The Enamel Cross: How the Order of St. George appeared in Russia
December 7, 1769 Empress Catherine II established the Order of St. George, the main military award of Russia. The history of this order is a chronicle of Russian valor and military art. It was recalled on the memorable day "Izvestia".
"To reflect on the statute of the military order".
The whole XVIII century Russia was at war. "The thunder of victory" did not fall silent. But purely military state award in the Empire was not. Peter the Great after the Battle of Poltava conceived to establish such an order. He intended to dedicate it to the holy prince-soldier Alexander Nevsky. But to realize this plan, our first emperor did not have time. Order of St. Alexander Nevsky created his successor and widow - Empress Catherine I. But the motto of the Order said: "For Labor and the Fatherland." This predetermined the fact that he was awarded not only for military exploits, but also for various merits in the state and court service. This continued until the Catherine times.
In 1768, the empire had to fight on two fronts - in Poland and on the southern borders, where the Russo-Turkish war broke out. The situation on the lines of confrontation was tense. The Russian army failed to defeat the Ottomans in a major general battle. Catherine, who was scrutinizing the papers of Peter the Great, thought of creating a military award that would unite the officers and motivate the generals for decisive action. The Empress recalled that a few years ago instructed the President of the Military Collegium Zakhar Chernyshev "to reflect on the statute of the military order".
Portrait of Catherine II Alexeevna
The Empress, who knew about how honored in Russia, George the Victorious, proposed to dedicate the order to this saint, who lived in the III century and served in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. He is honored as a saint for the fact that during the persecution of Christians George did not renounce his faith and accepted martyrdom after severe torture. In Orthodox tradition he was considered the patron saint of warriors and farmers. The people called him Egoriy the Brave. In the chambers of the Empress appeared an icon of St. George. She understood that the order, dedicated to such a revered saint, for many will be a coveted award.
Statute and sketches of the award were ready in February 1769. The first samples of the order was made by the court jeweler, diamond craftsman, who enjoyed the personal confidence of the Empress - Leopold Pfisterer. He managed to realize the idea of the Empress: the award was sharply different from those that already existed. The sign of the Order did not shine diamonds and rubies - it was a simple white enamel cross with a thin gold border, it looked military strictly. To the cross of the second and first degree attached stars with engraved motto of the Order. The first degree also provided for a ribbon, which was worn over the right shoulder.
Ribbon for all times
Catherine approved for the military order of the ribbon "color of smoke and flame" - black and orange. It became a bright addition to the award. In 1806, St. George's ribbon appeared on the military banners of Russia. It was attached to the soldiers' St. George crosses - and became a symbol of military valor, which in Russia is known to everyone. It is not without reason that we know the St. George ribbon from the pads of the awards of the Great Patriotic War - the Order of Glory and the medal "For Victory over Germany". Since 2005, on the eve of Victory Day, the St. George ribbon is worn every year by millions of people for whom the exploits of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers are an enduring sanctity.
Order, created on Yuryev Day
A special decree forbade to decorate the St. George regalia with precious stones "on their own accord", as it liked to do at that time with other orders. Catherine reasonably believed that the luster of this award will be given to the feats of Russian officers and generals. Spartanski firmly sounded and the Order's motto - "For Service and Bravery". The number of future knights of the Order of the statute did not limit the statute, because "in this will be taken as many as worthy of themselves will prove". St. George was the first Russian award, which had four degrees. In addition, his knights for the first time was entitled to the sovereign pension.
The Statute of the Order stated: "Neither high breed, nor received before the enemy wounds do not give the right to be granted this order, but it is given to those who are not only the position of his office was performed in everything according to the oath, honor and duty, but in addition distinguished themselves still special what a courageous act or gave wise and for our military service useful advice".
The Order was prescribed to be worn everywhere and anywhere, because it is not a high origin, and "merit is acquired. True, this instruction in the future did not fulfill not all knights. Many were in the habit during wars and exercises not to wear awards. And in the army, all the Cavaliers of St. George, regardless of degrees, and so knew by name and surname.
For the establishment of the Order, which was to change the course of the Russo-Turkish War, the Empress chose the favorite popular church holiday - the autumn day of the memory of the saint, aka St. George's Day, December 7 (November 26), 1769. On this day, Catherine's associates gathered in the Winter Palace. And the Tsarina herself appeared before the public in a yellow-and-black dress - in the colors of the new order. Archimandrite Plato gave a sermon on St. George. Fireworks rang out. Finally, on a golden platter brought out the signs of the new order.
