Irina Paltusova

Court hunting in Russia

"... Hunting with justice should be honored as one of the most important human occupations, - wrote I.S. Turgenev. - Russian people from time immemorial loved hunting. This is confirmed by our songs, our legends, all our legends. But where can we hunt, as not with us: it seems that there is where and there is something. Knights of the time of Vladimir shot white swans and gray ducks in protected meadows. Monomakh in his will left us a description of his battles with turs and bears; worthy father of a great son, one of the wisest Russians Tsars, Alexei Mikhailovich, passionately loved hunting. "

The excitement of hunting, a duel with a strong and cunning forest predator, competition with other hunters in dexterity and the number of trophies turned hunting from a trade into entertainment and art.

It was in the third quarter of the 17th century that court hunting became a constant occupation of the Russian tsars. It was a special world with its own ceremonial, designed to demonstrate to subjects and foreign guests the splendor and greatness, authority and power of the government and state.

Foreign ambassadors, merchants and travelers were amazed at the sight of the ceremonial trips of the Russian tsars to hunt. A description of one of such trips to the village of Pokrovskoye in 1651, when the Polish-Lithuanian ambassadors were in Moscow, has been preserved. Ahead of the whole procession, an eyewitness recalls, a "bed cart" was moving, accompanied by a bed carriage and three hundred "junior" nobles. They rode in three in a row on argamaks, stallions and horses "in all military harness." They were followed by three hundred horse archers, five in a row, in full dress and with carbines. Five hundred reitar with broadswords and pistols moved behind the archers. Further, forty clockwork horses were led in rich harness with gilded and silver chains and saddles covered with gilded covers and rugs. They were followed by spare carriage horses, and only then the tsar himself rode in an English carriage. The boyars, okolnichy, Duma people, stewards, solicitors and nobles accompanying him followed three people in a row on "good" stallions, dressed in a beautiful harness - "rim" bridles and "lead" chains.

For the royal hunt, ceremonial horse decoration was made by the masters of the Konyushenny Prikaz. Several craftsmen took part in its creation: saddlers - made saddles, saddlers - harness; blacksmiths forged horseshoes and stirrups, silversmiths - silver jewelry.

Russian craftsmen were known as skillful saddlers. They made saddles - archaks with low bows and a pillow fastened to the frame filled with swan's down. Comfortable and lightweight, they were perfect for hunting. The saddle did not adhere completely to the horse's rump, but rested on it only with "lime" - protruding boards pasted over with embossed birch bark from below. Archak was covered with cherry-colored velvet, the porch and little girls were embroidered with a silver cord. The bows of the saddle were pasted over with "pangolin" - the skin of sturgeon fish or stingray.

For equipping the horse, the "lightest bridle" was used. The concept of "bridle" included several items needed to harness and control a horse. The actual bridle was put on the horse's head - a headband with iron bits and reins, a porch was fastened to the saddle in front - chest harness belts. The horse's face was decorated with a reshma - a curved metal plate with chains, decorated with a chased floral pattern. In the center was placed the image of the Russian coat of arms - a two-headed eagle under a crown.

The masters of the Konyushenny Prikaz turned every detail of the bridle into a unique work of art.

The most important part of the ceremonial horse decoration was made up of blankets. Some of them covered the horse's chest and croup, others were put under the saddle, and still others pounced on it from above. One horse could have several types of blankets at the same time. They were sewn from a variety of fabrics, decorated with stones and pearls, and decorative sewing.

The headdress of the "hatching" horse was supplemented with a neck tassel made of silver or silk threads, chased, gilded knee pads and silver "rattling" chains, which emitted a melodic silver ringing at the slightest movement of the horse. The horses were led by the bridle by eminent nobles in ceremonial dress. Traditions of ceremonial hunting existed in the following centuries, but it was the 17th century that brought a purely Russian flavor to this colorful action.

The royal hunt itself - falconry, hound and bear - was distinguished by a variety of ceremonies and obeyed its own rules and traditions.

Falconry has existed in Russia since ancient times. But the period of its heyday was the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov, the father of Peter I, who was an ardent admirer of falconry. It was a true passion, marked by the stamp of constancy and even inspiration. In the hunt, the tsar found joy and heartfelt consolation.

By order of the tsar, more than two hundred hunting birds were brought to the capital every year: falcons, gyrfalcons, saker falcons, peregrine falcons, coccyx, hawks. White gyrfalcons were at a high price. They were prized for their unusual coloration. The places where the gyrfalcons were caught were guarded, and only professional catchers - "scavengers" who had permission from the sovereign, could get them.

The falcon hunt of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich was served by a hundred falconers, who all year round, day and night, were with hunting birds in the palace villages - Kolomenskoye, Sokolniki and Pokrovskoye. Contemporaries left enthusiastic descriptions of the wooden palaces of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich in Kolomenskoye and Izmailovo and his krechaten, in the words of a member of the Danish embassy J. Streis, "very elegantly built of wood", with "very beautiful rooms decorated with wonderful wallpaper and velvet." However, for an outsider, everything that happened on the krechatna was shrouded in deep mystery. So, in 1673, one of the members of the Austrian embassy in vain sought permission to see at least one royal gyrfalcon and to sketch it. Only six months later, such permission was received in the form of a special royal favor. There is only one known case when a foreigner who lived in Moscow was admitted to the tsarist krechatnya. This was a reward for the fact that he was able to cure two king's falcons.

In the 17th century, the Secret Order was engaged in falconry hunting of Russian sovereigns. The head of the falconry - the falconer - was a confidant of the Moscow sovereign. Enrollment in the sovereign's service was a great privilege, it was carried out by oath, the ranks of the royal hunt received food from the royal table, an annual monetary salary and dress.

The ceremony of consecration to the rank of falconer was developed by the tsar himself and is described in detail in the treatise "The Verb Book Officer: A New Code and the Order of the Falconer's Path". The whole ceremony involved a special "preparation", which symbolized the stages of the "red hunt". In the front hut, before the arrival of the sovereign, a "wild carpet" (gray-blue) was laid, on which a pillow filled with down was laid wild ducks... Opposite the pillow were four elegant chairs for four of the best, first-class birds - falcons and gyrfalcons. Between the chairs was laid hay covered with a blanket, where the new entrant was dressed up. Hay and blanket are symbols of a horse: there is no falconer without a bird, but there is no real bird hunting without a horse. All of this is collectively called "place". Both people and birds, arranged in place, should all be in the best dresses and in the "big outfit". The novice himself must stand dressed "in the sovereign's salary" - this is a new cloth caftan with gold and silver stripes, in a "ferzee" and a hat, which must be worn "twisting". This is followed by the procedure for the coming of the king and the greeting of the initial falconers and privates. Then it was time to "declare the pattern and rank." The procedure was opened by "dressing up" the birds. It was not the everyday putting on of the birds' stripes, bells, hoods, but a real sacred rite, full of deep symbolic meaning. It is no coincidence that this action opens with the phrase of a podokolnichego: "Beginners, time alongside and an hour of beauty." The initiate is given a mitt, which he must "lift up quietly and harmoniously." Having put on, "having fixed himself" and crossing himself, he takes a falcon. The "sergeant" demands to do this not just like that, but "wisely", that is, skillfully, and "exemplarily". Further, the podokolnik had to approach the sovereign. Here the "sergeant" demanded to go "deceitfully, quietly, orderly"; it was necessary to stop "alongside" from the tsar "humanely, quietly, carefully, cheerfully", while keeping the bird "honestly (dignified), obviously, dangerous (carefully), harmoniously, correctively (regularly, according to the model), suggestively (for show) ". The ceremony itself demonstrated beauty, honor and measure to everyone.

The most beautiful of the falconry hunting was considered to be hunting with a gyrfalcon. The attacking gyrfalcon at high speed strongly beats the victim with its claws, quickly gains altitude and, if necessary, repeats the attack - "rate". Well-trained gyrfalcons stubbornly pursued their prey for a distance of 6 versts and made up to 70 bets. The prey of the gyrfalcon were geese, swans, ducks, black grouse, kites, herons, cranes, crows and even eagles.

Saker falcon and peregrine falcon were also favorite hunting birds of the royal hunts. They were able to successfully catch not only game birds, but also hares. Hobby and merlin were used for catching small birds, as well as "ladies" falcons at ceremonial trips. Hawks were considered universal hunters, capable of catching a wide variety of prey. At the royal court, white hawks were especially appreciated.

