Barma's Greek work

Greek Barma

The barracks of the “Greek work” of Alexei Mikhailovich or the “diadem” is one of the most valuable royal regalia of Russia, which is kept in the collection of the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin .

Barms - precious jewelry, worn on the shoulders of the monarch - perhaps one of the oldest of all the traditional ancient Russian symbols of the power of the monarch.

Barms are known from the time of feudal fragmentation, which arose with the collapse of Kievan Rus . In Moscow, they are known from the XIV century. After the marriage of Ivan III to the Byzantine princess Sofia Paleolog and the introduction of absolutism, the barmas finally became part of the coronation relics of the sovereigns of Moscow. According to the ideological rationales of the Byzantine heritage of the Moscow grand dukes - "The Tale of the Princes of Vladimir ", Konstantin IX Monomakh sent precious regalia to Russia - the Monomakh's Cap , a golden life-giving cross , and among other things also barmas.

Primitive so-called. “Monomakh” barmas have not survived, and it is not known what this precious jewel looked like.

At the time of Alexei Mikhailovich, a significant part of his coronation regalia was made by the Greeks - residents of Istanbul . In 1662 , a Greek merchant and jeweler, Ivan Yuryev, brought back to Tsar Power, as well as barmas of exquisite work, which are now an ornament of the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin .

Figure in "Antiquities" by Fedor Solntsev

Barms consist of 7 precious enameled metal medallions-zapon, richly decorated with precious stones. On the medallions are depicted: on three large ones - 1) on the front round canopy - the Mother of God with a newborn Jesus and the Gospel , 2) on the right round canopy - Saints Constantine and Helen with the Cross of the Lord , 3) on the left round canopy depicted the miracle of St. Mercury in front of Emperor Julian the Apostate ; on four small - 1) Singing psalms by king David , 2) Creation of the world, 3) images of kings, apostles and the righteous, 4) Descent of the Holy Spirit .

As the ancient sources of the Armory Chamber point out, the “diadem” was made “against the pattern of the priests of the diadem of the pious Greek King Constantine”. Explanatory inscriptions on zapon made in Greek.

In general, all 7 “diadems” medallions contain 248 diamonds and 255 other precious stones. According to the description of 1702, the barges are valued at 3917 rubles.