HISTORY This Week Shaving Russia
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Sep 1, 2025 Lynne Hartnett, a Professor of History at Villanova University and author of Understanding Russia: A Cultural History, dives deep into the radical reign of Tsar Peter the Great. Discover how his infamous beard-shaving incident symbolized a shift towards modernization and geopolitical power for Russia. The podcast explores Peter's tumultuous journey, the clash between tradition and progress, and the foundations of Russia's leadership style that echo through its history. Hartnett provides a captivating look at how one man's vision transformed an isolated nation into a global player.
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Peter Shaves The Boyars
- On Sept. 5, 1698, Peter the Great personally shaved the beards of assembled nobles to force Western styles.
- The spectacle left long-held beards on the street and signaled a violent break with old traditions.
Beards Were Political Symbols
- Beards in Russia had deep religious meaning tied to piety and the image of God, making shaving culturally explosive.
- Peter used forced cosmetic change as a lever to signal ideological and political modernization.
The Great Embassy In Disguise
- Peter toured Europe on the Great Embassy in disguise as 'Peter Mikhailov' to learn shipbuilding and technologies.
- He worked as a carpenter in the Netherlands and attended Parliament in England to absorb Western skills and contacts.
