MEDALS AND PRESS FALSDMITRY I

In the history Rossiyskogo States was a period called the Time of Troubles. Then, after the childless death of Tsar Fedor Ivanovich, who for piety called Blessed, Moscow swore allegiance to his wife - the queen Irina. But she refused the throne and took the veil.

When Moscow is suddenly without a king, all eyes were turned to the ruler Boris Godunov, however, and he was denied the throne: he also went to the monastery, though without taking vows. Then the Zemsky Sobor was convened of representatives of all ranks and people from all cities of the Moscow state, which unanimously elected to the throne of Boris Godunov.

However-born nobles and princes, the descendants of Rurik and Gediminas, harbored in the soul of anger and envy the new king, upstart - a descendant of the Tatar Murzas on the Russian throne. But Boris Godunov was able to reign and rule, but only the first two years of his reign were peaceful and prosperous. And although the people were hungry, and order reigned in the country, no one forgot about the murder of Tsarevich Dmitri in Uglich.

At this time, the historical arena appears monk Grigory tow, who says that he is the prince Dmitri, escaped from death. Appearing in Poland, he announced his intention to go to Moscow to earn a "ancestral throne. " It would seem that the fight against unknown and powerless young adventurer with a powerful Boris Godunov, the latter ends in victory, but to the aid of False Dmitry I, but the Poles came to the Dnieper and the Don Cossacks, disgruntled by the fact that King Boris was trying to hamper their freedom and to subordinate the power of the Moscow governor.

And the winner was "defrocked": In October 1604 he entered the Moscow State, and many cities one after another, he opened the gates of his. In June 1605, Moscow triumphantly met its "legal nature" king of Dmitry Ivanovich, while the boyars and realized that the throne went to his son not Ivan the Terrible, a monk Grishka Otrepiev.

Soon, under the leadership of Basil Shuisky against False Dmitry I was organized conspiracy. Boyars broke into the king′s house to kill the impostor. Gregory Otrepyev escaped, but jumping out of windows, sprained foot and was caught. Pretender was killed, his body burned and after the defilement, mixing the ashes with gunpowder, shot from a cannon in the direction whence it came . . .

Despite the brief reign of "King" Dmitry Ivanovich in the history of the medal case are known several awards, which were coined by him in 1604-1605-ies. One of the oldest monuments of this kind is printing False Dmitry I, which he appended a "Record" issued by the Sandomierz voivodship Yuri Mnishek. "Record", this refers to May 1604, ie the time when Gregory Otrepyev was still in Poland and only declared himself a contender for the throne. This can be judged by a circular inscription on the seal, which reads: "God′s mercy Dmitr Ivanovich Tsarevich Moscow.

Font of the circular inscription - the transition from the statute to civil - until that time in Russia was not used. In addition, within it, in the rim of the beads, double-headed eagle, according to a design similar to the eagle of the Roman Empire. On the eagle′s breast - a shield with the emblem of Moscow (St.

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George), but the Russian sphragistics eagle of this type also occurs for the first time.

Researcher A. Lakier still in the XVII century in his book "Russian Heraldry" wrote about the medals as follows:

"The eagle with three crowns is the first time in the press . . . Board Falsdmitry. Two small crown resting on the heads of the eagle, it is the same as on the seal of Ivan the Terrible. But the crown of medium, large, there is a royal and directly corresponds to the title of Imperator, which adopted and used the imaginary son of John.

Print this, no doubt, was cut in Poland, as a medal the first year of the reign of Falsdmitry I. Depicted on the medal is presented for the first time an impostor "Caesar" with all the trappings of his power: a crown, scepter and orb in his hands. The front side of the coin is clearly Western in nature, as shown in her imposter dressed in Western-style armor. Circular inscription, in Latin uppercase letters, contains the title of Imperator, which was then in Russia was not used, and ends with the date (year life of the king). Specifying the number of his years, as if an impostor confirmed that it is precisely the son of Ivan the Terrible, who was born in 1582 and who was considered umershim. 1

On the reverse side of the coin Western influence is apparent only in the crown, crowning the eagle, and in an elaborate shield, on which this eagle is depicted. However, the picture itself eagle represents the Byzantine type. The medal is, as historians believe, was intended for distribution to foreigners during the coronation Falsdmitry, since the images and inscriptions on it the Russian people were not clear. However, the very design of medals, was clearly designed to ensure that attention and Russian citizens, and foreign patrons pretender. It is no accident was depicted in the royal crown and named "Emperor" and "Caesar" - the title is not characteristic of Russian tsars. Lzhedmitry understood their dependence on the Polish patrons, so the coronation medals and became the first means of struggle for recognition of his royal title.

