On the left is a silver, red or blue shield with a golden six-flame cross or “pillars of Gediminas”.

  1.2. The origins

A number of factors influenced the appearance of the Pursuit emblem and its consolidation on the ancient lands of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, each of which was not decisive individually:

• the influence of the pan-European heraldic tradition of displaying the feudal lord on the seals of feudal hierarchs;
• identification of the coat of arms "Chase" with the figure of the defender of the Fatherland;
• the influence of Christian cults - sv. Demetrius of Solunsky and St. George the Victorious, adaptation of the latter to local traditions and the formation of a cult of their own patrons.
• combination and personification in the coat of arms of the figures of st. Boris and Gleb of the near past and pagan Yaryla from deeper layers.

In the Middle Ages, the horseman was considered the personification of the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and also meant "Pursuit" - a military militia when, after reflecting the siege of the city, all the troops and land living pursued the enemy. From here the coat of arms got its name. The Grand Duke of Lithuania Jagiello in his (Latin) letter of February 20, 1387 wrote: "... according to ancient custom, the pursuit of the enemy is the responsibility of every man in our region; such a Polish-Lithuanian militia for the sake of expelling the enemy from our Lithuanian land is popularly called" Pogonia " .

  1.2.1. Seals of feudal lords

There are several versions of the origin of this coat of arms. On the seals of the 13th-15th centuries, the symbol of "knight on a horse" often appears in European kings and seigneurs, who personified the owner of the seal and emphasized his belonging to the knightly class. A similar seal, in particular, was the well-known English king Richard the Lionheart. The iconography of the image of these seals is very similar: a knight in full horse armor hides behind a shield and brings a sword to strike, on the shield and horse blanket (when there is one) are placed the heraldic signs of the owner.

So, this is a symbol of a man of chivalry, a warrior, rushing to meet the enemy. It is also the embodiment of the ideal of the knight in the European sense: a daredevil who rushes in search of adventure and glory.

  1.2.2. Kingdom of Russia

Seal of Yuri I

At the beginning of the XIV century, the symbol of the "knight" penetrates into Eastern Europe. The seal of Yuri Lvovich, which was also used by Yuri Boleslav, has been preserved. On one of its sides we see a modified European "knight" and the inscription: "S. DOMINI. GEORGI.DUCIS. LADIMERIE +" (seal of the master George Prince Vladimir). The print image partially adopted the iconography and the burden of European seals. The difference in iconography: the horse does not ride, but goes; in the hands of a knight is not a sword, and a spear, which is also not brought to strike; additional elements appeared (stars and grass). Proceeding from this, this sign should symbolize the owner's belonging to the knightly class, a warrior who stands his ground (the symbols in the guard can be called stars in the sky, the absence of a drawn sword as a short-range weapon, a minimum of dynamics). The Russian king from the press (this is indicated by the emblem of the kingdom on the shield) will statically travel around his lands, and only when he sees the enemy will throw spears at him, and then draw his sword for close combat. As we see, in the Ukrainian lands the “knight” loses ostentatious aggressiveness corresponds to the ideal of the knight in the Ukrainian sense: a warrior guarding his land from enemies.

  1.2.3. Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Seal of the Grand Duke of Lithuania. XIV century Chase with a snake

At the beginning of the XIV century, the "knight" appears in the young Lithuanian state, which was also the heiress of Russia. The seals with this image were widely used by members of the Grand Duchess Gediminids. The descendants of Gedimin used many modifications of the “knight”: with and without a shield, sometimes the sword changed to a spear, the position of the hand with the sword “behind” changed to the position “above the head”, a serpent appeared or disappeared under the horse’s legs. Over time, the “knight”, known as the “Pursuit”, replaces the tribal emblem of the trident “Gediminas pillars” (“pillars” were also replaced by the Lithuanian “cross” from the shield of the “knight”). In this case, the sword occupies a classic position above the warrior’s head, the warrior’s movement in the left direction becomes constant (like the “knight” of Yuri Lvovich). So, the coat of arms has become a symbol of the dynasty (and then the state), which claims to be a victory, which expands its possessions (the knight drives the defeated enemy). Over time, when the grand duke’s family fell, the Lithuanians began to consider the knight on the coat of arms to be Saint Vytis.

