A man named Yermakov got this commemorative metal enameled mug with printed monograms of Emperor Nikolas the Second and his spouse Empress Alexandra Feodorovna on the day of coronation of Nikolas the Second. The mug was donated to the museum in 1977.
The mug reminds us of the magnificent celebration arranged for the coronation of the last Russian emperor and of the tragic events that took place on the Khodonka field in May 1896. Coronations were most important events in the political life of the Russian monarchy. Demonstrating unity between the king and his people was a vital part of the ceremony. That is why, according to the long-standing tradition, each coronation was accompanied by mass revels and mandatory giving away of gift from the royal family.
This time, the Emperor ordered to make 400,000 royal presents for the people, composed of various products. Apart from food, each present included a white enameled metal mug with red and blue patterns. On one side of the mug there were the Emperor’s initials and the year of coronation, 1896. The other side was decorated with a two-headed eagle. The rim of the mug was gilded. They were not expensive, however, these mugs were not for sale. They were showed off in show-cases of stores. Moscow-based author and scholar of local lore Vladimir Gilyarovsky wrote: “People went to Khodynka not just to celebrate, but rather to get themselves a mug.” Back then, enameled dishes were a rarity.
On the morning of May 18, at least 500,000 people gathered on the Khodynka field. And they kept coming. The disaster broke out when someone started a rumor that there weren’t enough mugs for everyone because servers kept some for their friends. The whole crowd moved towards the tents where the mugs would be distributed. The horrible stampede claimed 1,379 lives and left many disabled. Nikolas II said the tragedy happened because the Moscow authorities did not do enough to organize such a huge crowd of people.
As a result, the royal family donated 90,000 rubles to the families of the victims and sent a thousand bottles of Madeira wine to hospitals. Apart from it, the Emperor ordered to give a coronation mug to each person who ended up in a hospital after the accident on the Khodynka field.
The mug reminds us of the magnificent celebration arranged for the coronation of the last Russian emperor and of the tragic events that took place on the Khodonka field in May 1896. Coronations were most important events in the political life of the Russian monarchy. Demonstrating unity between the king and his people was a vital part of the ceremony. That is why, according to the long-standing tradition, each coronation was accompanied by mass revels and mandatory giving away of gift from the royal family.
This time, the Emperor ordered to make 400,000 royal presents for the people, composed of various products. Apart from food, each present included a white enameled metal mug with red and blue patterns. On one side of the mug there were the Emperor’s initials and the year of coronation, 1896. The other side was decorated with a two-headed eagle. The rim of the mug was gilded. They were not expensive, however, these mugs were not for sale. They were showed off in show-cases of stores. Moscow-based author and scholar of local lore Vladimir Gilyarovsky wrote: “People went to Khodynka not just to celebrate, but rather to get themselves a mug.” Back then, enameled dishes were a rarity.
On the morning of May 18, at least 500,000 people gathered on the Khodynka field. And they kept coming. The disaster broke out when someone started a rumor that there weren’t enough mugs for everyone because servers kept some for their friends. The whole crowd moved towards the tents where the mugs would be distributed. The horrible stampede claimed 1,379 lives and left many disabled. Nikolas II said the tragedy happened because the Moscow authorities did not do enough to organize such a huge crowd of people.
As a result, the royal family donated 90,000 rubles to the families of the victims and sent a thousand bottles of Madeira wine to hospitals. Apart from it, the Emperor ordered to give a coronation mug to each person who ended up in a hospital after the accident on the Khodynka field.
