The Regalia of Russian Sovereigns И. А. Бобровницкая

Regalia, symbols of monarchical power, hold a special place among state treasures. Moreover, in some countries they have remained to this day the invariable attributes of major ceremonies, while in others they have become valuable museum exhibits which never fail to evoke interest as mementos of the past. The regalia of the Russian state, now housed in the Moscow Kremlin, belong to the second group. The oldest of them became part of the royal treasury long ago, and are now to be found in the Armoury. This collection of regalia is not very large, but is perhaps the most important among all the exhibits in the museum. These ancient symbols of power - crowns, sceptres, orbs, thrones - are wonderful works of art reflecting the artistic tastes of various countries and historical periods. In addition, they also reveal important changes in the political life of Russia, changes vividly illustrated in court ceremonials, the most important of which was the rite of consecration as successor to the throne. Это и многое другое вы найдете в книге The Regalia of Russian Sovereigns (И. А. Бобровницкая)