.70 g. Size 91x90 mm. c) Ribbon of the Order of St. Anne, 1st degree. Unknown workshop, Russia, late 19th century. Moire.
3) Set of insignia of the Order of the White Eagle. a) Badge of the Order of the White Eagle. Albert Keibel's company, St. Petersburg, before 1899. Gold, enamel. Weight, 86.56 g. Size 91x62 mm. b) Star of the Order of the White Eagle. Firm "Keibel", St. Petersburg, 1899-1904. Silver, enamel, gilding. Weight, 52.06 g. Size 91x91 mm. c) Ribbon of the Order of the White Eagle. Unknown workshop, Russia, late 19th century. Moire.
4) Set of insignia of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. a) Badge of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Firm of Albert Keibel, St. Petersburg, 1899-1904. Gold, enamel. Weight, 32.88 g. Size 62x56 mm. b) Star of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Firm "Keibel", St. Petersburg, 1870-1880s. Silver, enamel, gilding. Weight, 49.30 g. Size 92x92 mm. c) Ribbon of the Order of St. Alexander Nevsky. Unknown workshop, Russia, late 19th century. Moire.
5) Case for a set of insignia of Orders, awarded to the recipient immediately with the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. Unknown workshop, Russia, late 19th century. Wood, leather, cardboard, velvet, silk, bronze. Size 383x285x36 mm. On the top cover there is a state eagle and the inscription in “gold”: “Insignia of the Order of St. Stanislav, St. Anna Belago, Eagle of St. Alexander Nevsky.”
According to the code of laws for the establishment of orders, edition of 1876: “...Granted by the Order of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, even if he had not previously had other Russian orders, with this single award he should be equally honored as a knight of the four junior Russian orders: St. Alexander Nevsky, Belago Orla, St. Anna of the first degree and St. Stanislav of the first degree, whose signs are forwarded to him along with the signs of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called...” Such sets were awarded only to Russian Grand Dukes and foreign gentlemen. Due to the small number of awards, such sets are extremely rare.
The authors of the regimental badge copied both sides of it, and the Preobrazhensky emblem became the only one among hundreds of Russian regimental badges that had images and inscriptions on the reverse side. This will seem completely meaningless (after all, regimental insignia had to be worn tightly screwed to the uniform), if you do not understand the artist’s desire to accurately copy the drawing of the cross once made by Peter himself.
Not only in the Guard, regimental insignia included images of elements of the St. Andrew's Award. A dozen army infantry regiments placed the St. Andrew's star and ribbon on their badge, and the 11th Pskov Infantry and the 13th Vladimir Uhlan made the St. Andrew's Cross the basis of their badge.