The tsar hunted with gyrfalcons almost daily, or even twice a day: "after an early meal" or "before and after a table meal", i.e. afternoon. Favorite hunting grounds with falcons were the villages of Pokrovskoye, Izmailovskoye, Semenovskoye, Kolomenskoye, Kuntsevo, Sokolniki, Preobrazhenskoye, Rostokino. Members of the royal family and invited foreign ambassadors took part in the falconry. The ceremony of going out to hunt was notable for its special solemnity. Ahead were hatchery horses, equipped with luxurious saddles and blankets, in precious harness. They were led by the servants of the Konyushenny order. Warriors, carriages, horsemen, hunters, grooms, hundreds of servants of various specialties and, finally, a large baggage train with everything necessary for hunting and a festive feast - slowly moved to the hunting place, where everything was prepared in advance for the royal fun. There were already pitched tents, about which Samuel Collins - an Englishman, a doctor in the service of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich - wrote that he had never seen anything more majestic. The tents of the king himself, the queen, and their children formed a circle, in the center of which a camp church was erected. Ahead of a rifle shot from the tents, guards were posted, not allowing strangers to approach the place of fun.

The invitees admired the wonderful spectacle of bird hunting. At the signal of the king, the loud sounds of hunting horns and small timpani - "tulumbas" - scared ducks and other game from the surface of the lake. Falcons one after another soared into the sky from the falconer's hand, protected by a glove, and fell down like a stone, hitting the prey. Hunters enjoyed the beauty of the falcon's flight, its height and swiftness. The birds of prey were taught to fly to the call. If the falcon was hiding with the prey, the hunters, saddling their horses, rushed in search and found it by the ringing of silver bells suspended from the tail of the bird.

All falconry accessories - weapons (bows and arrows), small drums and "vabila" (devices for summoning birds of prey), woolen colored caftans (usually red) with gold or silver stripes, yellow morocco boots and falconers' mittens - were made in the Kremlin workshops , and the outfits of birds of prey are in the Tsarina's workshop.

After the hunt, the most daring falcon was brought to the king. He admired the fellow and caressed him. Traditionally, the hunt ended with a feast. In his camping tent, the tsar treated all participants in the hunt with vodka, honey, gingerbread, Astrakhan grapes and cherry jam. Drinks were served in silver cups, cups, bros and ladles.

During the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich, hunting acquired a noticeable political significance, as it facilitated the establishment of contacts with neighboring countries. Falcons and gyrfalcons were presented as diplomatic gifts and were socially significant symbols. Exchange hunting trophies between representatives of the state and political elite of Russia and other countries contributed to the development of good-neighborly relations. These gifts reminded of the services and benefits already performed and expressed the hope of the donors for the same relationship in the future.

The hunting traditions of Alexei Mikhailovich were continued by the Russian Empresses Elizaveta Petrovna and Catherine II. For Elizaveta Petrovna, hunting with birds of prey was also a strong passion. She started her own falconry in Tsarskoe Selo. During the hunt, the Empress in a man's dress rode on horseback to the Traveling Palace on Pulkovskaya Gora. Therefore, the road leading through the fields to this palace, until recently, retained its old name - "falcon road".

Catherine II preferred hunting with merlin, who were specially trained for this fun. Judging by the records in the camera-fourrier journals, once or twice a week she went for a walk in a carriage - a carriage or one-wheeled carriage - accompanied by falconers and admired the flight of a falcon, striking prey. Sometimes she went hunting on horseback, in a hunting caftan or the uniform of one of the guards regiments.

The last hunts with hunting birds took place during the coronation celebrations of Alexander II. Then, on the occasion of a significant event, golden eagles were brought to Moscow from the Orenburg province to hunt wolves and foxes.

But Peter I, by his own admission, did not like hunting. "This is not my fun," he said. "And without animals I have someone to fight with: outside the fatherland with a daring enemy, but inside to tame my rude and restless subjects." However, in different years he also had to hunt deer, elk, wild boars, and hares. The monarch was obliged to this by a court ceremony.

The transformations of Peter I changed the traditional order of Russian life. An active perception of Western European culture, the formation of a new political elite, a change in the forms of court life, the transfer of the capital to St. Petersburg gradually affected the forms of the imperial hunt and its organization. Imperial hunting in Russia began to develop in the general traditions of European court hunting.

Hunting in both capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - came under the control of the new court hunting departments - the Ober-Jägermeister Chancellery and the Court Stables Office. The first, in particular, was responsible for the manufacture of guns for the imperial hunting. They were manufactured at the Sestroretsk and Tula factories, the St. Petersburg Arms Yard and other weapons centers in Russia. New hunting positions have appeared: Jägermeister, Ober-Jägermeister, Ober-Jäger, Yacht Junker, Parfors Jäger and Picker. Numerous staff of foot and horse rangers, musicians, servants of various names were engaged in the "parfors" hunt, which especially fascinated the rulers of that time. The tempting feature of this type of hunting was frantic obstacle racing in unknown terrain, which later turned it into a dangerous and exciting sport.

Among the Russian rulers of the 18th century, Peter II was the most passionate admirer of the hound hunting. The emperor, who reigned on the Russian throne at the age of eleven and a half, was distinguished by his early physical development and bodily strength. "He is very tall and large for his age. He has white skin, but he is very tanned while hunting; his facial features are good, but his eyes are heavy, and although the emperor is young and handsome, there is nothing attractive or pleasant about him," she wrote about Peter II Lady Rondo, wife of the British ambassador. Having moved to Moscow for the coronation ceremony, he devoted all his time to hunting fun. "The Tsar does not tolerate the sea or ships, but passionately loves hunting with dogs. Here, in St. Petersburg, there is nowhere to hunt, but in Moscow it is very possible, so no one doubts that having arrived there once, he will hardly return here ..." - the Spanish ambassador reported to his government. Most of the time the tsar spent in his beloved village of Izmailovo, near Moscow, where hunts with dogs were arranged for him.

The most valuable gifts for the emperor were dogs and guns. Knowing about Peter II's addiction to hunting, the Spanish ambassador to the Russian court, Duke de Liria, presented him with a gun made by the famous Spanish master Diego Iskubel. As a token of gratitude, the emperor invited the ambassador to dinner, which at that time was considered a great honor, and presented him with hunting trophies - shot deer and wild boar.

Peter II died in his early youth, when he was not even fifteen. He did not have time to leave a noticeable trace in the political and state history of Russia. But it was precisely during his short reign that the design of the imperial hunt of the 18th century belongs, with a clear predominance of hound hunting over hunting with hunting birds characteristic of it.

For Anna Ioannovna, hunting was also a strong passion. Having become the Russian empress, she arranged everything necessary for hunting in Tsarskoe Selo. Under her, in the parks laid out around the palaces, aviaries, menages, menageries were arranged in which hares, black grouse, deer, wild boars and roe deer were kept. They were looked after by people of the northern peoples specially brought for this - Lapps and Samoyeds, who knew the habits of animals well.

According to the testimony of contemporaries, the empress had a passion for shooting at a target. In all corners of the palace, Anna Ioannovna had loaded guns at hand. At any moment, she could shoot from the windows at flying birds. For this fun, a huge number of birds were kept at the court (nightingales, finches, buntings, bullfinches, canaries, siskins and linnet). By order of the Empress, they were released, shooting began, the rooms were filled with smoke and the smell of gunpowder. The ladies of the court were frightened of the shooting and crackling, but Anna Ioannovna forced them to follow her example.

Weapons for the imperial hunting were purchased in the best centers Western Europe... In 1736, on the personal order of Empress Anna Ioannovna, six French guns were ordered personally for her from Paris.

Anna Ioannovna also passionately loved hunting for dogs. In the 18th century, they went on horseback hunting or in special carriages - yacht-wagens. Hunters organized a raid on wild goats, wild boars, deer, elks, hares, and the courtiers, led by the empress, shot and poisoned them with dogs. The newspaper "St. Petersburg Vedomosti" for 1740 informed its readers about the hunting of Empress Anna Ioannovna: "From July 10 to August 26, Her Majesty, for her special pleasure both with a parfors yacht and with her own hand ... she deigned to shoot: 9 deer (with 24, 18 and 14 horns), 16 wild goats, 4 wild boars, 1 wolf, 374 hares, 68 wild ducks and 16 large seabirds. "

After her accession to the throne, Elizaveta Petrovna elevated her favorite pastime in Tsarskoe Selo to the rank of an official state ceremony: foreign ambassadors and guests were invited to hunt. Aleksey Razumovsky was appointed Ober-Jägermeister, who arranged excellent trips. The Empress usually went out in a man's dress. She was surrounded by a magnificent retinue of gentlemen and ladies, dressed extremely luxuriously. In Tsarskoe Selo, in the center of the menagerie, a gathering point was appointed, where richly decorated tents were pitched. The Empress brought to incredible splendor the setting of the trips, the outfits of the hunters and the ritual of the hunt itself. The surviving description of one of them, which took place in the vicinity of Tsarskoe Selo in 1751, gives an idea of ​​how magnificent and magnificent the royal hunts were at that time. In the hunt, - wrote one of the eyewitnesses, - more than 30 noble persons of both sexes, dressed in the same dress, in turquoise Circassians and in scarlet caftans, trimmed with gold and braids, took part. The hunt began at twelve and ended at six in the evening. When Empress Elizabeth arrived at the assembly place, there were already up to seventy gamekeepers in Circassian dress, scarlet cloth caftans and long camisoles with gold braids; they had more than three hundred hounds and greyhounds. The hunt began at the sound of the draft horns. The magnificence of this hunting festival was further enhanced by the participation of richly dressed servants and court lackeys. The riders' horses glittered with precious harness. Upon returning from the hunt, the participants were offered a sumptuous dinner in a magnificent tent. During the feast, music was played. The Empress returned to Petersburg from this holiday only at three o'clock in the morning.