In 1605, medallions were minted profile "king of Dmitry Ivanovich," which meant, in all probability, also for distribution during the coronation. And it was made four different versions of this medal. The medals were gold, and on both sides of them were circular inscription.

On the front side: "Dmitry BOZHEYU MERCY Tsar and Grand Duke of All RUSSIA AND ALL TARTAR KINGDOM OF MANY OTHER STATES.

On the reverse side: "The Lord of the Muscovite monarchy PODLEGLY KING AND HOLDERS AND Caesar RUSSIA AND autocrat. "

Facial profile of the three medals quite similar to each other, but on the reverse side of them there are some differences. Is especially noticeable in one of the medals, which stands out among other parts and image, and the form of letters, and the very meaning of the inscription. On her first head thrown back stronger than in the other medals; dress is covered with a rich embroidery, which was noticeable even on the sleeve, in addition, has a slit cuff sleeves and tight to the edge of the coin, and some will defend him.

For years government Falsdmitry I belong and two stamps: one, called "State average", was attached to literacy, sent to the priests the Church of Assumption of the city of Lviv.

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This seal is of a Russian character: in the middle of its double-headed eagle of the Byzantine type, with a cross between the two heads of the eagle. Such a cross between the heads of the eagle is found on most of the seals of Ivan the Terrible, Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, Godunov and Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, because such a picture of an eagle was in Russia in a big hand. Around the press, in the three concentric lines is inscribed the full title.

Small oval seal does not include any inscriptions. But it marked a very strong western influence, especially in the extended wings of an eagle. But the third crown of the press did not exist and replaced by a cross.

By the years 1605-1606 owned and two gold medals, stamps which are already in Moscow: they were shown the double-headed eagle of the Byzantine type, and carved circular statutory inscriptions. Weight of one of these medals is 3, 94 grams, which is very close to the weight of a tenner. This medal, as researchers believe, was one of the tokens, which threw the people at the wedding Falsdmitry I Marina Mnishek. They and minted specifically for this purpose, as there is evidence of contemporaries. For example, in Petreev says: "As newlyweds exit the church, the people threw several thousand gold coins, deliberately in order cooked, with the image on both sides of the double-headed eagle. " The notes of the Dutch merchant, I. Masses solemn procession was as follows:

"Bogdan Sutupov deacon, Athanasius Vlasov and Shujskij many times throwing handfuls of gold at the ways in which the pronoun followed the king, holding the hand of her husband. Gold was the best thing on the coins the size of a thaler, and to the smallest in the pfennig.

Great interest and a second medal, as well as its obverse side was placed a shield with the image of the unicorn. A. Lakier already mentioned in his book about the writing of this emblem: "The Unicorn - the symbol of purity and innocence, it is often found on the shield of arms. By its shape it is similar to the horse, but differs from her horn, which is armed with his head and beard.

Another researcher, heraldry, SA Usov, in his writings also gives information about the Unicorn:

"The earliest indication of unicorns are in the books of the Old Testament, in which we can count eight place where drevneevreyskoe word" rem ", in most cases translated as" unicorn ". Unicorn found in medieval manuscripts IX-XI centuries of Byzantine origin, which, along with live animals and animals are described by the fabulous ".

When in the Middle Ages in the West began to take shape chivalrous heraldry, a unicorn, and moved into it, becoming an emblem of purity and innocence, and together with the strength and power. In the Russian sphragistics unicorn first appeared on the seal-print Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who later transferred it to the state seal and the gold pin hryvnia. Image unicorn meets and Power Monomakh, as well as the royal saadakah, ax, thrones, saddles and T e.

On the reverse side of the gold medal I Falsdmitry eagle of the Byzantine type, which holds the breast shield, but with the emblem of Moscow - Saint George′s.