  1.2.4. Grand Duchy of Moscow

At the end of the XIV century, the “knight” penetrates the territory of North-Eastern Russia, where it is used on the seals of local princely families. While maintaining the idea of \u200b\u200bself-expression of the feudal lord, there are many modifications of the image

• horseman with a sword;
• horseman with a spear;
• a horseman with a sword and a defeated enemy in the form of a serpent under the feet of a horse;
• horseman with a spear and a snake.

There is no shield on these images, since the princes did not have their own emblems and there was nothing to depict on the shield. Gradually, the Moscow dynasty stood out, which secured itself as the coat of arms of a warrior who strikes a serpent with a spear. It was a symbol of the victory of the Grand Duke over the worst enemy (a snake is a sign of nomadic attackers). The Moscow “knight”, like the Galician, is also a symbol of the defender of his native land, but already in battle, he defeats the evil enemy. The claim for victory and aggressiveness brings the Moscow “knight” closer to the Lithuanian “Chase”.

With the long development of the heraldic tradition in Muscovy, until the year 1730 the “knight” was interpreted as the “sovereign”. It was on March 8 that the Russian government officially began to interpret the coat of arms of Moscow as "George the Victorious."

There are legendary fantastic versions of the origin of the coat of arms. One of them connects the roots of "shoots" with the old pagan cults of Belarus. A respected pagan deity of Belarusians was Yarilo, who appeared in Belarusian mythology as a young man on a white horse. Symbols similar to "shoots" are also often found in large areas of eastern Europe. The sign of the armed rider is used by the Novgorod prince Alexander Nevsky. There is also a clear connection with the "escape" of the coat of arms of Moscow.

In the middle, the horseman was considered the personification of the great Lithuanian prince, and then also meant the pursuit - a military action, when after reflecting the siege of the city, all the troops and part of the peaceful militias chased the departing enemy. Hence the emblem got its name.

  1.2.5. Duchy of Ditmarschen

In a red field on a silver horse with a gold saddle, a gold bridle and a blue captive, a gold vestment with a silver feather on a helmet, a knight holding a sword over his head was at first a symbol of southern Denmark. After the conquest of the Ditmarschen, the coat of arms began to symbolize this duchy.

  1.3. Evolution

  1.3.1. Grand Duchy of Lithuania

The very first written mention of the emblem "Pursuit" is found in Lithuanian (Belarusian) annals with a mention in the year in connection with Prince Narimont (which can be identified with the brother or son of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Troyden):

First visual image? Chase? on the seal of the “King of Lithuania and Russia” Gediminas (-). The coat of arms image was slightly different from the traditional one: the horseman holds a spear in his hand. This seal is now kept in the Vilnius Historical Museum. "Chase" is also present on the seal of the Polotsk prince Gleb (Narimont), which is dated from the year. There was a “Pursuit” on the seal of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd, with whom he sealed an agreement with the Polish king Casimir 1366 (there is a Russian inscription around the “Pursuit”). The symbol originally belonged exclusively to the great princes.

The image of a horseman with a raised sword is used for the first time as the state symbol of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the year, on the seal of Grand Duke Olgerd. This symbol at first belonged exclusively to the great princes. In the 14th century, the image of the rider was placed on the cavalry shield and began to be used as a coat of arms, on the seals of Jagiello in and years, as well as on the seal of Vytautas in the year. At the beginning of the 15th century, “Pagonya” became the state symbol of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (ON). At first, the rider looked to the right, but starting from the first half of the 15th century the rider was turned to his left side, according to the rules of European heraldry.

Coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with Wawel Castle

Various versions of the "shoots" became the emblems of the provinces of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Vilensky, Minsk, Berestetskiy, Novogrudok, Polotsk, etc. .., In addition to Zemaitiya.