By order of Elizaveta Petrovna in Tsarskoe Selo in the center of the menagerie designed by F.B. Rastrelli, the Monbijou hunting pavilion was built. It was a lovely two-story pavilion with a dome in the center and four side buildings. A light, elegant, bright building enclosed a middle hall with 16 columns. Between the porches and along the cornices, the building was decorated with snow-white alabaster statues, alternating with vases and flower baskets. The roof and dome were surrounded by a wooden balustrade and gilded carvings. The most magnificent decoration was the chambers, hung with paintings that covered all the walls of the hall like trellises.

On December 15, 1748, the manager of the works received a decree from the Empress that the "yacht chamber" (hunting hall) would be decorated with paintings by the German artist Johann Friedrich Groot. The master painted 43 paintings "of every rank and of all kinds of birds and animals", which were hung in the walls of the central hall. Groot also placed picturesque compositions in the dome, sails and plafond. The hunting scenes became part of the magnificent architectural and decorative ensemble and aroused great interest among the guests of the residence.

Groot's decoration of the hunting pavilion was a completely new event for the artistic life of Russia. His paintings were reproduced in engravings and tapestries, he had many students and followers. A series of hunting paintings in the Monbijou pavilion has become a unique phenomenon in the development of the animalistic genre in Russia.

Young Catherine, no less than Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, was fond of hunting, about which she left curious memories. Summer and autumn of 1747, the "small courtyard" spent in Oranienbaum, and Pyotr Fedorovich, as a rule, in other residences apart from his young wife. "As soon as he got there," Ekaterina recalled, "everything became a military man; he spent the whole day with his gentlemen on guard duty or in other military exercises. I resigned myself to my fate: I hunted with a gun on my shoulders all day." Elsewhere in the Notes a more detailed description is given: “This is the way of life that I then led in Oranienbaum. I got up at three in the morning, dressed myself from head to toe in a man’s dress; the old huntsman that I had was already waiting me with guns; on the seashore he had a fishing boat completely ready. We crossed the garden on foot, with a gun on our shoulder, and we sat down - he, me, the pointing dog and the fisherman who carried us - into this boat, and I went to shoot ducks in the reeds bordering the sea on both sides of the Oranienbaum canal, which goes two miles into the sea. "

Over the years, from a direct participant, she turned into an interested spectator of magnificent court hunts. During the years of her reign, the imperial hunt became even more than during the time of Elizabeth Petrovna, resembling a theatrical festival, which was by no means limited to the actual hunt for the beast. On one of her visits to Moscow, Catherine II visited the equestrian Lev Aleksandrovich Naryshkin in the village of Znamenskoye near Moscow, on the banks of the Moskva River: during lunch, guns were fired at every toast; a brass band of clarinets and French horns played, and in different parts of the garden the court huntsmen played on hunting horns. After dinner, the empress went out on the porch and admired the hound hunting for deer and hares in the field beyond the Moskva River. At that time, in front of Naryshkin's house, peasants sailed in boats under flags, and in a grove across the river peasant women danced in round dances with songs. After the walk, Catherine II departed for Moscow with cannon fire and bell ringing.

However, the old forms of royal hunting have not yet been forgotten. Following the traditions of the Moscow sovereigns, in the 18th century empresses often combined hunting with pious trips to Trinity-Sergius and other famous ancient monasteries.

Among the Russian rulers of the 19th century were also passionate hunters. Alexander II and Alexander III turned out to be fans of large animal hunts for bears, elks, bison, Nicholas II was remembered by his contemporaries as a lover of gun hunting.

The fact that hunting was an integral part of the leisure of Emperor Alexander II is evidenced by numerous documents - notebooks, camera-furrier journals, memoirs of contemporaries. The passion for this fun awakened in Alexander II very early. According to the testimony of his educator K.K. Merdera, the heir-crown prince, already at the age of ten, had a good command of the technique of rifle shooting. From the age of thirteen, Grand Duke Alexei Nikolaevich hunted ducks and hares, at fourteen he first took part in a wolf hunt. The Tsarevich's passion for hunting was so great that at times he preferred it over his studies.

This passion of the heir naturally grew into the special hunting seasons of the emperor, which began with the coronation celebrations.

Alexander II.

The imperial hunt was a well-thought-out ritual. In addition to the usual preparations, a detailed plan of action was developed, a list of participants in the hunt was drawn up, and upon its completion - a detailed report on the results of the hunt for each participant and summary data. The choice of the hunting site itself depended on the total amount of game in the area and the specific area for finding and taxing the animal. The program, in addition to the quarters planned for hunting, indicated the patterns of movement of people, the time and place of the parking of the crews, etc. Usually the sovereign, grand dukes, generals of suite, distinguished foreign guests, representatives of the diplomatic corps, grand dukes Nikolai Nikolaevich, Mikhail Nikolaevich, Vladimir Alexandrovich and Duke Georgy Mecklenburg-Strelitsky, the husband of Grand Duchess Ekaterina Mikhailovna, took part in the imperial hunt. Among the foreign guests we find the names of the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Grand Duke Karl of Saxe-Weimar, the passionate hunter and collector of weapons of Prince Karl Frederick Alexander of Prussia, the third son of Frederick Wilhelm III; Prince August (Friedrich Ebenhart) of Württemberg, Elector Friedrich Wilhelm I of Hesse-Kassel, the Spanish envoy of the Duke de Osun, the German ambassador of Schweinitz, the Prussian envoy of Prince Reiss, the French ambassador Morny, the Austrian long-standing military agent of the Baron Bechtardonsheim, other high-ranking officials.

Before the start of the hunt, breakfast was usually arranged in the forest. According to the recollections of an eyewitness, "early in the morning the kitchen with the maitre d 'and the camera-furrier went to the hunting place; they chose an open place not far from the beast, even in the wilderness of the forest, as far as possible; they would clear some snow, prepare a table, and set up a stove on the sidelines, and breakfast is ready. ”The Emperor comes up to the table, making a gesture with his hand, inviting to breakfast; everyone comes up, surrounds the table and has breakfast standing up; chairs were not supposed to be done. Sovereign ".

The hunt, as a rule, ended with a gala dinner. All the loot was taken to the palace and placed in a certain order. The first row was occupied by trophies obtained by the emperor, then - by other participants in the hunt. By this time, lists of large game hunted were compiled, some of which were transferred to the participants in the hunt, the other - to the ownership of the anatomical museums of the Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Arts and universities.

Like every hunter, Alexander II had his favorite types of hunting. He loved hunting deer, foxes, hares, black grouse and woodcock draft, but he was especially attracted by large game hunting for bears, elk, and bison. It was during the reign of Alexander II that bear hunting became fashionable for the highest court. The bear hunt was carried out according to a certain scenario.

As soon as the huntsman's office received news from the peasants about the found bear, it immediately sent an experienced huntsman to the place to watch the beast until the Highest Hunt. By the day of the hunt, peasants-beaters were hired from neighboring villages, who were placed at the disposal of the servants of the imperial hunt. Participants in the hunt were given the numbers of their places where they were supposed to be without changing their location. The huntsmen were armed with hunting knives, spears and hunting rifles, which were loaded with blank charges for a round-up. When the hunt began, the gamekeepers, skillfully, put the lined bear on the sovereign's number.

Bear hunting has always been a great danger. So, during the hunting season of 1872, an accident occurred. The hunt took place in Malaya Vishera. The wounded bear rushed to Alexander II, and only the accuracy of the non-commissioned jagermeister I.V. Ivanov and the quickness of the slingshot saved the life of the emperor. Later, Ivanov was awarded a specially minted gold medal on the Vladimir ribbon with the inscription "Thank you", and the horn was awarded the medal "For Salvation".

For the imperial hunts, there were special grounds with hunting palaces, menageries and a whole staff of court rangers.

Among the many royal hunting grounds Belovezhskaya Pushcha was a particularly valuable reserve. Its territory was inhabited by bison, elk, roe deer, wild boars, hares, wolves, foxes, martens, lynxes, and from birds - wood grouse, black grouse, hazel grouses, snipe, cranes, herons, owls. In the fall of 1860, Alexander II initiated the highest hunting in Belovezhskaya Pushcha. The choice of the location was not accidental. The hunt was timed to coincide with important diplomatic negotiations between Russia, Prussia and Austria. Therefore, the highest representatives of the state elite of the German states participated in it together with Alexander II.

