On 5 September 1698, Tsar Peter the Great, in a bold move to modernize Russia, imposed a tax on beards as part of his sweeping efforts to westernize the nation.
Seeking to bring Russian society in line with the clean-shaven norms of Western Europe, Peter viewed beards as a symbol of the old, traditional ways that hindered his vision for a progressive, Europeanised Russia.
Men who chose to keep their facial hair were required to pay a hefty fee and carry a token to prove they had paid the tax, while the nobility and clergy were somewhat exempted.
This decree symbolised Peter's determination to break away from Russia’s insular traditions and usher in a new era of reform.