Great Patriotic War veteran in the Church of St. George the Victorious on Poklonnaya Hill
The history of the award began with the fact that the Empress herself laid on herself the highest degree of the Order. By the way, such awards to monarchs did not become traditional. Paul I did not like this order, as well as other endeavors of his mother. Alexander I received only George IV degree for bravery shown in the battle of Austerlitz. The same order received Nicholas I - for 25 years of service in the officer ranks. Alexander II was awarded George I degree in honor of the centenary of the award, in 1869. Alexander III received the Order of the II degree from his father for his participation in the battle on the Lom River during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Nicholas II received the Order of St. George of the IV degree during World War I. The fact that monarchs did not receive the highest degree of George "automatically", increased the general respect for this award. And the awarding of Catherine doubts did not cause: the founder of the Order had the right to such an honor.
Award for heroes
The first military, who received a new award, was Lieutenant Colonel Fedor Fabritzian. He was recognized for the feat, committed even before the establishment of the Order. At the head of a detachment of huntsmen from attacked the Turkish battery in Galati, near the Danube, defeated a detachment of 1600 sabers and captured several cannons. Fabritzian awarded the Order of St. George of the III degree, passing the fourth.
The history of awarding the Order of St. George IV degree began with the feat of second major of the Kargopolsky Carabinieri regiment Grigory von Patkul. He participated in hostilities in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. On January 12, 1770 at the place of Dobre Patkul "when breaking Polish rebels of a very crowded party distinguished himself by bravery against others". The second major received his enamel cross for personal courage in battle.
Bas-relief of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious, Deesis, Holy Noble Princes Boris and Gleb, Righteous Procopius and Blessed John of Ustyuga
Well, the first awards of the Order of I and II degrees took place on the same day, the victory of the Russian army over the Ottomans in the general battle of Kagul - despite the sevenfold numerical superiority of the enemy. Then the troops of the Grand Vizier were defeated. Three generals who distinguished themselves in the battle on the shores of Kagul - Peter Plemyannikov, Nikolai Repnin and Fyodor Bour - were awarded the Order of St. George II degree. And the commander - General-Ansheff Peter Rumyantsev - received for this victoria and marshal's staff, and the highest military award - the Order of St. George I degree.
It is curious that the commanders who received the highest degree of the Order, could not receive its lower grades. So, immediately with the III degree began Grigory Potemkin and Alexander Suvorov - and, of course, never received the lowest degree of the award. Therefore, in history there were so few "full cavaliers" of all degrees of the Order of St. George. Only four - and all of them were participants in the Napoleonic Wars. The first all four degrees of the Order earned Field Marshal Mikhail Kutuzov. The second - Mikhail Barclay de Tolly. Two other full cavaliers, having earned their first George during the wars "against Bonaparte", received the highest degrees of the Order already under Nicholas I. Field Marshal Ivan Dibich - for victories over the Ottomans in the Balkans in 1829, and Ivan Paskevich in the same year - for victories over the Turks in the Caucasus, in a war that ended for Russia with the signing of the Adrianople Peace Treaty, favorable for our country.
Stars and insignia of the Order of St. George of the first, second, third and fourth degrees (from right to left) and St. George Crosses of the first, second, third and fourth degrees (from top to bottom)
Every year in the Winter Palace was held a holiday of St. George's Cavaliers, at which the monarchs raised a cup for the health of the heroes. There were not many of them. For a century and a half of existence of the award, its I degree was awarded only 23 people, and IV - 125. About how prestigious was this award says a simple fact: of all Russian sailors I degree of St. George was awarded only Admiral Vasily Chichagov - for the defeat of the Swedish fleet in the Battle of Revel and Vyborg in 1790. The last time George I degree was awarded in 1877 - to Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich Senior, who, as it was stated in the decree, "captured the strongholds of Pleven and captured the army of Osman Pasha. For all the years of the First World War, no one received the highest degree of the main military award.
Worthy of tradition
In 1917, the order, like other awards of the tsarist time, was abolished. Its revival in August 2000 was one of the first landmark decisions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The new statute reads: "The Order of St. George is the highest military award of the Russian Federation. And it is awarded only to the most worthy and only for military exploits.
The first knight of the revived Order of St. George IV degree became in 2008, the commander of the troops of the North Caucasus Military District, Colonel-General Sergei Makarov - for the successful conduct of the operation in North Ossetia. As before, there are no controversial awards of this order in our time.
Colonel General Sergei Makarov, Commander of the Order of St. George, IV class
Surnames, first names and patronymics of those awarded the Order of St. George are inscribed on marble plaques in the St. George Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace. These are true heroes, worthy of the traditions of the most revered award in Russia. And on this day Russia honors them - the fallen, the departed and the living.
The author is the deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine "Historian"
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