On the night of October 5-6, 1860, Alexander II and the Duke of Saxe-Weimar arrived in Bialowieza. There they were already awaited by the princes Karl and Albert of Prussia, August of Württemberg and Friedrich of Hesse-Kassel, invited to the hunt, with their retinue. In honor of the distinguished guests, fireworks were arranged, and then all the crowned heads were placed in the emperor's hunting palace.

The hunt began the next morning, but it was preceded by a long and careful preparation. For several days before the start of the hunt, two thousand beaters organized raids on bison, elk, chamois, wild boars, foxes, wolves, badgers, and hares in the reserve and drove them into the menagerie. On its territory, 12 covered galleries were built for hunters - stands, camouflaged with branches. The first standard was intended for Alexander II, the next five - for the Austro-German princes, the rest - for the emperor's retinue. An amphitheater was built for the public at the walls of the menagerie.

At dawn on October 6, all the characters took their places in the covered galleries and amphitheater - according to the table of ranks and their assigned role. At the signal of the emperor, the beaters drove the animals to the rifle line, and after a rifle shot, the foresters lowered the hounds. The hunt, which lasted until four o'clock in the afternoon, was successful: 44 animals were killed, including 16 bison and 4 wild boars, of which 4 bison and one wild boar became the emperor's hunting trophies. In the evening of the same day, Alexander II arranged a dinner in honor of the distinguished guests, accompanied by the orchestra of the Veliky Lutsk Infantry Regiment. On October 7, the hunt lasted until two o'clock: 52 animals were killed, 6 bison fell prey to the emperor.

Alexander II was satisfied with the organization and results of the hunt, which cost the treasury 18 thousand silver rubles. Local officials of the administration of state property were presented to the emperor and awarded with diamond rings, some of the rangers - gold watches, peasants were given cash prizes.

The skins of animals killed by the princes were transferred to their property. Several bison, shot while hunting, became exhibits at university museums (in particular, the Museum of the University of Freiburg in the Grand Duchy of Baden).

In memory of the hunt, Alexander II and Prince Karl of Prussia exchanged gift cups and all participants in the hunt signed the album of honored guests.

The enthusiasm for big game hunts was passed on to Alexander III. According to the recollections of Count Sergei Dmitrievich Sheremetev, an informed person, close and devoted to the emperor, "the sovereign was a hunter in his soul and a good shooter." Alexander III's favorite hunting grounds were the outskirts of Gatchina, which he chose as his permanent residence. Here the royal family and the grand dukes usually accompanying it participated in cheerful picnics in the bosom of nature, in driven hunts or walks in the woods with a gun. In these places they hunted for wolves, deer, fallow deer, foxes, and hares. From poultry, grouses, pheasants, wood grouses, less often - ducks were beaten.

But the sovereign did not miss an opportunity to hunt for a large animal. "... Their Majesties intend to go on a bear hunt next week on Wednesday," said Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich to the head of the imperial hunt GA Chertkov. two or three more ladies involved. It would be quite enough if you ordered eight numbers to be prepared. I insist on breakfast in the forest: in the old days it was always so; there is a lot of time to arrange and clear a suitable place. "

Two weeks later, Alexander III himself reported to Chertkov: "The bear hunt can be arranged on Thursday, March 18. Invite: 1. V.K. Vladimir Al., 2. Alexei Alek., 3. Mikhail Nikolaevich, 4. Gr. Vorontsov , 5. Richter, 6. VA Sheremetev, 7. Prince VA Baryatinsky, 8. NG Girsha. The train was ordered at 10 am ".

Among the participants in the hunt were foreign guests, whose appearance at such events was not always dictated only by hunting preferences. In a letter to Chertkov, Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich wrote: “I suggested that the Duke of Edinburgh go hunting on Tuesday night after our ball, along the Warsaw road to Bilak station. I really wanted both bears to be killed by my beau-frere. I hope that there will still be enough time for the necessary orders. "

About the last hunting season of Alexander III in Bialowieza in 1894, interesting memories of the Grodno head of post and telegraph N.K. Field:

"At eight o'clock in the morning, the hunters usually went into the forest; they went to the hunting place in carriages; it was interesting to see this departure. Everyone involved, even the Emperor, was in gray hunting outfits, soft hats; The head of the hunt rode ahead in a pair of chaise, showing the way; behind him the sovereign's carriage, etc. At the same time, the Tsar's kitchen made a special trip to the hunting site in several bulky carriages specially arranged for this. , boxes with dishes and provisions ... At half of the day there was a break in the hunt, and everyone involved in it was invited to breakfast.Two companies of soldiers were called to Bialowieza to carry out a raid; I saw how they, usually early in the morning, went to the hunting place with small flags in their hands, breakfast was being prepared for them, and after breakfast the hunt resumed and lasted until five o'clock, when the hunters returned to the palace and sat down to dinner.

At this time, all the killed game was brought to the palace; she was carried by hired peasant carts. Bison were rarely killed; it was agreed to spare them; but they occasionally appeared in this exhibition, and in the form of huge specimens. The most numerous were goats, deer and especially wild boars. The red deer were very large, with branched antlers. All this game was beautifully laid out at the porch of the palace; each animal had a note of who killed it. When the news came that the royal dinner was over, the hunters lit torches to illuminate the spread out game, and one of them blew something into a huge hunting horn, letting them know that the game show was ready. The emperor, empress, the whole royal family and their retinue came out onto the porch; they approached the game, admired the beautiful animals, talked about especially successful shots ... After the tsar's family left, the senior chef chose what he considered necessary for the tsar's cuisine; the rest of the game was distributed to those who arrived in Bialowieza to serve the sovereign. "

Along with animal hunts, the canine hunt of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich in the Pershino estate was very popular at the court. Here he created a specialized hunting farm with an extensive staff of servants.

The Grand Duke's hunt was unique in composition, bloodiness of hounds and packs of hounds. She was famous not only in Russia, but also in Europe. It was its own world, with its own rules, traditions and language. The Grand Duke's hunt consisted of two packs of hounds, 45 dogs each, and 10 spare dogs; one flock - crimson color, Russian blood; the other is a nightingale, of mixed blood, bred by the Grand Duke himself. In addition to them, there were 130 greyhounds, 87 horses and 78 employees on his farm. The senior hunter (arriving) was engaged in the training of greyhounds. He also disposed of these dogs during the hunt. The hunt was led by a hunter. The vyzhlyatnik was in charge of hounds, the greyhound was in charge of greyhounds. All had uniforms: the rider and the costumer wore red half-caftans, belted with black belts, hats of a white lamb with a red top, wide trousers and long boots, and the greyhounds had blue half-caftans, the stirrups had half-caftans trimmed with gold galloon and black lamb hats with a blue top. Hunting accessories were a dagger in a scabbard, an arapnik, a signal horn (for greyhounds - a semicircular one, for scavengers - a straight one) and wolf snares, special nets for catching animals or birds.

Correct hound hunting with greyhounds and hounds was carried out only by a complete hunt, consisting of a pack of hounds of 18 - 40 dogs with a driver and two scavengers and 15-20 packs of greyhounds, 3-4 dogs each, with hunters or greyhounds. Usually from 25 to 28 packs left with guests in the field. As a rule, they hunted near Pershin at any time, and in the fall they moved to distant places, the so-called departing fields. The essence of hunting with greyhounds and hounds was that those who arrived directed the hounds on the trail of the beast, which they drove out of the forest, swamp or ravine to an open place where the greyhounds were waiting for it. At the right moment, they let the greyhounds down from the leash (a leash on which a couple or several greyhounds are driven), and they chased the hounds and the beast with an intensified gallop until the dogs seized him. When the animal was caught, the hunter, jumping off the horse, "took" it from the dogs. The hare was "chipped off" by stabbing a knife into the chest between the shoulders, "otpazanchili" and "screwed" into the rear toroks to the saddle by the hind legs. The fox was killed with a blow from the whip of arapnik on the head and was "gripped" by the neck. The wolf was beaten with a knife under the left shoulder blade, or they were taken alive for setting up a cage - persecution by dogs; in this case, he was "chuckled" by squeezing his jaws with a loop.

The main manager of the hunt was the Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich: he determined the hunting places, the time of departure, and who and where to occupy which hole. 10-15 people took part in the imperial Pershin hunt: the grand dukes, confidants and guests of the king. The hunt lasted, as a rule, two to three weeks. Hound hunting in winter was carried out with horse beaters and with packs on sleds. Moreover, it was subdivided into three types: "for a survey", when the animal was searched for on the trail, "by eye" - they tried to see the animal without a trace, and with the help of a bait. Winter hunting usually began with the fact that early in the morning the handlers went to the bait. When they found wolves, they surrounded them. A horseman went to Pershino with a message about the presence of wolves at the bait. Having received this news, the hunters on 12-15 sledges went to the hunting place. The beaters began to drive the wolves, occasionally blowing their horns and directing the beast to the packs that were in the sleigh with the hunters. The hunters tried to let the wolves close to them as close as possible and in time to throw the dogs out of the sleigh, which rushed to the beast and hunted it.

