As an editor, I am able to read a little bit about everything. Some things I edit turn out to be very interesting reads. Others are very slow going and require many breaks for sanity’s sake.The last paper I edited for my class was about Peter I the Great and all of his reform policies.

While reading about Peter I’s reform of the Orthodox Church, I came across some very funny information. Part of Peter I’s reform process was to institute mandatory beardlessness for everyone except clergy (because they had great superstitions attached to their position) and peasants (because who cares about them anyway).

Peter I actually shaved the noblemen’s beards himself to get the process going. Ha, what guts. He was determined to modernize Russia and take them away from their old-fasioned habits. Oh I guess I should say now that beards were considered a gift from God and a man without one was an effeminate beast. Needless to say the Russians were outraged and fearful God would deny them admittance into heaven without there traditional beards.To assuage his people’s fears, Peter I decided to allow beard-growth on any man (what about bearded ladies?) so long as he payed a beard tax and had a beard license.I found this picture of what the men with beards were given after paying their beard tax. Notice the beard replica at the bottom of the token.

What absurdity. Peter I the Great Beard Enforcer.