On November 21, 1699, Peter I ordered a large-scale recruitment into regiments and training of soldiers according to a foreign model. It was then that the creation of a regular Russian army began.

Despite the fact that soldiers from peasant families had to be escorted in shackles, this allowed Russia not only to win the Northern War, but also to create an empire that relied on the power of the fleet and army.

"RG" presented six decrees of Peter the Great, which influenced the formation of a military superpower.

1. The dissolution of the archery regiments

Upon entering the kingdom, Peter received at his disposal permanent archery regiments, prone to anarchy and rebellion, unable to fight Western opponents.

In 1699, Peter the Great signed a decree disbanding the Streltsy army. The basis of the future army was the Preobrazhensky and Semenovsky regiments, which grew out of the children's fun of the young tsar.

2. Regular recruiting

In 1705, Peter I introduced a regular recruitment. Lifelong military service was subject to all estates, including the nobility.

Recruits received state-owned uniforms and weapons, underwent serious military training. They were automatically freed from serfdom, and their children, who appeared during their father's military service, were also considered free. The fate of a recruit is lifelong service in the Russian army. They were branded with special tattoos on the left hand.

Thanks to this decree, by the end of the reign of Peter the Great, the total number of the Russian army was 318 thousand people.

3. Creation of the Naval Academy

In 1715, the Maritime Academy was opened in St. Petersburg on the basis of the School of Mathematical and Navigational Sciences. Peter the Great personally oversaw the progress of the training of his "Naval Guard" and personally wrote a list of sciences, which was to be "taught to children."

The Naval Academy trained specialists in the field of navigation, artillery, fortification, and ship construction.

In addition, artillery, engineering and other schools were opened by Peter.

If at the beginning of the formation of the regular Russian army among the officers there were mainly foreign specialists, then after the creation of the Academy and other educational institutions, the growth of the army was satisfied by Russian officers from the nobility.

Wooden boat of Peter I "Saint Nicholas". Photo: Vladimir Minkevich / RIA Novosti www.ria.ru

4. Military Charter

Creating a regular army according to European models, Peter the Great turned to the study of Western European military codes.

In 1716, the Military Charter was issued. He strictly determined the order of service, the rules for the relationship of military personnel, the criminal system, the order of military ranks, the judicial system and many other issues.

Peter ordered that the regulations be sent not only to all the corps of troops, but also to the provinces and offices.

5. Admiralty Board and Military Board

Simultaneously with the creation of the army, a system of command and control of military force was developed.

In 1718, Peter established the Admiralty Board, which, according to the decree, was the main governing body of the Navy. To control the ground forces, a Military Collegium was created.

These institutions were in charge of the economy of the troops, combat training of soldiers and officers, uniforms and equipment, and many other issues. Later the colleges were reformed into ministries.

6. Creation of the Russian Imperial Navy

October 20, 1696 is considered the official birthday of the regular Russian Navy. It was then that it was decided to start building ships at the shipyards of the Voronezh Admiralty, which made it possible to successfully complete the Azov campaigns.

"Sea ships to be ..." - such was the will of the young Russian tsar.

During the Great Northern War of 1700-1721, the Baltic Fleet was built Russian Empire. At the beginning of the 18th century, its main base was in St. Petersburg and in Kronstadt.

At the same time, the principles of the organization of the navy, the methods of training future personnel, as well as the tactics of conducting military operations were enshrined in the Naval Charter of 1720.

Reproduction of the painting "Peter I at the Dam in St. Petersburg". 1907 Artist Valentin Alexandrovich Serov. Photo: RIA Novosti www.ria.ru

The reign of Peter I is characterized by the creation of a whole system of educational and scientific institutions, which, together with the reform decrees of Peter I, served as a sharp impetus to the rise of Russian culture, science and literature. Specialists were needed to create their own science and advanced production methods. For their education, schools were created in Russia, in addition, many boyar children, and in some cases the children of merchants and craftsmen, were sent abroad to receive a modern education there.

The life of the boyars also changed significantly. Upon his return in August 1698 from his first trip abroad, at the very first feast, Peter I cut off with scissors several boyars who congratulated him on their long beards, which in that era were considered the dignity of a man. Russian Orthodox Church considered barbering a deadly sin, since man was created in the likeness of God and pointed out that all saints on icons are written with beards and only foreigners, whom she considered heretics for their non-Orthodox faith, shave their beards.