In the great princely hunts, great importance was attached to the ritual. The most solemn event of the hunting day was the "drift" - a feast after the hunt. Near the killed animals, the entire hunting team lined up in a semicircle with torches in their hands. When the grand dukes appeared, the huntsmen sounded with fanfare. Then the head of the hunt greeted the distinguished guests, and the gamekeepers again sounded with fanfare, giving peculiar honors to the bison, deer, and elk - in the order of the meaning of game. Music gave a special flavor to the Russian hunt. During the imperial hunt, there was a brass orchestra, and the musicians were among the full-time attendants of the grand ducal hunt.

Nicholas II also loved hunting all his life, considering it a real man's occupation, "refreshing the soul," and tried to use every opportunity to hunt in the Gatchina remise - for hares and pheasants, in Peterhof - for ducks, in Belovezha - for bison and deer, in Mürsteg with the Austrian emperor, on "never seen game". He recorded all hunting episodes in detail in his diary. “It was a wonderful sunny day at 4 ° C. We went together to mass at 10 o'clock. We went to Gatchina. We had breakfast on the way. The raid was in a pheasant near Remiz. I deeply enjoyed the wonderful weather and a spring day. The hunt was very successful - 879 were killed in total. I: 115 - 21 partridges, 91 pheasants, a white hare and 2 rabbits .. . "A week later, a similar entry was made in the diary:" ... I went with Misha to the railway and with the rest of the hunters to Ropsha, where they arrived at about one in the afternoon. The hunt was in the same pheasant and was very successful. Total killed: 489 By me: 96 - 81 pheasants and 14 partridges and hare. The weather was excellent, calm and warm. We drove the hunting teams. At 6 I returned home very happy with the day. "

Father's enthusiasm was passed on to the Grand Duchesses. On September 21, 1912, Grand Duchess Tatyana Nikolaevna reported her participation in this hunt to her aunt, Grand Duchess Ksenia Alexandrovna, from Spaly. "My dear aunt Ksenia .... It was terribly fun in Bialowieza. Dad and I went hunting. Olga and I. Marie was with Anastasia only twice. I stood twice at Dad's room, once at Prince Golitsyn, Prince Beloselsky and once at Drenteln's. It was terribly good. "

According to the entries in the diary, last time in his life, Nicholas II hunted on March 9, 1914 near Ropsha.

This was the end of the court hunt in Russia.

There was a time when, for the Tsar's amusement, large hounds were hunted in the fields and forests near Moscow, the soldiers fought hand-to-hand with bears, in the sovereign's yard, hunters pitched clubfoot with wolves. But over the years, Alexei Mikhailovich cooled off to these amusements; roaring, howling, bloody scraps of meat, triumph of brute strength - all this became unpleasant to irritate, and the increased corporeal obesity did not allow, as before, the whole day not to get off the saddle, chasing foxes and deer.
But there is only one, forever favorite entertainment - falconry. Here Aleksey Mikhailovich was a reliable, real, passionate hunter - he could never stop admiring the beautiful, light flight of noble birds, their swift, lightning-fast blow.

The falcon is a regal bird, free, proud. To tame it is a delicate, skillful business that requires patience and care. Every year, the tsarist hunters, who traveled around Siberia and the northern forests, sent dozens of wild falcons, gyrfalcons, hawks, felines, dermligs to Moscow, to the Falconer yard, where experienced falconers trained them for the sovereign's hunt. They started by not letting the bird sleep for several days - this made the falcon lethargic, indifferent and allowed to put a cap on its head, and restraints on its legs. Then he was left without food for a day, after which they took him on his hand and fed him, removing the cap. They were given only selected meat - sometimes lamb, sometimes beef, but most often they fed the falcons with pigeons, which were kept in great numbers on the royal dovecote for this purpose. When the bird was deflated, it was accepted drive in- to call, to lure: they put them on a chair in the hut, and the falconer with a piece of meat in his fist gradually increased the distance that the falcon had to fly in order to get food, sitting on the hunter's hand.

They repeated the same in the field, holding the bird on a string, and then, having exhausted it for three days with insomnia, let it out into the field without a string, but with its legs entangled, and again wobbled onto the bait in its fist. Having achieved that the falcon, at the call of the hunter, obediently sat on his hand, they began to play off his game: at first they threw beaten ducks, pigeons, owls, crows into the air, then let them go on live birds, holding them on a string and only allowing them to peck at the prey; the falcon again received food from the fist of the falconer. Finally, the last thing the falcons were taught was to fight other strong, dangerous birds - herons, korshaks, sarches, which they could meet in the field while hunting. For the first fight, the kites were blinded, and a case was put on the herons' beak so that they would not kill or maim an inexperienced young falcon. And only after all this, the trained predator was released on a free hunt, without a cord and ties. This was always done in the presence of Alexei Mikhailovich himself, who assessed who of the young was kind of hard and who would be kind.

Falcon training techniques were kept secret. A trained hunting bird was expensive and highly valued, therefore falcons and gyrfalcons in expensive outfits were sent as a gift only to those sovereigns in whose friendship the tsar was especially interested - the Crimean khan, the Polish king, the Turkish sultan. To tell the truth, among the rulers of that time it was rare to find truly skillful hunters and connoisseurs of noble fun. Alexei Mikhailovich knew only one such person - the Persian Shah.

The position of the tsar's falconer was honorable and responsible, among other amusing palace positions, the most important in proximity to the sovereign. The falconers knew one master over themselves - the king himself and enjoyed his exclusive confidence. But Alexei Mikhailovich asked them strictly, punished the guilty mercilessly.

The rules of falconry and the ritual rank of placing in falconers were contained in a special charter, which was called "The commander of the falconer way" and was drawn up by Alexei Mikhailovich himself. This book, written in figurative Russian language, is remarkable for the striving for disinterested admiration for beauty captured in it.

This is how, for example, the placement in the falconers took place. In the morning, the falconers dressed up the front hut of the Falconers' yard for the holiday. In the red corner, a place for the king was cleared by laying a carpet on the bench with a headboard - a silk pillow made of wild ducks down. In the middle of the hut, covering the floor with hay and covering it with a blanket, they arranged Polyanovo- a place for the recruited, with four chairs in the corners for a pair of gyrfalcons and a pair of falcons. Behind Polyanov, a table was placed, on which a bird's outfit was laid out - a hood made of worm-like velvet, lowered with pearls, a velvet bib and a hawk embroidered with gold and silver, silver bells, satin onuchs and a debtor - a leather cord, one end tightly sewn to a hunting arm; a falconer's outfit was placed next to it - an ermine hat, mittens, gold braid, a sling with a small velvet bag made in the form of a bird of paradise gamayun, in which the sovereign's letter with an appeal to the new election was kept, finally, vabilo- a whistle for calling a bird, a hunting horn and a towel. The novovyborny was taken to another hut until a certain time.

When everything was ready, the falconers, dressed in new colored caftans and yellow morocco boots, granted by the sovereign on the occasion of the celebration, stood decorously near the table and along the benches against the walls. Alexei Mikhailovich, dressed in a dark green hunting caftan and yellow boots like falconers, entered, looked around the hut - was it all right - and sat down sedately in his place.

For a little time, the podokolniki carefully approached the tsar:
-Is it time, sir, to be a model and rank?
- Time, - answered Alexey Mikhailovich, - announce the model and rank.

The podsokolniki addressed the initial falconers:
-Beginners! I will command time and an hour to beauty.

According to these words, the falconers began to ceremoniously dress the gyrfalcon, which was handed over to the new election. After waiting for them to finish, the podsekolnik again approached the tsar with decency:
-Is it time, sir, to receive, and send on a new election, and set the decoration?
-Time, take, and send, and set.

The podolsnik put on a mitten, recovered and obeyed, took the gyrfalcon, crossed himself and stood at a distance from the king, as the statute demanded, quietly, orderly, humanely, quietly, carefully, cheerfully, holding the bird honestly, clearly, dangerously, harmoniously, correctively. After standing a little, he ordered the messenger:
-According to the Tsar's decree, call the newly elected to the state's mercy, this is the time of his honor and honor, and the hour has approached for his joy, so that he does not hesitate.

Two old falconers brought in the new election, prayed, bowed to the king in the ground and, putting the young man on the clearing, took off his hat, sash and mittens. Instead of them, the initial falconers took turns putting on a sling with a bag, a gold braid, taken from the table; the horn and lure were attached to the rings at the left and right sides. The senior initial stood up from behind, holding an ermine hat over the head of the new election until the decree.