With minimal stylistic changes, Pagonya was the national emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and an element of the coat of arms of the Commonwealth until 1795, when the territory of modern Belarus was occupied by the Russian Empire.

  1.3.2. Empire Chase

After that, the symbol "shoots", as part of several provincial emblems, fell into the state emblem of Russia. Also, the "escape" was replaced by the coats of arms of many cities of Belarus (Svobodno, Polotsk, Vitebsk, etc. ..).

Pagonia did not lose its role national symbol  Belarusians. It was used by the rebels T. Kostsyushko and K. Kalinsky. “Pagonya” was wearing cockades and insignia of Russian military units stationed on the territory of Belarus.

  1.3.3. New era

Postcard with the "shoots", 1918

  2.2. Russian chase

In a blue field a knight in silver armor with a red cross on a shield on a silver horse piercing with a spear of a green dragon. The coat of arms is crowned with a princely crown. The earliest mention of the coat of arms is recorded in princely families descending from Rurik. It is considered a family coat of arms

  1230-1260

Vadim ROSTOV
  The analytical newspaper Secret Research

This topic is one of the most interesting for Belarusian historians: when, how and why did Belarusians have their own historical coat of arms “Chase”? The Chase was the official emblem of Belarusians for about 7 centuries - before 1239 and 1919, and then from 1991 to 1995. The Belarusian regiments Andrei and Dmitry Olgerdovich fought the Chase in the Battle of Kulikovo, the Belarusians defeated the Chase in Grunwald in 1410 year. In the XVI century, “Pursuit” - on the banners of Brest, Mstislavsky, Minsk, Vilnius and Novogrudok voivodships, Polotsk and Rechitsa regions. Since 1652 - on the arms of almost all Belarusian cities. In the Patriotic War of 1812, the Belarusian hussars of the Grodno and Belorussian hussar regiments became famous, having on their headdresses and company banners with their military coat of arms “Chasing” and white-red-white national colors of Belarusians.

Being a part of the Russian Empire since 1795, Belarusians retained the “Pursuit” as their official Belarusian emblem of this region until February 1917, and then the “Pursuit” became the emblem of the Belarusian People’s Republic ... In the encyclopedia “Belarus” (Minsk, “Belarus encyclopedia”, 1995) about “Pursuit” the following is said: “Pursuit” - an ancient Belarusian coat of arms. Its origin is connected with the ancient Slavic tradition of the national chase in the era of the tribal system, when men who had the right to bear arms, in the event of an enemy attack and capture of members of the community, rushed in pursuit to recapture the captives. The development of this tradition on the lands of Belarus is associated with the wars of neighboring peoples and principalities in the 10-17 centuries. Over time, the idea of \u200b\u200bdefense of the Fatherland became a state ideology, under the influence of European heraldry embodied in a graphic symbol - the emblem "Pursuit".

For the first time the symbol is recorded as a coat of arms around 1270 in Navahrudak. On a red background is the figure of a warrior in a helmet on a silver horse in a swift pursuit with a sword raised above his head and a shield on which a golden six-pointed cross is drawn. According to the Bykhovets Chronicle, the figure of a horseman means a person of a grand duke who is ready to defend the Fatherland. The seals with the emblem "Pursuit" were in the Novogrudok prince Viteni (about 1293), in the Princes of Polotsk (from 1330). " These are the data of the encyclopedia. However, they are far from complete. Historians know at least two more ancient images of the “Chase” - on the princely seal of Alexander Nevsky (1200 - 1263)  and on the coat of arms the legendary Mindovg (1195 - 1263), founder of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Moreover, on the seal of Nevsky near the rider "Chase" it says: "Prince Deere". (There is no print on this inscription on the other version.) But on the coat of arms of Mindovg around the “Pursuit” there is a runic inscription of obviously Polabsko-Pomeranian origin. So where are the origins of the coat of arms - in Polotsk or in Polab Russia and Prussia-Porus Russia Mindovga?