January 1, 1700 was followed by a decree of Peter I on the transfer from church calendar from the creation of the world to the long-accepted Julian calendar in Europe. On January 14 (January 4, according to the old style), 1700, Peter I issued the following decree “On wearing a dress in the manner of the Hungarian”, obliging eminent Russians to continue “in Moscow and in the cities to wear Hungarian caftans ... who has time to do it, wear it from Epiphany Day this year." By this decree, Peter I ordered to change the long-sleeved and hemlined Russian clothes adopted from ancient times to short suits - boyars, nobles and merchants were now required to wear Western European costumes. Their wives and daughters, who previously sat in the front rooms, also had to change sundresses and padded jackets for skirts and dresses corresponding to those adopted in Europe.

But the penetration of European fashion into Russia began already under the father of Peter I, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, when some boyars and devious began to establish European orders in their homes and wear clothes of French, Polish or Hungarian cut. By this, they adopted fashion from foreigners who began to appear in Moscow - diplomats, officers, merchants, artisans. It should be noted that at the royal court the boyars at that time were obliged to wear only Russian clothes, as evidenced by the royal decree of 1675, which forbade wearing anything foreign at the court.

The first decree of Peter I on wearing European clothes was issued back in 1699, but the boyars began to execute it only at the royal court. The decree, which was issued again on January 14, 1700, was issued by the tsar, already desiring its exact observance and began to rigidly seek its universal implementation by everyone. In total, during his reign, Peter I issued 17 different decrees regarding the appearance of his subjects and the rules for wearing them. In his first decree, Peter I gave the boyars some time to get used to it. In December 1701, the following, more extensive decree appeared "On the wearing of any rank by people of German dress and shoes and on the use of German saddles in riding."

In crowded places, by decree of Peter I, mannequins dressed in foreign dresses were hung out. This was done to show their subjects how they should now dress. Peter I gave the poor a two-year delay so that they could make new clothes for themselves and, from 1705, appear in public only in foreign clothes.

By decree of 1708, Peter I introduced a new script in the use of Cyrillic, which became closer to the Latin alphabet. To finance the wars and the construction of the new capital of St. Petersburg, it was necessary to raise taxes. Peter I replaces the outgoing tax on land and the household of serfs with a poll tax. Old taxes payable rose sharply and new ones appeared.

In the Church, the civil and military reforms of Peter I met with widespread resistance. Some conservative religious circles even declared him to be the Antichrist. Among those who disagreed with the decrees of Peter I were the peasantry, whose economic situation worsened as a result of increased taxes, and the Cossacks, whose autonomy was significantly limited. In 1700, the death of Patriarch Adrian followed. The Old Believers were persecuted. In 1721, Peter I, in connection with the anti-Petrine position of the new patriarch, removes him and transfers the functions he performs to ten members of the Holy Synod, headed by the emperor himself.

Thus, Russia went down the path of Europeanization and the visible beginning of this was that the Russian people had to bring their appearance in line with Western fashion. The men were ordered to shave. However, seeing the fierce opposition of the church and the merchants, Peter I somewhat changed his previously issued decree and allowed instead of shaving to pay tax to the treasury.

Decree of Peter I "On shaving beards and mustaches of all ranks to people" dated January 16, 1705. "And if someone does not want to shave their mustaches and beards, but they want to wander around with beards and mustaches, and from those they have, from the courtiers and from the courtyards, and from the policemen, and all sorts of servicemen, and clerks, 60 rubles per person, from guests and the living room hundreds of the first articles for a hundred rubles ... And give them signs of Zemstvo affairs, and carry those signs with you.

Merchants who wanted to keep their beards had to pay 100 rubles a year, nobles - 60 rubles, townspeople - 30 rubles. Those who paid this tax were given a special "beard badge". Peasants were allowed to wear a beard, but at the outpost at the entrance and exit from the city, they were charged 1 kopeck from their beard. The mass production of copper beard signs began in Russia in 1705 by the Moscow Mint. On the front side were placed the inscription: "Money taken" and the image of a mustache and beard. Since 1715, there was a single duty - 50 rubles per person per year. Everyone who paid the duty on a beard received a beard badge. Bearded signs were also used as coins. Only the clergy retained the right to wear a beard and no new tax was levied on them.