After waiting, the podokolniki called the clerk, who, taking out a letter from his bag-gamayun, loudly and solemnly read the sovereign's address to the newly elected one, so that in all of him “ to want good, to serve with faith and truth, and to amuse us, the great sovereign, with all our soul, until the end of our belly, and for our willingness to walk diligently and boringly, and love our brethren as ourselves. But if you learn to be not eager and not glad, and in every our sovereign's business, you are disobedient, lazy, drunk, stupid, ugly, and disobedient to the podokolnik and to all the brethren, slanderous, slanderous, silly, and every bad thing is fulfilled, and you are not just to be bound with iron bonds, but for a third guilt, without any mercy, to be exiled to Lena". And so that the sovereign's word was always in front of the new election's eyes, they put on mittens with pictures embroidered on them: on one of them - the royal mercy and the treasury, on the other - prison and merciless execution.

And the frightened newcomer bowed and vowed to serve the sovereign with faith and truth, and to comfort him, and to please him, and to follow his sovereign's hunt until the death of his belly.

After this came the most solemn moment of the ordination ceremony. The podolsnik approached the king and spoke in a mysterious language, led by one initiate:
- Were the mountains sotlo?
In the parlance of the falconers, this meant: "Is it time, sir, to do the work?"
- Make a gift (make a gift), - answered Alexey Mikhailovich.

Then the podokolnichy, addressing the new election, cheerfully and boldly proclaimed:
- The Great Sovereign and Grand Duke Alexei Mikhailovich, the autocrat of all the Great and Small and White Russia, ordered you to give the gyrfalcon the name and other birds for your sovereign hunt, and you would follow his guerrilla hunt diligently, with joy with all your heart, and keep his sovereign's hunt, like the apple of an eye, and his sovereign to amuse without any laziness and cunning until the death of his belly!

With these words, he gave him a dressed-up gyrfalcon. And although the knees of the new election often trembled with excitement and fear, he received the gyrfalcon exemplary, beautifully, carefully, and stood before the sovereign orderly, pleasantly, confidently, surprisingly; and did not bow to the great sovereign until they put an ermine hat on him, which crowned the whole business. And then the falconer brethren surrounded him, congratulated him with great royal mercy and heartily asked him not to forget his promises in the future, and not to abandon his obedience, and not to sweep aside their comradely council.

And upon exiting the front hut, a dining table was waiting for the falconers, laid by the sovereign's favor to them, and on that table, in its place, found a new-elected outfit of krechat, four gold ducats, eight efimkas and three embroidered towels - the first tsar's salary, so that he knew that the king does not lose faithful service.

Alexey Mikhailovich hunted mainly in the vicinity of the village of Izmailova near Moscow. Falcons and gyrfalcons were lowered in turn. The course and results of the hunt were recorded in special books: the count Bumar got a crow of rates from twenty; Gyrfalcon Berdiai hunted a karshak at the top for a long time, and when he knocked it down from above, he wanted to escape into the grove, but the gyrfalcon did not allow him to reach the grove and finished off from the upper headquarters; and the old chelig Gamayun got two scoops - he broke one so that it fell down no one knows where, but then he flew away from the hunt, was violently returned in the evening, etc.

But the youngest son of Alexei Mikhailovich no longer liked hunting - so in his entire life he never hunted. Tsar Peter Alekseevich preferred other amusements.

Falconry is an incredibly spectacular action that can be compared to a theatrical performance. It was known even before our era, and for many centuries was one of the favorite entertainments of the nobility in different countries the world. In Russia, the most ardent supporter of falconry was Tsar Alexei the Quiet.

The origins of falconry

The East, namely ancient Mesopotamia, is considered the homeland of falconry. The image of a hunter with a bird on his hand was found on the wall of the ancient Assyrian fortress Dur-Sharrukin and dates back to about 700 BC, that is, the time of the reign of Sargon II.

In ancient China and Mongolia, emperors enjoyed spending time on falconry. Archaeologists have found sacred emblems of ancient Egypt dating back to 1500-1300 BC. How developed this kind of hunting was in such ancient times, now it is impossible to say. But the fact that it existed is a fact.

As for Europe, hunting with birds of prey reached it later. According to some historians, the idea of ​​such entertainment originated in Rome around the end of the fourth century.

Fashionable hobby of the middle ages

In the Middle Ages, falconry became one of the favorite pastimes of the nobility. The first textbook helping to understand the "bird" business was the treatise "The Art of Hunting with Birds", written in the first quarter of the XIII century by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Frederick II.

Two centuries passed, and in the “Book of Saint Alban” a statement appeared that only a noble person of royal blood has the right to keep a bird for hunting. The book was about the peregrine falcon, but it should be noted that in wide circles hunting with any bird is called a falcon. In the future, in almost all countries, this type of hunting completely passed under the royal wing.

From childhood, noble boys were taught the difficult art of hunting with a bird. They had to be able to catch a falcon or other bird chick, properly care for it and train it. The bird had to understand the owner and obey. Gestures, whistles - these signs were absorbed by the winged hunter since childhood. The ability to track down prey and rush at it from above, and then, at the call of the owner, return to his hand, covered with a leather glove, was appreciated.

Hunting birds were worth their weight in gold, and in England, for their theft, you could lose your life.

The best gift in Russia is a falcon

In Russia, mentions of Prince Oleg's falconry date back to the 9th century. Under Yaroslav the Wise, bird hunting was commonplace. The texts of the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh also contain lines about feathered hunters. And during the time of Ivan the Terrible, an institution was created that was responsible for the birds, their maintenance and preparation for hunting - the Falconer's order. If you remember the Word about Igor's regiment, then it also says about hunting with falcons.

The birds were so prized that they were the best gift ever. They, along with luxurious furs and walrus bones, were sent to the Horde khans. Three gyrfalcones were equal to three stallions! Foreign rulers and other important persons also received birds as a gift, but, alas, not always a falcon, golden eagle, gyrfalcon or other predator went through a long and difficult journey.

At the beginning of the XII century, the passion for hunting in Russia reached its peak. The Novgorod prince Vsevolod Mstislavovich, for example, was so busy with his falcons that he received a reproach from the Novgorodians. A century later, Yaroslav heard the same reproaches.

Quiet Hobby

Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, falconry flourished extraordinarily. Three thousand birds (hawks and falcons) - that is how many of them were in the rich royal collection. The hobby was formed under the influence of the Tsar's educator, Boris Morozov.

To take care of the birds, the tsar had no less than three hundred caretakers. The king was so fond of falconry that he forbade disturbing him at this time on pain of death, and the gates of the city were locked until the end of the event.

Alexey adored his birds and was proud of them. Few people received permission to look at the birds, it was a great honor. For example, it was awarded to the ambassador from Saxony August von Meyerberg. The quietest one invented and knew by heart the names of all his pets. And they were really great! It was a Russian exclusive: the places of capture, the roads along which the birds were transported, the methods of training - all this constituted a state secret, the violation of which was punishable by law. Catchers (scammers) carried falcons from the White Sea coast, from the Urals, the Volga region. It was a prestigious job free of dues.

The birds had to be well fed to make them feel great and full of energy. For this, a pigeon duty was introduced: the peasant had to hand over two pigeons from one yard. To keep pigeons-slayers, the Pigeon Yard was created, where the future symbols of the world were waiting in the wings.

The hunt was a colorful sight. The falconer was entitled to a red and gold caftan, morocco boots with long curved noses, a velvet hat with sable trim, an incredibly beautiful glove inlaid with precious stones. The fantasy of the old fashion designers was not limited to this, and the birds were also dressed up in a royal way. They wore beautiful hangers-on and bibs, their paws were hugged by leather rings, there was a cowl on their heads (a hat that was supposed to close their eyes), and a leash was twisted from strong gilded threads. A small bell hung around his neck.

Alexey Tishaishy was so keen on hunting that he was ready to spend it every day. Since it was a very expensive pleasure, the king introduced mini-hunts into fashion, which could be carried out up to twice a day. Falconers, hunters, soldiers-guards, cooks and other servants of the court went hunting together with the tsar. Sometimes the number of people exceeded a thousand.

The favorite place for the royal hunting was the Moscow region. Sometimes the tsarina and sons Peter and Fyodor kept him company. Oddly enough, the process of hunting did not interest Peter at all, he was not at all interested, which cannot be said about Elizaveta Petrovna, who often went out to hunting near Lyubertsy. Later, Catherine and Peter II went on falconry hunting, but the scope and splendor that Tsar Alexei loved was no longer there.

The last royal hunt

As the years passed, falconry gradually lost its popularity. The last time the official royal hunt was held in 1856, and the reason for this was the coronation of Alexander II.

This does not mean that more hunting with falcons and other birds of prey was not carried out, but they were modest, rare. In addition, a “persecution” was declared on birds of prey - they began to be exterminated as a threat to the livestock of rabbits and chickens raised by peasants.

Falconry is an unforgettable sight! Graceful birds are able to make up to 70 bets without rest, developing a speed of up to 100 meters per second when attacking a victim. Having come a long way from fishing to royal fun, for a long time falconry was in oblivion.