  ABOUT MINING

First of all, I would like to make some clarifications in my article “Sources of Rus in the Polish Chronicle”, published in the newspaper No. 18 (107) for 2005. There I spoke about the translation into Russian of the famous Great Chronicle of Poland of the XI-XIII centuries. - CHRONICA POLONIAE MAIORIS, published in 1987 by Moscow University under the editorship of corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences V.L. Yanova.

The famous historian made a mistake in translating at least twice. Firstly, he translated the Danube city of Keve as "Kiev" - and, accordingly, mistakenly attributed the events relating to Danube Russia to Kievan Rus, creating a terrible confusion in the translation. This is a gross error of the historian. The second mistake of the translation is that instead of our well-known Mindovg, he everywhere translates “King of the Prussians Mendolf”. Translated by academician V.L. Yanova turns out that here in Belarus at one time there were two rulers with equal powers - a certain “King of Prussians Mendolf” from the Polish Chronicle - and a very specific Belarusian Mindovg, creator of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In fact, of course, this is one and the same person.

A statue Mindovga   in Vilnius

Chapter 132 of the Chronicle, “How the Prussian King Mendolf departed from the Christian faith,” says: “In the same year, the baptized Prussians with their king Mendolf because of the many hardships inflicted on them by the crusaders, leaving the Christian faith that they had adopted earlier, they left with some brothers The Order of the Crusaders to the Litvins, boldly joining them. ” Of course, we are talking about Mindovga! Chapter 133, entitled “A chapter on the devastation of the Plotsk land” (Plock is located a little east of Warsaw), tells how the Prussians (Prussians) from Poland (ON) attack Poland: “In the same year, the aforementioned Mendolf, having gathered a lot, up to thirty thousand fighting: their Prussians, Litvinians and other pagan peoples, invaded the Masovian land. There, first of all, he devastated the city of Plock, and then brutally devastated the cities and villages of the whole of Plotsk land with a sword and fire, robberies and robbery. Having also attacked Prussia, he destroyed the cities, destroyed almost all of the land of Prussia, and his baptized Prussians committed the brutal massacre of the Christian people. ” There are many other references to Mendolf-Mindovg. The Polish Chronicle allows you to significantly change the views of Belarusian historians. Namely:
1. Mindovg (like all princes in the family of the Gediminids) is Prussians (Prussians), and not Litvin at all, as all historians call him, including V.U. Lastovsky in the famous "Short History of Belarus" (1910). For example, Lastovsky writes about the Mindovg clan: “among the Litvins, the inheritance was not transferred to the sons, but to the uncles — the brothers of the deceased.” In fact, Lastovsky should not talk about the Litvinians, but about the Prussians.
  2. The mistake is the term "Lithuanian prince Mindovg." Mindovg was the Prussian king. The term “Lithuanian prince” is equally inaccurate, as well as the “Russian prince”, although Mindovg ruled the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russian on. First of all, Mindovg was the Prussian king, as the Polish Chronicle writes about him.
  3. The attempts of modern Lithuanians (Zhmuds and Aukshtites) to call “Mindaugas” “the founder of the Lithuanian state” are absurd. Mindovg was not only a zhmud or aukshtayt (that is, flyuvins), but was not even a Litvin (that is, a Western Belarusian of Western Baltic origin, a venomous or dainov). He was a Prussian.
  However, one should pay attention to the important fact that the very term “Lithuania” appears here for the first time just when Mindovga came to Belarus. And by the way, at the same time and for the first time the term appears here "Black Russia". And both of these new terms appear in the newfound world ON - the third new term in Belarus. It is simply impossible to determine the internal borders of the created Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Russian - where in it there is a part called “Lithuania”, and where there is a part called “Black Russia”. And by the way, at that time, the ON did not yet include   Polotsk Russia (White)nor the land of present Letuva ( Zhmud and Aukshtaytiya) It is obvious that here, in Western Belarus, Mindovg created the State of emigrants from the lands of Labia and Porussia-Prussia. TAM was both Russia and Lithuania (the first mention of Lithuania-Letkovia just refers to the area between Porus-Prussia and Labegean, to the area south of the island of Rügen-Rosen; there are also references to Lithuania in Slovakia). But HERE - migrants live mixed: Rusyns of the Labe region and Litvins of Pomerania, because in ON there is no border between Black Russia and Lithuania.

