On 16 January, the first Russian Tsar Ivan IV Vasilievich, later called ‘the Terrible’, was crowned in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Sixteen-year-old Ivan IV was solemnly enthroned for the Russian tsardom by Metropolitan Macarius. This meant that the young sovereign had officially accepted the tsar’s title.

On the occasion of Ivan IV’s coronation, the Coronation Order was compiled. It was an official act defining the order, in which the ruler of the country was empowered. Two editions of this document have survived – “Brief” and “Vast”. Ivan the Terrible’s coronation was arranged in the order, described in the Brief wording that originated in “The Order of Setting for Grand Princedom of Dmitry Ivanovich” of the late 15th century - the first document of Old Rus committing the ceremony of new tsar election.

Tsar coronation was for Russia an act of high political importance. The title of a tsar bore evidence of the autocratic power of its possessor. Besides, the tsar title of the sovereign gave an opportunity for Russia to occupy fundamentally another position in diplomatic relations with Western Europe. Up to 1547, the Russian monarch had the title of the grand prince that, according to the Western hierarchical structure, was equivalent to prince or grand duke. Calling the head of the Russian state tsar made him equal to Western monarchs, as the title “tsar” corresponded to Latin titles of emperor or king.

The coronation of Ivan the Terrible was similar to the setting for the princedom of Dmitry, arranged by his grandfather Ivan III, but the ceremony became expanded and complicated. First, the changes touched the regalia set. Alongside with ceremonial collar (barmy) and Monomakh’s Cap, there was included a reliquary ‘life-giving’ cross with a piece of the Cross on which Christ was crucified. 

The legend had it that this cross, the same as the Monomakh’s Cap, belonged to the gifts from Constantine IX Monomachos.

The Vast Edition of the order of Ivan IV’s coronation appeared when the coronation had already been over. Compared to the Brief one, it had significant innovations, namely new tsar regalia were added. A sceptre was handed to the tsar after the Monomakh’s Cap had been laid, and a chain ‘of Arabian gold’ was laid on the tsar by the Royal Doors during the liturgy. Thus, a sceptre and a chain became the part of tsar regalia. The sacraments of anointing and communion, included in the Vast Edition, bore exceptional importance.

The tsar’s anointing in Russia occurred during the liturgy that finished with the sacrament of the Eucharist. For the first time, this sacrament was described in the Vast Edition of the Order of Ivan IV’s Coronation, from which it follows that the tsar received the Eucharist by the Royal Doors shortly after the archbishop, who administered the service, had received the Eucharist. The documented order of how the tsar received the Holy Communion had symbolically placed him close to the clergymen. Such an act was of the highest importance. All these novelties, including the anointing, stated in the Vast Edition of the Order of Ivan IV’s Coronation, were for the first time brought into life in 1584 during the coronation of his son Fyodor Ioannovich.

Live-giving cross in a Reliquary Icon

Moscow, Kremlin workshops 1603–1605; cross – Moscow, mid 16th с.; reliquary-icon – Moscow, last quarter of the 16th с.; panagia – Jerusalem (?), turn of the 16th–17th cс., carved images on the panagia – Moscow, circa 1621. Wood, gold, silver, brilliants, sapphires, emeralds, rubies, tourmalines, pearls; chasing, enamel, niello, gilding.

Chased gold reliquary icon includes the most precious relics of the Russian Royal House. Firstly, it is a patriarchal wooden pectoral cross in a gold frame, the back side of which has a niello inscription stating that it was made of the live-giving wood of the cross, on which the Saviour had been crucified. Under each line, there is a Greek text with a similar meaning. In the 17^th century, the silver reliquary was created for the icon. The inscription on it says that the cross was made of the cross wood brought to Rus by the Metropolitan of Ephesus among the gifts from Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos. There are reasons to believe that this very cross was used during the enthronement of Russian tsars, starting from the coronation of Ivan IV in 1547. The cross, mentioned in the documents as a gift from the Byzantine emperor, must have been created for the coronation ceremony of Ivan the Terrible. Its gold frame, decorated with filigree ornament and coloured with enamel, proves this suggestion.

Tsar Prayer place (Monomakh’s Throne)

Moscow, 1551. Wood, gesso, brocaded satin; carving, tempera, gilding, silvering.

