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As a state symbol the two-headed eagle first appeared in Russia, in those times known as Moscovia, in the 15th century. It came from Byzantium with Sophia Paleolog, member of the last Byzantium Imperial dynasty who became the wife of Ivan III, the Great Duke of Moscow.
The two-headed eagle remained the symbol of Russian monarchy and the Russian State for more than four hundred years, until the October Revolution of 1917, and regained its status in 1993.
There are different interpretations of this symbol. The most common version is that the two heads of the eagle symbolize that Russia is geographically located in both Europe and Asia.
The State insignia survived some changes during the pre-revolutionary history of Russia,although these changes were not significant. When the old Rurick dynasty ended in the 17th century and the Romanovs came to power, the two-headed eagle remained as the symbol of Russia with three crowns added above the eagle. They were to embody the unity of three nations - Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian.
The existing tricolour Russian national flag was adopted by the Order of President Boris Yeltsin of December 11, 1993, replacing its Soviet-time red-blue predecessor. According to the Constitution 'The national flag of the Russian Federation consists of three equal horizontal stripes - white, blue and red'.
This is the third time this tricolour flag becomes the national symbol. The first to use it was Peter the Great, who on January 20, 1705 ordered to hoist it as a trade flag on all Russian ships on the Moscow, Volga and Dvina rivers. In those times the lower red stripe symbolized the Earth, the blue stripe - the sky, and the upper white stripe meant the world of God. At the same time, according to the Russian tradition, white meant nobility, blue - honesty, red - courage and love.
But it still had to come through a tough competition with a black-yellow-white Emperor's banner, which was proclaimed the Russian national flag by the order of Alexander II, issued on June 11, 1958. For 25 years the white-blue-red flag was used, as in the 18th century, only as a trade streamer. But after Alexander II was killed, the new Emperor, Alexander III, reconsidered the matter. Before the coronation ceremony the Interior Minister, Count Tolstoy, produced both flags to the Emperor, and Alexander chose the white-blue-red one. Thus, this banner regained the status of the national flag and preserved it until the October Revolution of 1917.
After the Revolution it was replaced by the Soviet Red Banner. The Russian Federation, as part of the USSR, had its own flag, which was, however, very similar - red with a thin blue vertical stripe with a gold star, hammer and sickle in the upper left corner. Only 76 years later the old tricolour flag became once again the national flag of the Russian Federation.