The national anthem of the Russian Empire, “God Save the Tsar!”, is first performed.

“God Save the Tsar!” (????, ???? ?????!) was the national anthem of the Russian Empire from 1833 until the empire’s collapse in 1917. Composed by Alexei Lvov, with lyrics penned by Vasily Zhukovsky, the anthem reflected deep reverence for the Russian monarchy and Tsarist autocracy. Its lyrics conveyed prayers for the Tsar’s health, prosperity, and divine protection, symbolizing the ruler as a God-anointed leader of the nation. The anthem, set to a solemn and majestic melody, was often performed at official ceremonies, state functions, and military events, becoming a powerful emblem of imperial unity and tradition. While musically distinct, it paralleled other European anthems in tone and sentiment, such as “God Save the King” in Britain. Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, it was replaced as a rejection of the old regime, yet it remains an enduring artifact of Russia’s imperial past, occasionally revived in cultural and historical contexts.