The falcon yard was kept by the Kiev prince Oleg in the XI century, hunting with birds of prey was adored by Alexei Mikhailovich and his son Peter the Great despised, and on the wall frescoes of the stairs leading to the choir, in Kiev Sophia Cathedral, you can still find a scene of hunting a hare with a bird of prey.

Hunting "Quiet"

In Russia, falconry has been known since the 9th century, and its dawn came during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was a passionate hunter with birds of prey. The tsar left to the descendants the famous "Policeman of the Falconers' Way", most of which is occupied by the description of the solemn rite of initiation into the initial falconers. "Quiet" not only knew the name of each of his birds, but also invented names for them with his own hand. His "hike for fun" was a grandiose spectacle, which was not limited to one day and was celebrated on his return with noisy dinners.

Seven Sealed Mystery

Moscow falcons were highly valued not only in the East, but also in the West. Many have repeatedly tried to find out exactly where such a magnificent bird is caught in Russia. However, the state secret was not only the places where it was caught, but also the routes along which the scavengers brought the gyrfalcon to Moscow. The delivery of birds took place according to special rules, the violation of which was severely punished. To the question of foreign guests: "Where is such an excellent bird caught?" Followed by one answer: "In the domain of our great sovereign." Trans-Volga, Pechora, Ural, Siberia, the shores of the White Sea - these are the main "secret" territories for the catch of feathered "hunters".

Presents, gifts and commemoration

Often, birds of prey became part of the tribute that Russian princes paid to the Golden Horde. One white gyrfalcon was equal in value to three purebred horses. In addition, for many centuries the gyrfalcon was considered one of the most valuable gifts. Thus, the "present" gyrfalcons were sent to the states that depended on Moscow. They were presented as a sign of encouragement. Principality equal in strength received "gifts". Well, and to those whom Moscow feared, the ambassadors carried the so-called "commemoration" - gifts from live birds and animals. It happened that a bird died on the way. Despite this, the embassy still passed on the wings and the head of the falcon - such an offering was also considered a gift.

The main thing is that the suit fits

If the hunting costume of the ancient Rusich almost did not differ from everyday clothes, then the outfits of the royal falconers were striking in luxury. Red caftans, embroidered with double-headed eagles and edged with gold ligature. On the feet are calfskin boots with high toes, bent upward, made of red or gold morocco. Richly decorated one-handed glove. Such a suit was not cheap. Depending on his position, the falconer received satin or cloth for a caftan, velvet and sables for a hat, leather and morocco for boots. If foreign guests took part in the royal hunt, then the spectacular outfits of the falconers were enhanced by special "wings" decorated with multi-colored silk ribbons. "Wings" were attached with a belt at the waist.

Cowl and more

In addition to the klobuk - a hat in which the bird rested after the hunt, the costume of the birds of prey of the royal court included: a bib, scraps (or snags, nagavki, tangles or webs), a haunted and a dolzhik. Footsteps are rings (usually made of leather) that are worn on the paws of a bird. A dolzhik is called a cord, one end of which is attached to the pegs, and the other end is held by the falconer in his hand (something like a leash for a dog). By the way, hoods were also worn on the way to the hunting place so that the bird would not see potential victims and would not throw itself off the hand every time, thereby stretching its tendons.

Hint bells

Falconry is a type of hunting with the use of tamed birds of prey mainly from the order Falconiformes (falcon and hawk families) for catching prey. Falconers are called falconers. Falconry culture was developed in almost all countries of Eurasia and some regions of North America. However, with the development of agriculture and the spread of firearms the popularity of falconry has declined significantly.

Litovchenko Alexander Dmitrievich (1835-1890) The Italian envoy Kalvucci sketches the favorite falcons of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. 1889 Kharkov Art Museum

Hunting using falcons or other birds of prey has been known since ancient times. The earliest documentary evidence of this was found during the excavations of the Assyrian fortress Dur-Sharrukin, the fiefdom of King Sargon II (722-705 BC), where two hunters were depicted on a stone bas-relief, one of whom launches a bird into the air, and the second catches her.
Even before our era, falconry was well known among Mongol nomads, Chinese emperors, on the Korean Peninsula, Indochina, Persia and the Middle East.
In Western Europe, hunting with the use of birds of prey remained unknown or unpopular until the 3rd century. Only in 1274 the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II Hohenstaufen wrote the treatise "De Arte Venandi cum Avibus" ("The Art of Hunting with Birds"), in which he describes the rules of falconry.

Princely fishing. Chronicle of the XVI century.

In the Middle Ages, despite its popularity in many European countries, due to legal restrictions, falconry remained the lot of only the upper class: for example, in the English treatise “Boke of St. Albans ”(1486) it is argued that only a prince or a duke could keep a peregrine falcon.

Vereshchagin Vasily Vasilievich (1842-1904) Wealthy Kyrgyz hunter with a falcon. 1871 Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

In the West, a brilliant time for falconry was the reign of Louis XIII, who himself hunted almost every day. His hunt was subdivided into several separate parts, depending on the "laps" (Vols) and the birds that were hunted, and each of these parts was under the jurisdiction of a separate person. According to the descriptions of contemporaries, the splendor of the French hunting was amazing.
Among the Slavic peoples on the territory of modern Russia, hunting became popular somewhere at the turn of the VIII-IX centuries, presumably thanks to the nomad-Khazars who inhabited the territory of modern Dagestan and the Lower Volga region.

A. Sharipov (Kazakhstan, born 1964) From the cycle "Hunters".

In the XII century, Prince Oleg arranged a falconry in his courtyard, where he was engaged in breeding birds for hunting.
Russian falconry flourished during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich; during his reign, more than 3,000 different birds of prey were kept in amusing yards in the villages of Kolomenskoye and Semyonovskoye near Moscow.

Roubaud Franz Alekseevich (1856-1928) Tsar's falconer 1897

Efoshkin Sergei Nikolaevich (born 1960) Sovereign person. Falconer. XVII century. 2013 g.

All birds were categorized according to "articles". At the head of the "article" was the initial falconer, who was directly in charge of a certain number of ordinary falconers, merlin and hawks.
The hunt included: trapper falconers (who watched the bringing of birds), bird shooters (who killed the game to the king's table), who were at the krechatna (to protect and feed the birds) and, finally, a klobuchechny master who made field klobuchs.

Schwartz Vyacheslav Grigorievich (1838-1869) Presenting an honorary mitten.

Roubaud Franz Alekseevich (1856-1928) Hunter. 1892 g.

Surikov Vasily Ivanovich (1848-1916) Games on the royal hunt. 1896 g.

The most significant work dedicated to royal hunting, and falconry in particular, was N. I. Kutepov's four-volume book "The Grand Ducal, Tsar's and Imperial Hunting in Russia", published from 1896 to 1911.

Title page historical sketch Nikolai Kutepov's Royal Hunt in Russia in the 17th century 1896

Each volume had its own title: "The Grand Duke's and Tsar's Hunt in Russia from the 10th to the 16th Century", "The Tsar's Office in Russia of Tsars Mikhail Fedorovich and Alexei Mikhailovich. The 17th Century", "The Tsar's and Imperial Hunt in Russia. The End of the 17th and 18th Centuries" and "Imperial hunting in Russia. Late 18th and 19th centuries".

Lebedev, Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1916) Sokolniki. 1896 g.

To work on this fundamental publication, the historian N.I. Kutepov invited such famous painters as N. S. Samokish, A. P. Ryabushkin, I. E. Repin, V. I. Surikov, K. V. Lebedev, A. M. Vasnetsov, V. M. Vasnetsov, F. A. Roubaud, L. S. Bakst, A. K. Beggrov, A. N. Benois, E. E. Lansere, L. O. Pasternak, K. A. Savitsky, V.A.Serov and A.S.Stepanov. Also used were engravings from the works of J. Dow, V. G. Schwartz, F. G. Solntsev and A. D. Litovchenko.

Lebedev, Klavdiy Vasilievich (1852-1916) Award from ordinary falconers to primary in the presence of Alexei Mikhailovich. 1896 g.

Vasnetsov Viktor Mikhailovich (1848-1926) Royal hunting.

Ryabushkin Andrey Petrovich (1861-1904) Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich hunting.

Hunting birds are worn for hunting on the hand, which is protected by a suede or soft personal leather glove. To carry several birds at the same time, the so-called "cage" is used - a wooden frame made of beams that serve as a nest for the bird, this frame is worn on the shoulders.
On the legs of birds of prey, they put on tangles - belt or cloth rings.
A debtor is threaded into the bundle - a strap with which the bird is fastened to the glove.
A bell is tied to the legs or to the tail of a hunting bird so that it cannot hide in the bushes with prey. Falcons, gyrfalcons and golden eagles are worn in hoods - special hats that cover their eyes. In the hunt of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, hoods were embroidered with bright silks, silver and gold and were decorated with multi-colored feathers. In addition, bibs and hangers made of expensive velvet studded with pearls were worn on the birds.

