September 5: Peter the Great Declares Tax on Beards, 1698

Peter the Great wanted to modernize Russian. But first he had to do something about all the scruffy types cluttering up his court.

Read article here.


Pictured:
Right: Peter the Great, portrait by Paul Delaroche, c. 1838.

Below: Old Style Boyar dress code. Portrait of Juan Carreno de Miranda, who lived about 1614-1685.