Order of Saint Vladimir
The Imperial Order of the Holy Apostles and peers Grand Prince Vladimir ( Russian Императорский орден Святого Равноапостольного великого князя Владимира / Imperatorskij orden Swjatowo Rawnoapostolnogo welikowo knjasja Wladimir ) was an Imperial Russian civil and military Order of Merit.
The order was born on September 22nd . / October 3, 1782 greg. Donated on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the reign of Zaritza Katharina II as an award of merit for all classes in originally four classes. The two higher classes were called Grand Cross 1st and 2nd Class and had a breast star in addition to the medal, the two lower classes were called Commander and Knight. The Order should at Rurik's grandson I. Vladimir remember, the Grand Duke of Kievan Rus , which the Christianity in Russia introduced .
The medal is a narrow red enameled paw cross , the arms of which are framed in black and gold. In the middle medallion of the obverse there is a spread out princely coat made of ermine fur with the golden name code of St. Vladimir, a Cyrillic "В" (= W) under a princely crown. In the lapel of the middle medallion bears the silver inscription "22 сентября 1782", the date of the foundation and the order. The star of the order is made up of alternating silver and gold rays and has a round medallion with a small golden cross in its center, which shows the letters CPKB (see full name of the order) between its arms. The medallion is surrounded by a red enamel band with the motto of the order "ПОЛЬЗА ЧЕСТЬ И СЛАВА" ( Polsa, Tschest i Slawa, Benefit, Honor, Glory ) in gold letters. The Order of Vladimir was worn on a dark red ribbon with black stripes on both sides. It was never awarded with diamonds. The 1st class was carried on a sash from the right shoulder to the left hip, the 2nd and 3rd were neck decorations and the 4th a chest decoration.
Around 1856 a military class of the Order of Vladimir was also created, with golden swords between the arms of the cross and on the star and also two crossed golden swords on the ring, which denoted an earlier decoration with swords in a lower class (which one in this way to the higher Degree). The order of the 4th class with the inscription "25 ЛЕТЪ" ( 25 ljet, 25 years ) was awarded for 25 years of service as a civil servant or officer and bestowed hereditary nobility on the recipient . There were also military crosses of the order with the inscription “20 KAM.” Or “25 KAM.” - “KAM.” For campaigns.
The sign of the order for non-Christians had kept the shape of the cross, but in the middle medallion shows the black tsar's eagle against a gold background. The star of the order for non-Christians has in its center the medallion from the lapel of the order cross with the date of foundation.
Around 1880 there was a fashion contrary to the statutes of covering the red enameled crosses with blackish glass instead of enamel, so that they looked more advantageous on the uniform. This fashion was tolerated by the authorities. One encounters these black crosses not only in the Vladimir, but also in the Stanislaus, Anna and even in the Alexander Nevsky orders . The only exception was the Russian Military Order of St. George .
The order was made from pure gold until 1915, then from gold-plated copper until 1917. After 1917 the old medal was no longer awarded and it is estimated that it expired around or after 1960 with the death of the last knight.
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In 1957 it was renewed by the Russian Orthodox Church with a different appearance and three classes and has been awarded to priests and nuns ever since.
literature
- Иван Г. Спасский: Иностранные и русский ордена до 1917 года. Государственный Эрмитаж, Ленинград 1963.
- Maximilian Gritzner Handbook of the Knights and Merit Orders of all civilized states of the world within the 19th century. Compiled from official and other reliable sources. Weber, Leipzig 1893.