The Tsar's Prayer Place also known as the Monomakh's Throne in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin was made in 1551, shortly after Ivan the Terrible had acquired the tsar title. It is a splendidly carved pavilion that, like the thrones of ancient sovereigns, was supported by figures of four beasts. The title “Monomakh’s Throne” was given due to twelve bas-relief compositions located on three sides of the Prayer Place and based on the text “The Sagas about Princes of Vladimir” which tell how Kievan Grand Prince Vladimir Monomakh received the insignia of imperial power - the Monomakh's Cap, barmy (regalia collar) - from Byzantine Emperor Constantine Monomachos. This legend was observed by his contemporaries as an official justification for Ivan IV’s right to the tsar throne. Fine carving and style of the reliefs give grounds to think that the throne was created by craftsmen from Novgorod, who were invited to Moscow for work by Metropolitan Macarius.

Bas-reliefs from the Tsar’s Prayer Place

Moscow, 1551.Wood; carving, gilding, silvering.

Four bas-reliefs of the south wall of Tsar’s Prayer Place illustrate the final episodes of “The Sagas about Princes of Vladimir”: “Tsar Constantine Hands Tsar Regalia to the Ambassadors”; “Farewell to the Ambassadors and Their Voyage across the Sea”; “Tsargrad Ambassadors Present Gifts to Grand Prince Vladimir and Ask Him for Piece”; “Metropolitan Neophytus Crowns Grand Prince Vladimir with Tsar Crown”. The most important is the last scene of the series – the coronation of Grand Prince Vladimir with Monomakh’s Cap.  “The Sagas about Princes of Vladimir” states that “exactly since then and till now all Grand Princes of Vladimir have been crowned with that very tsar crown”. It is worth noting that the scene, where Prince Vladimir is crowned, actually shows the ritual of coronation of the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible. Shapes of the five-domed cathedral, reminding the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, a “chamber” place with steps in the centre of the temple with a throne on it, tsar regalia, placed on analogions, and, finally, the order of their laying, Metropolitan’s and Grand Prince’s vestments  - everything is depicted in full accordance to the Order of Ivan IV’s Coronation. This fact leads to a definite and, obviously, programmatic ‘combining’ of two historical figures, as a result of which the whole series could be perceived as a glorification of the regal dignity of a young monarch.

Cap of Kazan

Moscow, 1553–1558.; cap’s carcass ("top")  – Russia, 17th с. (?) Gold, silver, sapphire, rubies, tourmalines, turquoise, pearls, ermine fur; chasing, casting, carving, niello. 

One of the most important events in the history of the Muscovy Tsardom was the conquering of the Kazan Khanate in 1552. The Cap of Kazan owes its name and origin to it. The crown was likely made upon the order of Ivan the Terrible to commemorate the Kazan campaign that had been led by the tsar himself. After new lands were included, the title of Ivan IV changed correspondingly, i.e. he was additionally called “The Kazan Tsar”. Thus, the Cap of Kazan belongs to the most significant symbols of the state, the history of which is closely related to the development and formation of the Russian State. Being at the same time the oldest of the survived ceremonial crowns, it was created after the sovereign had already acquired the tsar title.

Panagia

Moscow, Kremlin workshops, 1547 (?).Sardonyx, gold, brilliants, rubies, tourmalines, agate, pearls; carving, chasing, filigree, enamel, niello.

The oval three-layer sardonyx with a carved image of St John the Forerunner, patron saint of Ivan the Terrible, is placed in the centre of the gold panagia. The oval gold reliquary is set into the panagia and can be now seen through the rectangular hole on its backside. However, the reliquary was initially closed by a small gold door with a niello image of Apostle Titus, on whose commemoration day Tsar Ivan the Terrible had been born. The researchers suppose the panagia was created for Ivan the Terrible in 1547 due to his coronation.

St John the Baptist

Icon with cover. Moscow, middle of the 16th с.; Greek master; cover – Moscow, Kremlin workshops, the second half of the 16th с. Wood, gesso, gold, silver, ruby, pearls; tempera, chasing, niello, gilding.

This is the oldest icon of the tsar’s patron which had survived till our days. It depicts St John the Baptist, patron of the first Russian Tsar Ivan the Terrible. The icon must have been created shortly after the coronation in 1547.

Sakkos of Metropolitan Macarius

Moscow, Kremlin workshops; velvet, damask – Italy, first half of the 17th с.; watered silk – Italy, 17th с. Brocaded velvet, taffeta, watered silk, damask, silver, pearls, precious stones, glass, silver-gilt threads; weaving, needlework, stamping, gilding.

Sakkos is a ceremonial archbishop robe, usually made of the most precious imported fabrics. The sakkos belonged to Metropolitan Macarius – a prominent figure in politics, church leader and spiritual advisor of Ivan IV the Terrible, with whose support Ivan IV’s power was strengthened, and key governmental problems were solved. It was Macarius, who had compiled the Order of Coronation for the first time in Russia.