The title “Prince of Karelia” was added to the full title of Russian emperors in 1721, after signing the Peace Treaty of Nystad:

By the Grace of God, We, NN, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, Moscow, Kiev, Vladimir, Novgorod; Tsar of Kazan, Tsar of Astrakhan, Tsar of Poland, Tsar of Siberia, Tsar of Chersonese Taurian, Tsar of Georgia; Lord of Pskov and Grand Prince of Smolensk, Lithuania, Volhynia, Podolia, Finland; Prince of Estland, Livland, Courland, Semigalia, Samogitia, Belostok, Karelia, Tver, Yugra, Perm, Vyatka, Bolgar and others; Lord and Grand Prince of Nizhny Novgorod, Chernigov, Ryazan, Polotsk, Rostov, Yaroslavl, Beloozero, Udoria, Obdoria, Kondia, Vitebsk, Mstislav, and all of the northern countries Master; and Lord of Iberia, Kartli, and Kabardia lands and Armenian provinces; hereditary Sovereign and ruler of the Circassian and Mountainous Princes and of others; Lord of Turkestan; Heir of Norway; Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn, Dithmarschen, and Oldenburg, and others, and others, and others.

In December 1856, Emperor Alexander II pre-approved the sketches of the Greater, Middle and Lesser Coats of Arms. The final versions of the Coats of Arms of the Russian Empire were approved on August 5, 1882.

The Greater Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire included among others the Coat of Arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland and the Coat of Arms of the so-called “Baltic regions“. The Coat of Arms of Karelia was part of the latter.

The Greater Coat of Arms of the Russian Empire was in use until 1917.