Russia
"Molitva Russkikh" (The Prayer of the Russians)

Words by: Vasiliy Zhukovsky
Music by: unknown
In use: 1816-1833

Russia's first anthem used the same melody as the British "God Save the King", and, like the British anthem, was also a hymn to the ruler. The melody was popular in Russia after the War of 1812 with France and several Russian poets penned Russian words to it. Zhukovsky's lyrics were published in "A Son of the Fatherland" magazine in 1815 and was soon adopted as the national anthem. (The poet Alexander Pushkin also wrote two additional verses to the anthem, but I don't believe they were official.)

Special thanks to: Pavel Zinovatny for some of this information as well as the lyrics.

See also: Russia (1833-1917), Russia (1917-1922), Russia (1990-2000), Russia (2000-).