The Chronicle’s report that Mindovg “went to join the Litvins,” I would consider as a message about the creation of Lithuania east of Poland’s borders, since the Chronicle has never mentioned the Litvins anywhere else, and there’s not a single historical source HERE Lithuania would be mentioned before the appearance of HERE Mindovga.

One way or another, this phrase sounded in the Chronicle - it is difficult to judge without seeing the original Chronicle (written, by the way, in Latin), and the translation of academician V.L. Yanova, as we have seen, is full of mistakes or stretch marks. But this question - whether Lithuania existed HERE before Mindovg or not - although it is interesting in itself, it is not related to Pogon.

If the “Pursuit” appeared in Belarus with the arrival of Mindovg here, then this is the Prussian (Prussian) coat of arms belonging to the Prussian king. In favor of this point of view, by the way, the runes on the “Chase” of Mindovg and the royal crown of the Prussian king speak. That is, one thing we can say for sure - “Chase” cannot be a “Lithuanian emblem”. This is either the Russian (Prussian) coat of arms or the Rusyns. Now let's compare the princely seals of Mindovg and Alexander Nevsky.

“The Chase” of Alexander Nevsky

  The “Pursuit” on the Nevsky seal is probably the oldest surviving image of the coat of arms, since the “Pursuit” of Mindovg dates from about 1252, and the Nevsky seal from about 1239. It was like this. Being the prince of Novgorod (and having the princely seal of Novgorod “St. George the Victorious”), Alexander pursues a policy of joining forces against the Swedish-German expansion and maintains close ties with Polotsk. In 1239, he marries Alexander, daughter of the Polotsk prince Braschislav. During marriage, it acquires the Polotsk Chase as the second princely seal. This directly indicates that even before him, “Chase” was the princely coat of arms of Polotsk.

In addition, the version of the encyclopedia that Chase is a symbol of chasing an adversary seems unconvincing. The princely seal of Polotsk at that time could only be a religious symbol, similar to the first seal of Nevsky - "George the Victorious." And on his "Chase" the inscription explains who is depicted - prince deer. He, according to ancient Russian chronicles, is the first prince who converted to Christianity in Russia (according to legend, Rurik sent Dir and Askold to capture Byzantium in Russia; they turned Kiev to Russia on the way, and, having come to Byzantium, instead of converting it to Russia, they themselves adopted Christianity).

Alexander Nevskiy

Of course, both seals of Nevsky in 1239 are primitive in graphic design and are significantly inferior in this coat of arms of Mindovg in 1252. And although it can be understood from both seals that we are talking about “George the Victorious” and “Pursuit,” they are significantly different from later classical images. For example, George the Victorious is not here on a horse, but dismounted to kill the Serpent, and holds his horse by the bridle. On the "Pogon" of Nevsky, a horseman without a shield and without a cross on the shield, but with a saint's halo. And the manner in which the seals are executed is far from heraldic completeness. True, on another “Pursuit” of Nevsky, which is also often quoted in books by Belarusian historians, there is no inscription “Prince Dir”, just as there is no holy halo, and the rider has a shield with the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk on it.

Unfortunately, no one has yet conducted a study comparing these two images of the “Chase” on the seals of Alexander Nevsky, and therefore it is not even clear which of the two images is earlier. But both versions of the “Chase” on the Nevsky print are similar in low quality to their execution.
  In this regard, the “Pursuit” of Mindovg is DISTINCTLY distinguished by its masterful performance, and the European heraldic school is clearly visible in it. That is why a comparison of these two emblems of Nevsky and Mindovg shows that the “Pursuit” apparently had European development outside Belarus - where heraldic traditions existed ...

