RUSSIA, The Empire of.

RUSSIA, The Empire of. The arrhs of Russia are borne on the breast of the crowned imperial double-headed eagle sable, beak and claws gules, the dexter claw holding the imperial sceptre, the sinister the orb. The central shield contains the shield known as the arms of Moscow. Gules, the mounted effigy of St George slaying the dragon all proper. Around it hangs the collar and badge of the Order of St Andrew. On the dexter wing are four escocheons : i. Kazan : Argent, a dragon sable, winged gules, crowned or ; 2. Poland : Gules, an eagle displayed argent, crowned or ; 3. Tauria : Or, a double-headed eagle displayed sable, on its breast a shield ; azure, thereon a cross triple-traversed, within a bordure or; 4. Tierced in pairle, Kieve (^.z'.), Novgorod (^.f.), and Vladimir. On the sinister wing are: i. Astrakan : Azure, a royal crown surmounting a scimitar fesseways proper ; 2. Siberia : Ermine, two martins (or sables) counter-rampant, supporting a royal crown ; behind them two arrows in saltire, and a bow in fesse gules ; 3. Quarterly : Kabarda, Ineria, Kartalinia, and Armenia ; ente en point of Circassia, over all Georgia, or else Georgia alone, viz., or, St George proper, mounted on a horse sable, slaying a dragon of the third winged vert. 4. Finland ; Gules seme of roses argent, over all a lion rampant crowned or, brandishing a sword and holding in its sinister paw the scabbard proper.

The imperial crown is placed above the crowned heads of the double eagle.

Original Source bookofpublicarms00foxd_djvu.txt near line 22108.