On this day in 1698, Peter the Great of Russia instituted a beard tax.

The idea seems to have been to discourage beards, which were at the time not fashionable in Europe.

It was a sliding scale tax. The wealthy were charged 100 rubles a year, while the common Moscovite was charged 30. Peasants entering the city could pay a couple of Kopecs per visit.

Here's what the Czar's beard token showing payment of the tax looked like

Cue to the State Anthem of the Soviet Union.

plays the State Anthem of the Soviet Union

@FutureHistorian Not sure what was behind this, but I got curious and checked:

Every USSR leader up to Stalin had facial hair. No leader after him did. So it appears that Stalin (or perhaps Khrushchev's de-Stalinization) succeeded where Peter the Great failed.