RUNS OF THE “CHASE”

As for the runes, which under Lastovsky in 1910 no one read, but did not read today, there are more questions than answers. Black Russia and Lithuania ON (its “founders”), being inhabited by migrants from Labebe and Pomerania, professed Arianism. This teaching was Christian, but not Latin or Greek, and therefore had its Gospels and Bible texts in its alphabet, and not Greek or Latin.

This alphabet is runic. It was these Ruthenian runic biblical books that were seen in 861 by Konstantin-Cyril the Philosopher (the future creator of the supposedly Slavic alphabet together with Methodius) in the Crimea: the gospel and psalter written by Russian runic inscriptions.

There is no doubt that even before the arrival of Rurik to the lands of Ladoga, Cyril saw the Labab biblical texts - Arians. Pay attention to the fact ignored by all historians of Russia: even before Rurik created Rus - in Crimea, Cyril meets, as he writes, a Rusyna with runic biblical texts for Rusyns. Runic writing existed only in Scandinavia, and Russian runic writing only in Slave. That is, this already means that before Rurik created Russia here, Russia was already in Labe region (which, in general, does not cause any rejection by a normal historian, but this seems to be seditious for imperialist historians, they are the motherland of Russia serve only in Russia).

However, the massively runic texts of the Slavs were found precisely on the territory of Labe region. Moreover, they were actively destroyed by Catholics at one time and then in Belarus by the Orthodox Church precisely because almost all of these texts are runic biblical texts. Cyril, being a Philosopher, when meeting with them treated them philosophically and with the interest of a scientist. But the Church, which had long recognized Arianism as heresy, destroyed them everywhere. And since no one knew this runic language from Catholics and Orthodox, we must think that the runic texts were destroyed by the clergy together. And all this happened during the forcible involvement of Ruthenians and Litvinians from Arians in Catholics or Orthodox. And just like that, almost all the runic texts of other Scandinavian peoples were destroyed by the Catholics during their transition from Arianism to Catholicism. So were destroyed and numerous annals written in runic script.

A huge layer of the history of the Lab, Pomeranian and Prussian, including Belarus. Today, Belarusian archaeologists find a lot of runic scripts with which Western Belarus was literally flooded in the XIII century - with the arrival of the huge colony of Polabya \u200b\u200band Pomerania, which created the ON. In Grodno, at the beginning of the 13th century, artifacts with supposedly princely symbols of the Rurikovich are attributed - this is a two-prong, one side of which is broken into the side.

However, this does not correspond in any way with the coat of arms of the allegedly Rurik, which today has become the state emblem of Ukraine. There is a trident, which, as some historians write, was changed from double-tooth by Prince Vladimir of Kiev. Why changed? Why was it necessary to change the graphic symbol of Rurik? I can assume that the original symbol of Rurik itself (later changed by the Kiev prince to understand the contents of the trident) was actually a RUNE, meaning the name of Rurik. And all sorts of tridents or trident here are completely ridiculous, because this is not a symbol, but a letter. As expected for the people of Polab Rus, who had runic script and runic Bible.

Thus, in Grodno, the artifacts of the 13th century depict the correct runic princely letter of Rurik, since Grodno is the city of migrants of the Rusyns of Polabya, the city of Black Russia, Arians who still know the runic script (40 km to Pomerania and Prussia-Prussia, the Homeland of Mindovg). In Kiev of the same period everything has already been lost, all under the influence of the Greeks. Alexey Bychkov in the book “Kievan Rus. A country that never existed? ”(M., 2005) writes:“ As early as the 12th century, the Novgorod Slavs [that is, settlers from Polab Rus - VR] maintained contact with the city of Wolin in the West Slavic lands [Wolin is one of the capitals Polabskoy Rus - V.R.]. And the language of Novgorod birch bark letters indicates their West Slavic roots. Coming from the lands of encouraged, they brought with them the runic script, common to the encouraged and Danes. ” Minsk archaeologist Lyudmila Vladimirovna Duchits excavated near the village of Maskovichi (Vitebsk-Polotsk borderline) discovered more than a hundred bones with runic signs.