The tax on beards was not the only curious tax introduced under Peter I to replenish the Russian treasury. There were also fees from watermelons, cucumbers, nuts, oak coffins, bathhouses, chimneys, collars, hats, boots, etc. Catherine II abolished the duty on wearing a beard in 1772.

Peter ordered the introduction of balls and meetings, which in the Western manner began to be called "assemblies." In pre-Petrine times, in boyar families, women lived in isolation, spending time in their own half. Peter I arranged his assemblies in the houses of noble nobles, and the wives and daughters of his nobles were obliged to take part in them. The assemblies started around 5 pm and continued until 10 pm. In the dance hall there was always a table with pipes and tobacco and several tables for playing chess and checkers, but playing cards was not allowed on them.

Peter I did not stop "his unbearable labors in this difficult war", which were called upon to educate people in military affairs. To do this, he drew up the rules of the "Military Charter". Through his labors, the backward and small Russian army was brought into "good order" and crushed one of the best armies in Europe. “Now, having ruled it, I have not neglected the zemstvo government, but I am working to bring this into the same order as military affairs.” And in 1718, Peter I had the opportunity to come to grips with civil affairs.

Peter I was well aware that in order to achieve “good order” in the state, clear work is needed. public institutions. As early as the beginning of 1712, Peter I, “in order to bring her into a better state,” issued his decree on the organization of a collegium for trade. This was preceded by studying the experience of government in other countries. On June 30, 1712, Peter I orders the Senate to translate “the rights of other states” into Russian.

In 1715, “for the sake of decent management” of state affairs, “keeping his naval and land forces in good condition”, “corrections of useful justice and police”, as well as “multiplication and increment of commerce, mining plants and manufactories”, Peter I decides to establish in Russia has six colleges. Since there are no knowledgeable people in Russia, it remains to hire abroad “scientists and skilled people in the right to manage affairs in collegiums” in order to “find a person for every collegium”, while Peter I is looking for young specialists “so that they can teach the language ". Peter I sends these instructions to Copenhagen to General Pavel Ivanovich Yaguzhinsky, Ambassador to Denmark Dolgoruky and Ambassador to Austria Veselovsky. “In this much to try, because we need much more.”

The collegiate system of Peter the Great was based on a high degree of centralization and a clear delineation of the spheres of government in comparison with cumbersome bureaucratic institutions, in which decisions were made by one person. At first, nine colleges were introduced, and three of them were called "first", since they were in charge of diplomacy, the army and the navy in the state.

The Collegium of Foreign Affairs opened permanent diplomatic missions and consulates in the Western European states, which initially served to protect the interests of Russian merchants. In Russia, a diplomatic protocol was introduced repeating the Western European one. There were also some absurdities. So, in order not to take off his hat and not get up, Peter I received foreign ambassadors standing and without a headdress, and so that a foreign ambassador would not approach a distance unsuitably close to the tsar, Peter I stood on the very edge of the platform.

Together with the creation of the navy in Russia and its transformation into a maritime power, the Admiralty Board was created. But the most important thing in the state was finance. Without them, it was impossible to wage wars or build a state, so Peter I established three colleges to collect money and properly distribute them. The most important of them was the Chamber College, which led the collection of taxes and concluded contracts for the supply of food. The State Office Board supervised public expenditure and the maintenance of the state apparatus, including the cost of maintaining the army and navy. The third collegium, the Revision Collegium, exercised control over the expenditure of these funds.

To collect taxes, Peter I decided to introduce a more progressive poll tax instead of the yard tax. This was preceded by the 1710 population census, which disappointed the tsar, as a result of which the landlords, who did not want to pay extra money for serfs, indicated the number of peasant households they had was less than it was 30 years ago.

Then Peter undertook in 1718 a new general census of the population. But neither the threat to confiscate the hidden souls and even the death penalty did not frighten them. In 1721, the “last decree” of Peter I was issued: “so that those who fell into that concealment could all be corrected,” they were given a deadline until September 1. This did not help either, and Peter instructs to make an audit of the offices he created, headed by officers. By the spring of 1724, there were a million male souls hidden by the feudal lords in Russia. And this is out of 5.4 million male souls who lived in Russia in those years in the countryside.

Each male person in the village was obliged to pay tax in the amount of 74 kopecks annually, and a city dweller 1 ruble 20 kopecks. Age did not matter, women were not taxed.

