Regalia of Russian Tsars
Setting for reigning

The first official setting for princedom in the Russian history was held in the late XVth century, under Great Prince
Ivan III. That time the Russian lands were centralized of under the leadership of Moscow. The ruler tried to legalize the power of Moscow Princes over local rulers and settle down the succession of power in the country. So, Ivan III decided to confirm official rights of Prince Dmitri, his small grandson, so of his already died elder son Ivan Ivanovich the Young, for the Russian throne. Dmitri was crowned on February, 4^th, 1498, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

 

According to ancient documents, the ceremonial took place in the specially furnished Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. In the center of the cathedral there was placed a high altar stand for the royal regalia covered with precious fabrics and a high platform, from where twelve stairs led to the altar. The platform and the stairs were covered with red cloth. On the platform there was a throne for the Tsar and a chair with a velvet pillow for the Metropolitan, Head of the Russian Church.
The key moment of the crowning ceremony was laying on Dmitri of barmas and crown – the illustrious Crown of Monomakh - first attributes of the higher power in the Moscow State.

From that time, the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin became the place for crowning ceremonial, and later, when the capital was transferred to Saint-Petersburg, coronation of Russian Emperors. The Monomakh’s Crown became the main inheritable regalia of the Russian Tsars.