In 1856 the shape of the double-headed eagles between the rays of the Russian Imperial order crosses was brought into line with the heraldic shape of the double-headed eagles of the Russian coat of arms of the reform of Alexander II.
Eagles design adopted by Emperor Nicholas I in 1825. This variant represented the eagle with spread wings, one crown, with an image of St.George on the breast and with a wreath and a thunderbolt in its claws.
Eagles design adopted by Emperor Nicholas I in 1825. This variant represented the eagle with spread wings, one crown, with an image of St.George on the breast and with a wreath and a thunderbolt in its claws.
In 1855–57, in the course of a general heraldic reform carried out under the leadership of Baron Bernhard Köhne, it was decided to change the type of state eagle (under the influence of German pattern). At the same time, the rotation of St. George on the eagle’s chest to the right was changed, in accordance with Western European rules of heraldry. The drawing of the Small Coat of Arms of Russia was made by the artist Alexander Fadeev and was highly approved on December 8 (20), 1856. This version of the coat of arms differed from the previous ones not only in the design of the eagle, but also in the number of title coats of arms on the wings. On the right were placed shields with the coats of arms of Kazan, Poland, Chersonese Tauride and the united Kyiv, Vladimir and Novgorod, on the left were shields with the coats of arms of Astrakhan, Siberia, Georgia, Finland. The final revisions and changes were made in 1882–83.