Peter also established three commercial and industrial colleges: the Manufactory College in light industry, the Berg College in Mining and the Commerce College responsible for foreign trade. Each collegium received its regulations from Peter I. which lists her rights and obligations.

In 1722, Peter published 14 ranks in the state and military service Table of ranks. He made it possible for the unborn nobility to advance to power and opened the replenishment of the ranks of the nobility at the expense of smart and enterprising people from the “vile classes”.

“Our people are like children, for the sake of ignorance, which they will never take for the alphabet, when they are not captivated by the master (that is, the mentor)” - this expresses the view of Peter I on the attitude state power to subjects. Peter's decrees at this stage began to regulate how economic activity and the personal life of the people: for foreign merchants, instead of weaving narrow cloths, the peasants were charged with weaving wider ones, the yuft used for the production of shoes for waterproofing had to be treated with lard, the merchants were set a profit not exceeding 10 percent, the cultivators were forbidden to clean with bread sickles and attributed to the use of braids, on Only two-story mansions were allowed to be built on Vasilyevsky Island, in St. Petersburg they set the time for cleaning the streets: “early in the morning, until people walk along the street, or in the evening”, and in Moscow “do not walk the streets at odd hours, and when there is a need, then they should have fire in their lanterns.”

From now on, parents were not allowed to force children “to marry without their spontaneous desire”, but if they were underage “they are not good for any science and service” and “from whom one cannot hope for a good heritage for the state benefit”, then they were also not allowed to marry . So, from marriage to death, Peter I established his new regulations for the population of Russia. On Sundays and feast days, everyone was required to go to church and stand there "in silence" and listen to the sermons "with all reverence."

But just as Peter I did not forbid “all the ranks who are in charge of affairs” to take bribes and be contractors, “and whoever dares to do this,” he expected from gauntlets and chopping off fingers to the confiscation of property with the death penalty, to overcome bribery and nepotism, he and couldn't.

The reform of Peter I followed and the introduction of the civil alphabet "Cyrillic" instead of the previously adopted statutory letter. Shortly before the death of Peter I, silver money was issued - rubles with his image.

Peter I is considered to be a great reformer, whose famous decrees turned the course of history and significantly improved the life of the people. But not everyone knows that some of these decrees make people wonder and until the last do not believe in their veracity. Interestingly, it is not the new year celebration reforms or, for example, the introduction of taxes on beards that are surprising. Let's start with the usual and useful changes.

Population census comes from the reign of Peter the Great. It was then that inspectors began to go door-to-door, collecting data on the number of souls in each family. And then, over the next three years, a revision worked, the participants of which controlled any changes. For evading or concealing the number of people living in one family, the death penalty threatened.

Painting depicting Peter I

The tsar forbade in 1699 to throw any rubbish or dung on the streets of Moscow. Garbage and any other waste was ordered to be taken out of the city and be sure to cover it with earth. For failure to comply with the orders, people were fined and beaten with a whip.

In the same 1699, Peter the Great radically changed the life of the Slavs by switching to a new calendar, the first day of which is the first of January. Since then (at his command) people decorate their houses with spruce and pine branches, create a holiday atmosphere and congratulate each other.

By decree on admission to the ranks of the Peter's army on a voluntary basis, Peter I laid the foundation for the modern contract army. Everyone who wanted to serve for the good of the state was given a monetary salary and food.

Unusual laws of Peter I

From September 1715, Peter I forbade the inhabitants of St. Petersburg to drive staples and nails into their heels. At first glance, it is very strange, isn't it? But behind this seemingly stupid decree lies a weighty reason. And the thing is that the king took care of the condition of the new pavements, which were made of wood. The habit of the townspeople could have a detrimental effect on their appearance and strength.

Portrait of Tsar Peter

Another such amazing decree forbade sailors to abuse alcohol so as not to dishonor their native country. But, interestingly, those naughty ones who, in a drunken state, lay with their heads in the direction of their ship, were exempted from punishment. So to say, I could not reach, but at least I tried.

Madman or Reformer?

Peter ordered women to whiten their teeth ... with chalk. For what? At that time, skin color was considered the most important sign of a noble family. The whiter and paler, the more privileges. Women began to massively paint their teeth with ink, so that against their background the skin looked lighter than natural.