For the most part, this is either a person’s name or a part of the alphabet, and only one inscription is read as a phrase: “prince then”, written in the same alphabet consisting of Latin letters with the addition of a rune. Nearby is a prince in a helmet with a shield and a sword. It is clear that this is a Slavic text. But which one? The Rusyns of White Russia used only the Cyrillic alphabet, since it was Greek writing, for the Greek faith. But the Rusyns of Black Russia and the Litvins professed Arianism, in which the Bible and other holy texts were written by Ruthenian Ruses. It is clear that all the finds of L.V. Ducits belong to the Arians - Ruthenians or Litvinians, who did not recognize Greek writing. And the presence of Latin letters can generally indicate that we are talking about a Prussian colony between Polotsk and Vitebsk. All this, of course, is only an assumption, and there is no exact answer. But what is clear for sure - there can be no talk of Orthodox Greek rite. This is the culture of Slave and Pomerania.

http://secret-r.net/default.php

The first emblems on the territory of Belarus have been known since the 10th century - this is a trident on the seal of Prince Polotsk Izyaslav Vladimirovich. Then, after the beginning of the formation of the Principality of Lithuania, in the east and west of Belarus, as well as adjacent territory, an armed rider appears on a horse (seal of Gleb Polotsky, 1330, seal of Prince Alexander of Tver in Pskov, 1331).

Even earlier, we see images of the Chase in the Baltic Slavs - on the seals of Bohuslav I, Prince of the Lutichs and Nicholas, the ruler of Bodriches.

The image of the horseman, one of the favorite motifs in heraldry and art, was depicted on coins, documents and as a decorative element from ancient times. And this is no coincidence. The moment when a man tamed a horse was actually one of the turning points in human history. The rider had an obvious advantage in power and speed over the foot. This fact was imprinted in the human mind and was reflected in many cultural monuments of the past.

- the initials of the BSSR. At the top of the coat of arms there is a five-pointed star. ”

In August 1938, a new version of the coat of arms of the BSSR was approved, in accordance with the recommendations of the Commission under the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet, the motto began to be depicted in only two languages, Belarusian and Russian, the oak branch was replaced by ears of rye intertwined with linen. Figure reworked V.V. Volkov. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the BSSR of November 20, 1938, the translation of the motto into the Belarusian language was clarified, it began to read as: “Proletarians have died, one!”,

The modern coat of arms of Belarus since 1995.

considering herself the successor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian and Zhemaitsky, she also took this symbol. A situation arose in history when two neighboring states had the same symbol, which creates certain problems for the diplomatic protocol. In 1992, the Republic of Lithuania changed the image of the Chase on the coat of arms, and also “painted” the rider’s shield, blanket and harness in blue.

On May 14, 1995, at a national referendum, the proposal of the President of Belarus A. Lukashenko to restore the state symbols of Belarus, based on the symbols of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Belarus, was supported. Probably one of the reasons for this decision was the unpopularity of the Belarusian Popular Front (he actively used the Chase), known for its rather radical position. "Chase" and white-red white flag  were more connected in the minds of many Belarusians with the unpopular political processes in the republic of the early 90s than with the 700 years of the history of the chase on our land.

The first emblems on the territory of the Principality of Lithuania have been known since the X century - this is a trident on the seal of Prince Polotsk Izyaslav Vladimirovich. Then, after the beginning of the formation of the Principality of Lithuania, both in Western Belarus and in its east an armed horseman appears on horseback (seal of Gleb Polotsky, 1330–1338). The very first image of the Pursuit we meet with the seal of Alexander Nevsky, who had family relations with the Prince of Polotsk Bryachislav and allied with Mindovg.

The image of the horseman, one of the favorite motifs in heraldry and art, was depicted on coins, documents and as a decorative element from ancient times. And this is no coincidence. The moment when a man tamed a horse was actually one of the turning points in human history. The rider had an obvious advantage in power and speed over the foot. This fact was imprinted in the human mind and was reflected in many cultural monuments of the past.

The ancient symbol "Pursuit" was formed at an early stage in the history of the Slavic-Baltic state. It is found in written sources from the 13th century.

