Today it is rare to find a man whose face is adorned with a beard. Even a well-groomed small beard is considered a rather rare phenomenon, all the more unusual and exotic looks a thick beard-shovel. But once in pre-Petrine Russia every self-respecting head of the family had a beard, the absence of that attribute of masculinity was equated with sin and was reprimanded in every possible way.
The value of the beard in pre-Petrine Russia
If modern people perceive facial hair or its absence as a non-binding fact, in pre-Petrine Russia a beard was a kind of visiting card and a sign of not only status, but also masculine strength. One of the Russian patriarchs, Adrian, thoughtfully wrote at the end of the 17th century: "God created man in his own image, with a beard, and only beardless dogs." It was believed that since Jesus Christ was bearded, then a believing Orthodox person should also wear a beard. Those who used a razor - "scraped", could even be excommunicated.
A thick thick beard was a sign of brutality and masculinity, a strong breed. The owners of rare vegetation were ridiculed as degenerates, they suspected that there were Tatars of other faiths in their family, who, as you know, grow beards very poorly. Men who, due to physiological reasons, did not grow a beard, remained broads.
To harm a person by damaging his beard was considered a crime against his person. Each shred torn from the beard by the decree of Yaroslav the Wise was fined - 12 hryvnia was paid to the prince's treasury. Boyars - the elite of Russian society of those times, were all bearded. Of course, Russian tsars also wore beards.
Ivan IV the Terrible applied a savage measure to his opponents - they plucked their beards, after which the disgraced boyar had no choice but to hide in the monastery.
Tsar-reformer and boyar beards
Having traveled abroad and having established in the opinion that inertia and unwillingness to change could leave Russia on the outskirts of Europe, Peter I began his reforms and connected them with the ban on wearing beards. He literally forced the boyars to take off their long caftans and put on European camisoles. Unwilling to obey, he shaved off his beards with his own hands.
Tired of fighting inert boyars and representatives of the lower classes, the enterprising emperor simply imposed penalties for wearing beards and began to replenish his treasury with such duties.
The duty on wearing beards was introduced in 1705 and canceled completely only in 1722, when beards were worn only by the lower classes - peasants and merchants.
The elite, officials and city nobles annually transferred 600 rubles to the state income, merchants of the 1st guild paid 100 rubles each, merchants of lesser rank paid 60 rubles each, and 30 rubles were collected from minor metropolitan officials, coachmen and cabbies.
