History

The first reliable information about the city of Vyatka dates from 1374. The area around the city of Vyatka (now Kirov) came under the rule of Moscow in 1489 and formed the base for the expansion of Russia towards the Urals. In 1710 it became a province of the Siberian governorate and in 1727 of the Kazan governorate. In 1780 it became an independent namestnichestvo (vice-kingdom), consisting of parts of the provinces of Vyatka and Svijazjsk of the Kazan government. In 1796 the namestnitsjestvo was upgraded to the Vjatka government.

After the Russian Revolution, the Russian Civil War also broke out in the area around Vyatka. The first fights broke out on 8 August 1918. In November the area was in the hands of the Bolsheviks. In the spring of 1919, White Army General Kolchak reconquered a number of cities. In May 1919 the Red Army invaded the area again and on July 28 the area was finally in the hands of the Communists and became part of Bolshevik Russia. However, the area suffered badly from the ongoing civil war and a major famine broke out from 1921 to 1922, followed by a typhoid epidemic at the end of 1922. This doubled the death rate. After the end of the war, the New Economic Policy was used with, among other things, free entrepreneurship to rebuild the region. However, the area remained a backward agricultural area. In 1929, during the administrative reforms, the area ceased to exist and became the Oblast Vjatka as a part of the Nizhny Novgorod Kraj, which was renamed Gorki Kraj in 1932 by the name change from Nizhny Novgorod (later Nizhny Novgorod Oblast) ). In 1934, Vyatka was renamed Kirov and the Vyatka oblast was renamed the independent Kirov Kraj, which in December 1936 was renamed the current Kirov Oblast (after the murdered Soviet leader Sergey Kirov).[1] In the governorate’s area were situated most parts of modern Kirov Oblast and Udmurt Republic.

Heraldry

The first emblem of the city known showed a bow and arrow. It is on the seal of Ivan the Terrible  dated 1556

Emblem on the Seal of Ivan the Terible, 1556

Emblem: A longbow-and-arrow pointing to dexter base.

Legend: ПЕЧАТЬ ВАТЬЦКЯА

In the 17th century the arm coming from the cloud reappeared:

The arms of Vjatka in the Tsarski Tituliarnik (1672)

Arms: Or, an arms issuant from the dexter tensing a longbow proper, in dexter chief a square cross patée pommelly Gules

Legend: ВАТЦКÏЙ

Arms of Vyatka at the end of the 17th century

In 1781, Catherine the Great made Vyatka the seat of Vyatka Governorate.

A coat of arms for the city was adopted on 28 May 1781. It was

Вяатской Губерніи

Arms: Or, an arm tensing a longbow and arrow pointing to dexter base, dressed Gules, the hand proper, issuing from a cloud on the sinister Azure, in chief a square cross patée of the second.

Landscape of Vyatka Governorate with the Vyatka-virgin with the banner of the governorate

On a map, 1800

A coat of arms of Vyatka Governorate was granted on 8 Decemeber 1856:

after H.G. Ströh

Arms: Or, an arm tensing a longbow-and-arrow dressed Gules, the hand proper, issuing from a cloud on the sinister Azure, in dexter chief a square cross patée pomelly of the second.

Crown: The Russian Imperial Crown

Garland: Branches of oak Or, and a ribbon and bow of the Order of St. Andrew Azure

Kirov

1936-present

Coat of arms of Kirov Oblast

Police

Kirov MVD coat of arms

Arms:  Or, an arm tensing a longbow-and-arrow dressed Gules, the hand Or, issuing from a cloud on the sinister Azure, in dexter chief a square cross patée pomelly of the second.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Motto:  СЛУЖА ЗАКОНУ – СЛУЖИМ НАРОДУ  (To Serve the Law - To Serve the People) in golden lettering on a blue ribbon.

Kirov Riot Police (ОМОН)

Arms:  Per pale Or and Azure an arm dressed Or tensing a longbow-and-arrow Gules, the string and the hand Or, issuing from a cloud on the sinister Argent, in dexter chief a square cross patée pomelly Gules.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Supporters: Two swords in saltire, hilts in chief Argent

Motto:  СЛУЖА ЗАКОНУ – СЛУЖИМ НАРОДУ  (To Serve the Law - To Serve the People) in silver lettering on a blue ribbon.

Kirov Criminal Militia

Arms: Per pale Or and Sanguine, an arm dressed Or tensing a longbow-and-arrow Sanguine, the string and the hand Or, issuing from a cloud on the sinister Argent, in dexter chief a square cross patée pomelly of the second and a bordure set with rivets Or.

Crest: The achievement of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Supporters: A sword per bend, hilt in chief Argent, the hilt Or.

Motto:  СЛУЖА ЗАКОНУ – СЛУЖИМ НАРОДУ  (To Serve the Law - To Serve the People) in silver lettering on a sanguine ribbon. [5]