FACT CHECK: Does Russia Share A Coat Of Arms With The Rothschild Family?
An image shared on Facebook claims the Russian Federation shares a coat of arms with the Rothschild family.
Verdict: False
The image does not show an accurate depiction of the Rothschild coat of arms. The genuine Rothschild emblem does not resemble the Russian coat of arms.
Fact Check:
The Rothschild family is a prominent Jewish banking family that has exerted influence over financial systems for some 200 years, according to Business Insider. They are often the subject of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, The Washington Post reported.
The Facebook image shows two coat of arms, both taking the form of a two-headed eagle with a depiction of a mounted knight in the middle. The image claims the first emblem belongs to the Russian Federation while the second belongs to the Rothschild family. (RELATED: Do These Images Show The Qutub Minar Lit Up With The Colors Of Russia?)
While both emblems do resemble the Russian coat of arms, as can be found on Russian State Duma’s website, neither depicts the Rothschild family crest. An image of the genuine Rothschild coat of arms can be found on the Rothschild Archive website. It differs significantly from the two coat of arms pictured in the Facebook post and features a lion and a unicorn, not a two-headed eagle. Prior iterations of the emblem also did not include a two-headed eagle, according to the website.
The two-headed eagle has been used as a symbol of the Russian state since 1497, according to the Russian State Duma’s website.
This is not the first time misinformation involving Russia and the Rothschild family has gone viral. Check Your Fact previously corrected a false rumor that claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin had banned the famed family from his country.