Symbols of the Rurikids

Throughout the early Middle Ages, the Rurikid knyazes of the Kievan Rus' used unique symbols to denote property rights over various items.

In contrast to Western European heraldry, where coats of arms belonged to entire families, or were inherited without changes by firstborn sons, Rurikid symbols were personal, with every knyaz devising an emblem of their own for themselves.

Thus, the emblems of the knyazes on seals are depicted schematically, in a maximally simplified form, whilst on coins the same symbols have a large number of additional ornamental elements.

Such signs (bidents and tridents) were widely used in the territory of the Khazar Khanate as symbols of supreme authority — they were the tamgas of the ruling families.

In 1917 after the October Revolution, when on the territory of the former Russian Empire new states began to form, the trident (Ukrainian: Тризуб, tryzub) of Knyaz Volodymyr was proposed by historian Mykhailo Hrushevskyi as a national symbol for Ukraine.

The status of the small coat of arms of the Ukrainian People's Republic as the personal symbol of Volodymyr was given on 22 March 1918 as a result of a decision of the Central Council of Ukraine.

With the establishment of Soviet power over Ukraine, the trident lost its official status, but continued to be used by organizations of Ukrainian nationalists, and also, with the addition of a cross on a prong, as a component in the coat of arms proclaimed in 1939 for Carpatho-Ukraine.

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, by decree of the Verkhovna Rada on 19 February 1992 the trident was approved as the small state coat of arms of Ukraine.

In the coats of arms of the cities, raions, oblasts, and other administrative divisions of Ukraine, the trident of Volodymyr is widely used, but in addition symbols of other Rurikids are also used.

[11][12] The image of the falcon, symbolizing the heroic warrior, knyaz leading his military squad, is repeatedly mentioned in the cornerstone of ancient literature of Kievan Rus The Tale of Igor's Campaign.

[13] As a patrimonial symbol of knyazes, the image of falcon has been present on the flags and emblems of several Russian cities, such as Suzdal, Sokol, Kumertau, and others.