In 1698, Tsar Peter I of Russia instituted a beard tax as part of an effort to bring Russian society in line with Western European models. To enforce the ban on beards, the tsar empowered police to forcibly and publicly shave those who refused to pay the tax. Resistance to going clean shaven was widespread with many believing that it was a religious requirement for a man to wear a beard, and the Russian Orthodox Church declared being clean-shaven as blasphemous.
It’s pretty funny how the european attitude to beards changed, in the 18th century the nobility had to be clean-shaven but come the 19th century and you start to see the most extravagant facial hair imaginable.
Though tbh beard would have looked quite silly with the 18th century powdered wig so when those were dropped it makes sense that beards would come back too.
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In 1698, Tsar Peter I of Russia instituted a beard tax as part of an effort to bring Russian society in line with Western European models. To enforce the ban on beards, the tsar empowered police to forcibly and publicly shave those who refused to pay the tax. Resistance to going clean shaven was widespread with many believing that it was a religious requirement for a man to wear a beard, and the Russian Orthodox Church declared being clean-shaven as blasphemous.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beard_tax
It’s pretty funny how the european attitude to beards changed, in the 18th century the nobility had to be clean-shaven but come the 19th century and you start to see the most extravagant facial hair imaginable.
Though tbh beard would have looked quite silly with the 18th century powdered wig so when those were dropped it makes sense that beards would come back too.