Monument to Tsar Peter I

The king ordered the buttons to be changed from uniforms to sleeves so that the soldiers would stop wiping their mouths with their sleeves, because they were sewn from expensive cloth.

A tax was imposed on baths, both public and domestic. This seems to us a complete absurdity, but the reason for this was the lack of money in the treasury. At that time, preparations were underway for northern war and the extra money certainly would not be superfluous. Poor peasants paid fifteen kopecks a year, while richer people gave a larger amount to the treasury.

Strange, but also explainable was the decree of Peter I regarding the relationship between subordinates and superiors. According to him, subordinates were required to have a dashing or silly appearance in front of a senior in rank. This he argued by the fact that high-ranking individuals should not feel the intellectual superiority of the lower classes of society.

Everyone who is interested in the history of the Russian state, sooner or later, had to deal with anecdotes, which today some decrees of Peter 1 have turned into. From our article you will learn about many unexpected decrees of this reformer tsar, which turned the social life of the country at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries what is called upside down.

Today, the decrees of Peter 1 are studied in schools and institutes. Some of them are made fun of, while others are perceived as the norm. But this applies to the present time. At the beginning of the 18th century, these documents were for the majority "blasphemy and devilry."

Some decrees of the king, for example, Peter 1, led to intrigues. Others influenced fashion, the economy, and the military. Only one thing remains undoubted: the tsar, using harsh methods, tried to renew the stagnant society of his time.

Order of succession

One of the most significant in the history of the state was the decree on the unanimity of Peter 1. It was issued in 1722. The document changed all the foundations of power. Now the heir was not the eldest in the family, but the one whom the sovereign appointed as his successor.

This decree on the succession to the throne of Peter 1 was canceled only by Emperor Paul I in 1797. Prior to that, he served as the basis for many murders and intrigues. Although initially conceived by Peter, as against the conservative mood of people dissatisfied with the reforms.

New Year

We propose to consider the most popular decrees of Peter 1. Perhaps the most famous today are two laws: on the celebration of the new year and on beards. We will talk about the second later. As for the first decree, then, according to the will of the tsar, starting from 1700, the chronology in Russia switched to the European manner.

That is, now the year began not in September, but on the first of January. The chronology was conducted from the birth of Christ, and not from the creation of the world, as it was before. Thus, instead of the fourth month of 7208, it became the first of 1700.

Beards

Perhaps the most famous innovation of the Russian Tsar after his return from Europe concerned the fashion for beards. Further, many decrees of Peter 1 will be given, funny and serious. But none of them caused such indignation among the boyars as this one.

So, at the age of twenty-six, the sovereign gathered representatives of noble families, took scissors and cut off some of their beards. Such actions plunged society into shock.

But the young king did not stop there. He introduced a tax on beards. Anyone who wanted to keep facial hair was required to pay a certain amount annually to the treasury.

So, for the nobility it was six hundred rubles a year, for merchants - a hundred, townspeople managed sixty, and servants and others - thirty. It should be noted that these were very serious sums for those times. Only peasants were exempted from this annual tax, but for entering the city they had to pay a penny from their beard.

fashion matters

Many decrees of Peter 1 concerned public life. With their help, the tsar tried to give the Russian nobility a European look.

Firstly, having spent significant funds on the construction of St. Petersburg, the sovereign took care of the service time of wooden pavements. Therefore, a ban was issued on metal heels. Fines were imposed for their establishment, and for the sale - confiscation of property and hard labor.

The next moment concerned the army. Since Peter the Great was seriously engaged in updating and improving it, attention was paid to literally every little thing. So, a decree was issued on "sewing buttons to the front side of a soldier's uniform." This measure was supposed to extend the service life of official clothing, since it became impossible to wipe your mouth with your sleeve.

European fashion was also introduced in the cities. The emperor ordered everyone to replace traditional long clothes with short suits "in the Hungarian manner."

And finally, noble ladies were ordered to monitor the freshness of linen, in order "not to embarrass foreign gentlemen with obscene aromas that make their way through perfumes."

About construction and quality

One of the most famous is the decree of Peter the Great on quality. He is not as popular as many adopted by the tsar, but with his help the Russian army was able to win at Poltava.

