Magazine issue:
#3 2013 (40)
The history of Russia's oldest museum, now named the "Moscow Kremlin" Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve has a long history. Its numerous collections originated in the 14th-early 15th centuries, during the reign of the first Grand Princes of Muscovy – Ivan Kalita, Dmitry Donskoi and Vasily I. In their wills, they bequeathed to their offspring golden caps, sabres, tableware and jewelled waist-belts, which soon came to be regarded by their contemporaries as ancestral relics that "protected the family" and symbolized its political power.
THE HISTORY OF RUSSIA'S OLDEST MUSEUM, NOW NAMED THE "MOSCOW KREMLIN" HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MUSEUM-RESERVE HAS A LONG HISTORY. ITS NUMEROUS COLLECTIONS ORIGINATED IN THE 14TH-EARLY 15TH CENTURIES, DURING THE REIGN OF THE FIRST GRAND PRINCES OF MUSCOVY - IVAN KALITA, DMITRY DONSKOI AND VASILY I. IN THEIR WILLS, THEY BEQUEATHED TO THEIR OFFSPRING GOLDEN CAPS, SABRES, TABLEWARE AND JEWELLED WAIST-BELTS, WHICH SOON CAME TO BE REGARDED BY THEIR CONTEMPORARIES AS ANCESTRAL RELICS THAT "PROTECTED THE FAMILY" AND SYMBOLIZED ITS POLITICAL POWER.
