During the years of his reign, the great Russian reformer Peter I greatly changed the usual life of Russians. His decrees on the celebration of the New Year on January 1 and the introduction of a tax on the beard are widely known. But some decrees are less well known, although very interesting.
In September 1715, by Peter's decree, the residents of St. Petersburg were prohibited from hammering their shoes with nails and staples. This was done in order to preserve the wooden pavements of the new capital. After the decree was announced, the streets of the city were empty, since the townspeople did not have other shoes.
An interesting decree of the king on the attitude of subordinates to the authorities. The subordinate, presented to a high-ranking person, had to have a "silly and dashing look, so as not to seem smarter."
According to the rules of conduct at the assemblies, it was supposed to eat in moderation, but to drink as long as the legs were kept. If your legs fail, drink while sitting. It was forbidden to bring the lying down, so as not to choke. Those who had lost consciousness were supposed to be carefully folded aside so as not to interfere with the dancers.
Assembly under Peter I / Stanislav Khlebovsky.
Gentlemen senators were forbidden to read their speeches, only to express in their own words "so that everyone's foolishness is visible to everyone." In order to counter bribery, the emperor raised the salary of civil servants. At the same time, punishment was imposed for bribery, up to the highest measure.
Returning from a trip to Europe, Peter took up the improvement and cleanliness of streets in Moscow. Since April 1699, all residents were supposed to take garbage out of town and bury it in the ground. For uncleared garbage, they flogged with rods and imposed a large fine.
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Several interesting decrees related to the Russian fleet. Abroad, sailors were forbidden to get drunk so as not to disgrace their state and the fleet. Moreover, if a drunken sailor lay with his head in the direction of his ship, he was released from punishment. I didn’t reach the ship, but I strove. Navigators were forbidden to enter taverns - "boorish brat, they are recruited and make a brawl."
Russian ladies were also given attention in the decrees of the tsar. In Russia, pale skin has always been a sign of noble birth, so many women blackened their teeth to give a greater contrast to the skin. The emperor ordered the ladies to whiten their teeth with chalk.
One of his decrees ordered the tsar to sew buttons on the sleeves of soldiers' uniforms. This was done in order to disaccustom the soldiers to wipe their mouths after eating with their sleeves, and the cloth for the uniform was expensive and should be protected.
In 1704, a tax was introduced on public and household baths. Preparations for the Northern War were under way and funds in the treasury were sorely lacking. Merchants and Duma people paid 3 rubles a year, ordinary nobles and commoners - 1 ruble, for peasants the tax was 15 kopecks.