So, having discovered that the guns from the Tula plant are not very good quality, the emperor ordered the owner and those responsible for the products to be arrested. Then they were destined for punishment in the form of killing with whips and sent into exile. Peter the Great decided to carefully monitor the quality of products manufactured at the plant. For control, he sent the entire weapons order to Tula. For any marriage it was supposed. In addition, the new owner, Demidov, the king ordered to build huts for all the workers, like the owner.

No less interesting is the decree of Peter the Great on construction. When the tsar intended to begin the construction of St. Petersburg, he forbade the construction of stone houses throughout the country. Therefore, all the specialists came to work to the Neva.
Thus, the sovereign was able to build the city in the shortest possible time.

military matters

One of the most famous jokes today is the decree of Peter the Great on subordinates. In fact, its existence has not been proven, but nowadays it is, as they say, on everyone's lips. We will talk about it at the end of the article.

Now we will not talk about the famous "ridiculous decrees of Peter", but about really important things. So, the king in the conditions of hostilities with Sweden was in dire need of qualified officers. Therefore, it was decided to provide foreigners with promising positions in the ranks of the Russian army. So, all European soldiers in the highest ranks, with command experience, were invited to our country for a salary that was twice the salary of domestic officers.

The first wave of "labor migrants" turned out to be, according to Peter's contemporaries, "a rabble of crooks." So, foreign officers in the first month of service surrendered to the Swedes. But the failure did not discourage the emperor, and in the end, he achieved his goal. Russian army was trained and re-equipped.

By the way, with regard to rearmament, that is, there is evidence of the melting down of church bells into cannons after the “embarrassment on Narva”. It is noteworthy that here the sovereign showed nobility. So, he did not seize church property, but rent it. After the victory at Poltava, the tsar ordered the bells to be cast from captured Swedish guns and returned to their place.

Economic decrees

Introduced by Peter the Great 1 and economic innovations. We will look at three decrees that have largely shaken traditional Russian foundations.

So, according to the first resolution, "opposition to promises and bribes" was introduced in the state. For such misconduct, the highest penalty was expected. To prevent the reasons pushing officials to crime, the emperor raised the salaries of civil servants. But at the same time, “any bribery, trade, contract and promises” were prohibited.

In those days, the medical practice of people who were quite far from even the basics of this craft was common in Russia. Therefore, one of the laws forbade "the implementation of pharmaceutical and medical activities to all persons who do not have the right to do so."

The last fact is more of a joke than the truth. So, the following quote from the king has survived to this day: “The collection of taxes is a thieves' business. Do not pay them salaries, but once a year hang one, so that others would not be accustomed.

Improvement measures

Sovereign Peter the Great 1, after returning from a trip to Western Europe, seriously decided, as they say, to restore order in the Russian Empire. In addition to many other issues, issues of cleanliness were raised, fire safety and landscaping.

First, the law "On cleanliness in Moscow" was adopted. He ordered all residents to keep an eye on the garbage on the pavements and in the yards. “If it is revealed, take it out of the city and bury it in the ground.” If they noticed uncollected waste from their yard, imposed fines or

The second decree dealt exclusively with shipbuilding and the fleet. According to him, during the repair of ships and life on them, all waste should be removed. If at least one shovel of garbage fell into the water, punishment was envisaged. For the first offense it was in the amount of a monthly salary, and for the second - a six-month one. For the third shovel of garbage into the river, the officers were demoted to the rank and file, and ordinary sailors were exiled to Siberia.

A decree on fire safety was also adopted. It directed homeowners to refurbish all stoves with stone foundations. It was also prescribed between the wall and the stove to make brickwork, and to carry out pipes such that “a person can climb through”. It was necessary to clean such a structure once a month. Fines were imposed for non-compliance with this rule.

Alcohol

Corresponding to the time and different strata of society, the texts of the decrees of Peter 1 often concern the procedure for dealing with alcoholic drinks. Especially these provisions concerned the army and navy.

If we talk about the fleet, then there were several decrees.

Firstly, being abroad, it was forbidden for everyone - from a sailor to an admiral, "to drink to death, so as not to dishonor the honor of the fleet and the state."

Secondly, navigators should not have been allowed into the taverns, since they are "a boorish offspring, they are recruited and make a brawl."

There was also a law in the navy, which sometimes still applies today. So, if a sailor, walking on the shore, got drunk to the point of losing consciousness, but he was found lying with his head towards the ship, then in this case he was practically not punished: “did not reach, but strove back.”

