Heraldry with a Political Role: Russian Imperial Insignia in Buzău County

Nearly a century ago, Romanian historian Nicolae Iorga published various details about the church in the village of Calvini, Buzău County, transcribing the inscription text as follows: By the will of the Father, the encouragement of the Son, and the help of the Holy Spirit, this holy place was erected to the praise and honour of Saint Nicholas, the Wonderworker, from Myra, during the reign of Her Majesty Empress Catherine II, and her heir, Grand Duke Paul Petrovich (...), and it was painted during the days of His Highness Io Alexander Ipsilanti Voivode, through the efforts and at the expense of Mr Tudoru Sesianulu, chief of the region. It was built from the ground up, as seen, and completed in the month of May 9, in the year 1775.

Orthodox church in Calvini, Buzău County

Inscription on the Orthodox chruch in Calvini, Buzău County

Reconstructing the phases of the monument’s creation through a careful reading of the inscription, it appears that the masonry must have been erected sometime during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, when Empress Catherine II’s armies occupied Wallachia and Moldavia. The actual painting must have been completed after the Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainarji (10/21 July 1774), when Alexander Ipsilanti became the Prince of Wallachia, ascending the throne on 15 September 1774.

We might have expected the decoration of the inscription to depict, as in so many other cases, the princely coat of arms of Wallachia, as a tribute to the ruling prince. The church's founder must have been an informed man who understood very well “which way the wind was blowing” in the politics of those times. And the times were favourable to the Russian idea, with many of the people in the Danubian Principalities sincerely believing in the – obviously disinterested! 😉 – power of the Muscovite double-headed eagle to protect them from the infidels...

St George as a heraldic symbol of the Russia

The double-headed eagle as a heraldic symbol of the Russia

This is the reason for the mention of the Empress and her heir to the imperial throne. This also explains the carving of the Russian imperial coat of arms in stone, instead of the heraldic insignia of Wallachia. Note also the very special way in which the Russian coat of arms is depicted: the image of Saint George is presented on one side of the inscription, while the imperial double-headed eagle is on the opposite side.

A sui generis vision of heraldry...