The first in Russian history coronation for the princedom, a prototype of future coronations, took place on 4 February 1498 in the richly adorned Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The description of this ceremony origins in “The Order of Setting for Grand Princedom of Dmitry Ivanovich” – the first document of Old Rus committing the ceremony of the new tsar election.
Grand Prince Ivan III decided to legalize publicly the right of his young grandson Dmitry, son of his eldest perished son Ivan, for the Russian throne. The ceremony began with a solemn entrance of Ivan III and Dmitry into the cathedral, where Metropolitan Simeon met them at the doors and blessed them with a cross. Then the prayer began, after which Ivan III addressed the metropolitan with his request to bless Dmitry for the grand princedom.
The metropolitan, having blessed Dmitry with a cross, ordered the archimandrites first to bring regalia collar (barmy) and then the cap. After that, he passed them to the Grand Prince and the latter laid them on the grandson while the prayers were read. The liturgy finished the ceremony. Then, Dmitry visited Archangel and Annunciation Cathedrals. During the procession, he wore the regalia collar and ‘gold’ cap that later was called ‘The Monomakh’s Cap’. Besides, gold and silver coins were poured on him three times. These attributes of power became the first official regalia of Old Rus. They were formally assigned as such in “The Order” of his coronation.
Monomakh’s Cap
The Golden Horde (?), late 13th – first half of the 14th с. (?); cross – Moscow, 17th с. (?); stone casts on the crown – Moscow, 17th с.; silver carcass – 19th с. (?) Gold, sapphire, rubies, emeralds, yellow corundum, spinel, pearls, silver, velvet, satin, fur; casting, forging, chasing, filigree, carving, openwork, enamel.
This ancient precious item which has survived to this day has become one of the principal symbols of Russian statehood. It owes its title to the legend that has most obviously appeared already under the rule of Ivan III. The legend has it that the cap was among the gifts sent to Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh, Prince of Kiev, by his grandfather Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomakhos. There are no documents explaining how the Monomakh’s Cap became a part of the Moscow Princes’ treasury. The most possible version appeared already in the 19th century, according to which the Monomakh’s Cap was presented to Moscow Prince Ivan Danilovich Kalita by Khan Uzbeg(Öz Beg Han), sovereign of the Golden Horde. Having become the key regalia of Russian monarchs, it had continuously participated in the ritual of their coronation for two centuries. For the first time, the Monomakh’s Cap must have played the role of supreme power symbol during the ritual of setting Prince Dmitry, grandson of Grand Prince Ivan III, for the princedom in 1498. Ivan Alexeevich was the last Tsar to be crowned by the Monomakh’s Cap in 1682.