Society for the Development of Russian Historical Education “Double-headed eagle society” was set up on 1 November 2015. After the convention in November 2020, the organisation was renamed Tsargrad. The same name is given to the group of companies of the organisation’s leader and founder, Orthodox oligarch Konstantin Malofeev.
**Self-description**
The Tsargrad Society is the Union of the Russian People, the most massive Russian organisation. Our branches operate in 73 regions of Russia as well as abroad. We are a non-partisan structure representing the interests of Russians. The main thing for us is concrete actions and benefits for the Russian people. We engage in human rights activities, fight against Russophobia and bureaucratic arbitrariness, and defend the rights and freedoms of Russians. Our volunteer network in 40 regions of the country provides assistance to tens of thousands of families with many children, the elderly, and the disabled. We are developing Russian student clubs, continuing the tradition of the pre-revolutionary Akademists. We are engaged in historical education, we revive the memory of the great past of our Fatherland, we erect monuments and we restore streets to their historical names. We develop Russian sports, support sports clubs, coaches and athletes, and hold hundreds of tournaments every year. We work closely with the Union of Orthodox Women, the Union of Volunteers of Donbass, the Union of Cossack Warriors of Russia and Abroad and other NGOs. We have united under the banner of “Tsargrad” for a sovereign and great-power Russia, the Orthodox Faith, Russian culture and traditional values, for the sake of gathering Russian lands and the revival of the Russian Empire in the XXI century.
**Short story**
“Double-headed eagle society” continued the traditions of the pre-revolutionary Scientific Society of the Revellers of Historical Education in Memory of Emperor Alexander III (ORIPP), which was active in the Russian Empire from 1895 to 1917. ORIPP activities included: studying the history of Alexander III era; creating and completing libraries of educational institutions and public free libraries; publishing activities – publishing temporary and periodical literature editions. The members of ORIPP included prominent Russian historians, publicists, literary critics, publishers and patrons of the arts. At the initial stage, which lasted from 2015 to 2017, the main focus of the Double-headed eagle society activity was the development of Russian historical education, multiplication and dissemination of knowledge on national history in the spirit of Russian beginnings. In practice, this consisted in organizing and conducting historical lectures, Russian, foreign and international conferences, round tables, seminars, meetings, exhibitions, and other events of historical and educational themes.
The second stage in the development of Double-headed eagle society began with the election of Konstantin Malofeev as Chairman of the Society and was marked by the rapid growth of the organisation. During 2017-2018, more than 70 regional and local branches were opened in Russia, and the number of members increased to 4,000 people. In 2018, patriotic education of young people, work with students, and youth sports were added to the main activities of Dvukhlovy Oryol, which led to a rapid increase in the number of the Society’s supporters. The third stage of the Society’s development began in autumn 2020. At the Congress held on November 22, 2020, the Double Eagle was renamed the Tsargrad Society.
**Communication with the state**
Leonid Reshetnikov, a Russian public figure, historian and publicist, director of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies (RISI) until 2017 and a lieutenant general of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (retired), was the executive director of the society until 2020. RISI is part of the Russian presidential administration and rose to fame when it was suspected of meddling in the 2016 US election.
In November 2016, he initiated the creation of the All-Russian Public Organisation – Society for the Development of Russian Historical Education “Double-headed eagle society”, and is now the deputy chairman of the society.
