Monomakh's cap in history and modernity
"You're heavy, Cap of Monomakh!"- we often say, referring to the hard burden of power or any responsibility. This phraseology primarily applies to people holding senior positions. Although no less often this phrase is characterized by any difficult situation. How did this common expression appear?
The origin of phraseology
This phraseology has a specific author. They are none other than Alexander Pushkin. It was he who in the tragedy "Boris Godunov" (the scene "Tsar's Chambers", the monologue of Boris Godunov) first used the expression mentioned.
But the question immediately arises, what is theCap of Monomakh? Phraseology spread because everyone associated this subject with authority and responsibility. After all, Monomakh's cap was the crowning of Moscow's kings, a symbol of their power. It is a golden pointed headdress made in the Central Asian style. The hat has a fringe of sable fur, embroidered with pearls, emeralds, rubies and is crowned with a cross.
Monomakh (gr. "Monotherapist") - this is the family name of the Byzantine emperors. In the ancient Russian era, it was entrusted to the Kiev prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich (1053-1225 gg.), Who was the grandson of the Byzantine ruler Constantine IX Monomakh (1000-1055 gg.). From Vladimir Monomakh derived their kind of Moscow kings, so the crown of princes became one of the main attributes of the power of the ruler of all Russia. An important element of the ceremony of accession to the throne was the installation on the head of the new ruler of Monomakh's cap. This ceremony was called a "wedding on the kingdom."
True, during the time of Peter I the ceremony of wedding atThe kingdom was replaced by the coronation ceremony. Therefore, instead of the archaic royal crown, they began to use the crown of the Russian Empire, which was manufactured by court jewelers in accordance with European traditions.
The secret of Monomakh's hats
According to legend in the 12th century. Byzantine emperor Constantine IX gave the king's ruler Vladimir Monomakh the indicated royal crown. But many researchers are confident that the described story is just a beautiful legend. After all, Constantine IX died 59 years before the accession of Vladimir Monomakh to the throne of Kiev. In addition, many historians believe that the aforesaid tradition arose in the late 15th century. Then this legend justified the continuity of the power of the Muscovite kings from the Byzantine emperors. In addition, it served as a confirmation of the idea that Moscow was the "third Rome".
In the chronicles Monomakh's cap is first mentioned inthe times of Ivan Kalita (1283-1341 gg.). In fact, the first wedding of the kingdom with the cap of Monomakh took place in 1498. Then the Moscow Tsar Ivan III held a solemn wedding ceremony for the kingdom of his grandson Dmitry.
Scientists argue and about who was madethe famous royal crown. Some are sure that Byzantine masters worked on the cap of Monomakh. Others think that the cap was made by Arab jewelers, and some even consider it a Bukhar work. There is even an opinion that the future royal crown was transferred to Vladimir Vsevolodovich by the Golden Horde Khan Uzbek.