Kirillov Sergey Alekseevich (born 1960) Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich on falconry. 1997 year

The dignity of a falcon or gyrfalcon is determined by the number of "stakes" and "riding".
The rate is the takeoff of a falcon to a height, from where it, stopping for a moment in the air, headlong falls on its prey and if it doesn’t hit, then it takes off another and third time, until, rushing from a height, it “infects” (hits) the bird.
The top, that is, the height that the birds of prey reached, in the hunt of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, was divided into great, medium and small. Falcons "with a great top" rise in the skies so high that for a simple eye they seem to be a barely perceptible point.

Kirillov Sergey Alekseevich (born 1960) Sokolnichy calling the falcon. 1997 year

Hunting by birds of prey is carried out either "from the hand" (by hawks), or by "letting go" (by the rest of the birds of prey).
In the first case, the bird directly rushes after the prey, without the direct participation of the falconer, who only opens his hand to free the bird.
When letting go, the falconer throws the bird out of his hand. The difference between the flaps consists in the following: 1) the “flush” - when the bird is allowed on the prey from a distance; the bird flies up to the prey from the bottom and then attacks it;
2) letting go "to hijack" - when the bird chases after prey, trying to overtake it;
3) "up" - when the bird, with special gaits, climbs above the prey and attacks it from above.
4) overlapping "supera" - the bird is "put up", that is, thrown over the place where the baiting is expected, and then the prey is driven away (by means of dogs, people, drumming, shots, etc.).

Kirillov Sergey Alekseevich (born 1960) Sokolnichy releasing a falcon. 1997 year

The falcon hits its prey with strong receiving claws of its hind fingers, and the blow is so strong that, hitting, for example, on the duck's neck, it breaks it in half.
The prey is taken from the birds of prey by means of the lure, which also lures the bird that has been caught (missed) during the hunt.

Kirillov Sergey Alekseevich (born 1960) Return from falconry. 1997 year

I would also like to introduce you to the artist who created several series of drawings and paintings dedicated to falconry. Meet:

Vadim Alekseevich Gorbatov

Russian animal painter, member of the International Association of Wildlife Artists (“SWAN”, Great Britain), Ph.D. in art history, member of the Union of Russian Artists, member of the Advisory Board of the International Fund “Artists for Nature”.
His works are included in David Trapnell's unique collection Nature in Art - 300 Years of Animalism. Gorbatov illustrated fundamental scientific and artistic publications, children's books, the magazine "Nature and Hunting". The artist has been drawing animals since childhood, graduated from "Stroganovka", worked on television for a long time.
The rarest visual memory, together with constructive thinking and the gift of graphics, are the artist's strongest points. Vadim Gorbatov travels a lot, especially to our North. Gorbatov is considered the only one of our animal painters who is known abroad.

Vadim Gorbatov
Series "Sokolniki Alexei Mikhailovich"

Falcon hunting

Peregrine falcon is a sniper and the death of a musk deer.
Forces are accumulated, the hood compresses the cheekbones,
There is only one state, life and will is dearer,
There is only one path to it that opens the sound.

The cover is dropped, marks remain on the glove.
A hand is thrown up with a sharp movement.
Leap into the sky. The plot freezes on the retina.
Retinue. King. Overgrowth and a river with a thread.

The elastic wind will spread the entire thousand feathers.
Each nib has the same thousand quartz needles.
The beak line is a curved chimera grin.
This is where the cycle fed by the ancestors begins.

Falls down, where the roe deer recoiled as a shadow.
He is on the other side of pity or threats.
The falcon does not hesitate. Do not doubt.
The skull has pierced and bites the cooling brain.

The retinue approached. Carnelian on the handle.
Everyone marks time trouble at the end of the combination.
The king flares his nostrils: "My Red is a Catholic!"
"Only war, while at least one Huguenot is alive!"

God, the king ... After all, you will be executed or poisoned.
If you are cruel, at least you can hold out to forty.
Will and anger are just a bird in inheritance,
The falcon of freedom is your moment in the thunderclouds.

Death is harvested by us in the blade and in the squeak.
It's easy to handle her - just show it once.
I wish I could play not with my soul, but with some things,
And learn to save, not to waste your life ...

Gorbatov Vadim Alekseevich (born 1940) Falconry of Emperor Frederick II.

Gorbatov Vadim Alekseevich (born 1940) Girl with a falcon.

Gorbatov Vadim Alekseevich (born 1940) Frederick II on falconry.

Falcon hunting

All that love gives us all
Unsurpassed delight
What is tart honey to the soul
And inspired excitement
That the wind carries the dream upwards
Assuming admiration, -
... that sweet moment and that view -
when the peregrine falcon hits its prey !!

Getting off my hands at that main moment
And picking up speed fast
In a steep dive, instantly wilted
Riding like an arrow in the clear sky,
And overtaking a flock of birds
Crashes into her with a whistle
... and bet to the beat, hitting quickly
It flies up like a bullet right there!

And unfolding in the bright sky
And grouping together in a pile of strength,
Immortality - sowing with a cute look
But nevertheless, he is mortal -
- conceals a blow in the claws of the great,
Having pierced his victim openly ...
... but in the admiration of the diverse
he is forgiven like the wind -
- this is murder for joy ...
Or maybe the key to success is
Hard work - like a moment of luck? ...
... so glorious is the fun of kings,
how could it be otherwise ...

Viacheslav Zbaratsky

Vadim Gorbatov
Series "Falconry in drawings"

Falcon hunting

Here again, something is not getting drunk,
Do not close your tired eyes -
Falcon hunting
Seems again.

Soaring over the pines with a candle,
From a circle of smooth headlong,
Launched like a bowstring
Tearing the air with a whistle,
White gyrfalcon beats suddenly
As a sacrifice by lightning alive,
Having made a 100% "bet"
Between heaven and earth.

Tangentially rushed
A sharp turn, - hung, -
He lingered for a moment ...
And the pique continued down
Following the wounded bird,
Leaving a feather
That with the last bit of strength it strives
Straighten on the wing

But the idea is pointless
Hit again - this time
With a trophy picked up
Closed claws to death
The falcon spreads its wings,
Gaining altitude
And lowers the prey
Into the roadside grass.

And the falconer in the front door,
In a hat with beaver fur,
Who didn’t take his eyes off the bird,
The horse is already hurrying,
Lush courtyard ahead,
Ahead of masters and servants,
He puts a bird on his hand,
Wearing a leather cowl.

Encourages from the pouch,
Signs of success
And the pet is stately
Devotionally waiting for the team ...

But it hurts, it hurts my heart
Incomprehensible sadness -
Either for centuries gone,
Either I feel sorry for Russia.
Where are you now, clear falcon !?
Where is your regal flight !? -
Incorruptible, proud, domineering -
A symbol of glory and heights.

You were lost once
By tribute, but by the Creator
A vision was sent
Sleeping tired sleep.
In the morning, it must come true
Sleep, and to the joy of the plaintiff
The bird has returned hunting, -
That saved the falconer.
.................................
So I pray and believe
That once in a prophetic dream:
I dream of a white gyrfalcon
And the falconer on horseback

What is from distant hijacking
The falcons will return to us
Miraculous icon
Return to the temple of God.

© Maximov Yuri
May 2006

Falcon hunting

Early morning. At the entrance to the subway
Immediately in the crowd I notice
I'm a man in a gray coat
And with a backpack over his shoulders.

I see sitting on his hand,
Not afraid of noise at all,
A falcon hunter with a shiny feather
A proud bird of prey.

Outwardly contrasting pair of friends
He wants to break free.
Get out of Moscow, hurry up! Hurry
Into the Russian open field.

That's where the hunt is! There the hare runs
Ears pressed against the woodland.
The bird is free. The falcon flies
It flies like a stone from the skies.

But he missed. It also happens.
He takes a falcon in his hand
Friend. Smiling, he consoles: "Freak,
The main thing in life is flight! "

© Olga Gorn

And the material about falconry is completed by several paintings by the Kazakh artist Esengali Sadyrbaev.

Esengali Sadyrbaev

Was born in 1965 in the Almaty region.

Kazakh artist. At home, Yesengali is called the last "Mohican" of realistic painting and a romantic of the landscape. “Landscape is a favorite genre in art. My sketchbook accompanies me on all trips around my native country "- says the artist himself. He graduated from Almaty art school named after N.V. Gogol and Kazakh State Pedagogical University named after N.V. Abay. In 2004 he worked on the design of the book "Nomads" by I. Esenberlin.
Sadyrbaev is a participant in numerous exhibitions, a member of the Kazakhstan Association of Artists, his works are in museums in the country and in private collections abroad.

Esengali Sadyrbaev (Kazakhstan, born 1965) Hunters in Charyn.

Esengali Sadyrbaev (Kazakhstan, born 1965) Successful hunting.

Esengali Sadyrbaev (Kazakhstan, born 1965) Return.