Also, it was from the time of Peter the Great that it was customary in our country to celebrate May Day. It was borrowed from the peoples of Europe. So, this holiday was celebrated as the day of spring among the Germans and Scandinavians. In Moscow, festivities were organized, tables were laid for all passers-by. The emperor himself did not disdain to participate in the festivities, urging the people to join.

Rules of conduct at assemblies

In addition to innovations in the army, chronology and other areas of life, the emperor also took care of raising the general culture of the population. Despite the fact that the king tried to do everything for the best, today such decrees of his often cause only a smile.

So, consider the unusual decrees of Peter 1. Funny today, they were truly revolutionary in the eighteenth century.

Among others, the most popular is the decree on the rules of conduct in front of the people, on a visit and at assemblies. First, you had to wash and shave thoroughly. Secondly, being half hungry and better sober. Thirdly, do not stand as a pillar, but participate in the festivities. It was also recommended to find out in advance where the toilets are in which case. Fourthly, it was allowed to eat moderately, but to drink - plenty. By the way, there was a special attitude towards drunks in Rus'. Those who lost consciousness from a large number alcohol, had to be carefully folded separately, "so that they do not fall by chance and do not interfere with the dances." Fifthly, recommendations were given for dealing with the ladies, "so as not to get into trouble in the mugs."

And the last of the important instructions. It is known that without a song there is no fun, so it was necessary to join the general choir, and “not to roar like a Valaam donkey.”

Population census

As well as the decree on the succession to the throne of Peter 1, this provision was simply necessary for the state. In view of the constant military campaigns, the country constantly needed finance to provide for the army. Therefore, the emperor issued an order to conduct a household census.

But this measure did not give the desired result. The landlords did not want to pay taxes "no one knows where", as the country was already tired of constant war. Therefore, Pyotr Alekseevich had to conduct such a census several times, since with each new number of households decreased.

Previous census results were dated 1646 and 1678. The data for 1710 decreased by twenty percent. Therefore, after another attempt by decree "to take fairy tales from everyone, and so that the truthful ones bring (give a year)", the household taxation was replaced by poll tax.

Other funny decrees

The tsar's decrees on the attitude towards the authorities cause a smile. For example, the decree of Peter 1 on subordinates. According to him, "a subordinate in the face of high-ranking should have a silly and dashing appearance, so as not to seem smarter."

No less interesting was the decree of Peter 1 on redheads. In accordance with it, it was forbidden to hire people with a defect (the red hair color was then considered as such). This order is inspired in part by the saying that "God marks the rogue."

As we mentioned earlier, Peter I in his decrees covered all sectors of society. So it often got not only men, but also ladies. Let's take one example. From ancient times in Rus', pallor of the skin was considered a sign of "blue blood". Therefore, noble ladies blackened their teeth for greater contrast. In addition, spoiled teeth showed prosperity. A lot of money - eats a lot of sugar. Therefore, the emperor ordered the ladies to brush their teeth with chalk and whiten them.

Thus, in this article, we got acquainted with the decrees of one of the greatest rulers of Russia. The emperor was not just the head of the country, he was responsible for improvements in various areas of public life.

Even though today some of his decrees cause a smile, at that time they were revolutionary measures.

On December 7, 1718, Peter I issued a decree on a per capita census. A population census implies a scientifically organized collection of data on the size and composition of the population, generalization, assessment, analysis and publication of demographic, economic and social data on the entire population living at a certain point in time in a country or its clearly limited part. The matter is undoubtedly important. Therefore, we would like to talk about the five most famous decrees of Peter I, which greatly influenced modern society.

Census Decree

In the 17th century, in connection with the development of crafts and trade, the unit of taxation became the farm - "yard". And the censuses are turning into household censuses. The number and scope of censuses expanded so much that the Counting Order was formed in Moscow. The household censuses of 1646 and 1678 were especially large, covering almost the entire territory of the state. In accordance with tax purposes, they covered only the taxable, mostly male, population. However, in some such censuses, both women and part of the non-taxable population were taken into account, distribution was given by age groups, marital status, sometimes even occupation, rank and profession were indicated. The last household census was carried out in 1710 under Peter I. In it, for the first time, an attempt was made to take into account not only the taxable, but the entire population without exception, including the privileged strata. The census dragged on for several years and ended in failure: it could not take into account the entire population. The number of households according to this census turned out to be almost 20% less compared to 1678, while their increase was expected. Peter I did not accept the results of the 1710 census and ordered a new census to be conducted in 1716-1717. However, this new census showed even worse results: the number of households decreased by one third compared to 1678. Such results partly reflected the actual decline in the population of Russia due to wars and ruinous living conditions, but to a greater extent were the result of incorrect information. Many landowners tried to downplay the number of households by combining several taxable households into one. Therefore, the household taxation was replaced by the poll tax, and the censuses were reorganized accordingly. On December 7, 1718, Peter I issued a decree on a per capita census.