Here we must give an explanation of the concept of "Lithuania", the emergence of Lettovia (later Lithuania, then the Grand Duchy of Lithuania) and the peoples inhabiting it.

By the beginning of the XIII century, the situation of the peoples of Polaba Rus (Slavs and Western Balts) became threatening: the Germans united together with the Poles, intending to seize these lands for themselves, and the peoples either to destroy or assimilate. The only way out was migration to the East, where the friendly people of Lithuania and a small group of former migrants (along with Mindovg) lived. In 1230, the Prussian king, the vassal of Polab Rus, gathered Ringold in the land of the Lutichs (Wils) in the territory of present northern Germany in the area of \u200b\u200bStarogorod (now Oldenburg) and Rosen (Rügen) - a huge army of colonists who went to the East, in the upper reaches of the Neman River, from all property and children. North-western Belarus was then inhabited mainly by the Balts - Lithuania, Yatvags, Nalshans, as well as Rus - Dregovichi, Polochan. Ringold's army quickly mastered these lands, which in 1230-1260. more than half a million migrants arrived. According to Lastovsky, Polotsk Rus’s attempt to resist the arrival of the Rus and the Baltic from the shores of the Baltic failed, as Polabye was head and shoulders stronger than Polotsk. Initially, the structure of Lettovia did not include either Polotsk Rus (White) or the land of present-day Lithuania (Zhmud and Aukstaytiya).

From 1230 to 1260 Lettovia is a vassal of Porussia-Prussia. Ringold and Mindovg now and then move from the territory of present North-West Belarus to Prussia and vice versa, they live either in Novogorodka (now Novogrudok) or in Tuvangst (now Kaliningrad). It was during this period that the Great Lettovia was created here. Since 1260, German-Polish troops finally captured Prussia, and since that time Mindovg lives only in the Novogorodsk-Gorodets land.

In 1242, after the death of Ringold, power in the country of migrants took his named (?) Son Mindovg. From the capital in Novogorodok he quickly captured Gorodnya (Grodno), Vitebsk, Drutsk, the whole Principality of Polotsk, Smolensk. The lands of Devoltva and Zhmudi (the territory of the modern Republic of Lithuania) became part of Lithuania under the following princes. Mindovg calls himself "the king of Litvinov" (rex Litwinorum), and the state - Lettovia or Lithuania. Then, under Vytautas, it finally became Lithuania (Lithwanie, Litwanie, Lithuanie, Litvanye on the seals of Vytautas and other great princes). The word "Lithuania" is used in relation to the people, and the inhabitants call themselves "Litvins" (cf. Mordva - Mordovia - Mordvin).

The languages \u200b\u200bof the Prussians (Porus), the Slavs (Bodriches) and the Lutichs (Wilts), which were spoken in the Mindovg army, were understandable to the local population, rituals and traditions were also close. Everyone was threatened by aggressive crusaders and Tatars. And this made me unite sometimes not in love, but out of necessity.

The name of the Lutich people may also have strengthened the name of the new state - Lithuania. It was the Pomeranian prince Boguslav I at the end of the 12th century who had a seal that was almost identical to the seal of the ON “Pursuit” and was titled “Princeps Liuticorum” (Prince Lyutich or Liutov).

According to annalistic sources (eg Chronicle of Lithuania and Литemaiti), the coat of arms “Chase” is adopted as state symbol  in 1278 during the period of the establishment of the Valyak Principality of Lithuania. According to the Gustyn Chronicle, it was “a knight with a sword and a horse, a hedgehog will chant now”, i.e. "A knight on horseback armed with a sword, which is now called the Chase." Similarly (the former horseman on a white horse with a fiery red shield) in folk traditions, Yarilo-Yegoriy looked, who chased away all evil spirits: “Holy Great Martyr Yegoriy on a white horse; in his little arms, Egoria-sveta, a shield of fire. He beats - dwells on all sorcerers and sorceresses, thieves and thieves, wolves and wolves. "