Lists of the population ("tales") should have been collected in 1719, and then subjected to verification ("revisions") within three years. For evading the census or "hiding souls", the decree provided for severe punishments, up to and including the death penalty.

Decree on the celebration of the New Year

305 years ago, in 1699, Peter I issued a nominal decree "On the celebration of the New Year." The Sovereign decreed that from now on the people of all Rus' would count the years not from the Creation of the world, but from the Nativity of Christ. In addition, according to the new decree, the new year had to begin not on September 1, as it was before, but on January 1, following the example of many European countries. The year 7208 was going on in the old way, and by January 1 it should have been four months of this year. According to the new chronology, the year 1700 came.

Poeliko in Russia is considered New Year in different ways, from now on, stop fooling people's heads and count the New Year everywhere from the first of January. And as a sign of a good undertaking and fun, congratulate each other on the New Year, wishing well-being in business and prosperity in the family. In honor of the New Year, make decorations from fir trees, amuse children, ride sleds from the mountains. Along the noble and passable streets at the gates and houses, make some decoration from trees and branches of pine, spruce and juniper, repair shooting from small cannons and guns, launch rockets, as many as anyone happens to, and light fires. And adults should not commit drunkenness and massacre - other days are enough for that.

In accordance with government regulations, the celebration of the New Year was to take place from January 1 to 7. The catch was that on November 28, the Orthodox forty-day Advent fast began, which lasts until Christmas itself, that is, until January 7. The Orthodox Church did not endure it in connection with the new decree of the secular king.

Decree on the wearing of European clothes

The first decree of Peter I on wearing European clothes was issued back in 1699, but the boyars began to execute it only at the royal court. The tsar issued the decree, which was issued again on January 14, 1700, already desiring its exact observance, and began to rigorously seek its universal implementation by everyone.

By this decree, Peter I ordered to change the long-sleeved and hemlined Russian clothes adopted from ancient times to short suits - boyars, nobles and merchants were now required to wear Western European costumes. Their wives and daughters, who previously sat in the front rooms, also had to change sundresses and padded jackets for skirts and dresses corresponding to those adopted in Europe. In crowded places, by decree of Peter I, mannequins dressed in foreign dresses were hung out. This was done to show subjects how they should now dress. Peter I gave the poor a two-year delay so that they could make new clothes for themselves and, from 1705, appear in public only in foreign clothes.

Decree on shaving beards and mustaches

Upon his return in August 1698 from his first trip abroad, Peter I at the very first feast cut off with scissors several boyars who congratulated him on their long beards, which in that era were considered the dignity of a man. The Russian Orthodox Church considered barbering a deadly sin, since man was created in the likeness of God, and pointed out that all saints on icons are written with beards and only foreigners, whom she considered heretics for their non-Orthodox faith, shave their beards.

And if someone doesn’t want to shave their mustaches and beards, but they want to wander around with beards and mustaches, and from them, from the courtiers and from the courtyards, and from the policemen, and all kinds of servicemen, and clerks, 60 rubles per person, from guests and living room hundreds of first articles for a hundred rubles. And give them signs of Zemstvo affairs, and carry those signs with you.

Merchants who wanted to keep their beards had to pay 100 rubles a year, nobles - 60 rubles, townspeople - 30 rubles. Those who paid this tax were given a special beard badge. Peasants were allowed to wear a beard, but at the outpost at the entrance and exit from the city they were charged 1 kopeck from the beard. The mass production of copper beard signs began in Russia in 1705 by the Moscow Mint. On the front side were placed the inscription "Money taken" and the image of a mustache and beard. Since 1715, there was a single duty - 50 rubles per person per year. Everyone who paid the duty on a beard received a beard badge. Bearded signs were also used as coins. Only the clergy retained the right to wear a beard, and no new tax was levied on them.