The Strange Prohibitions of Paul I, or How the French Revolution Quarantined the Russian Empire

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Each head of state, ascending the throne, seeks to prove himself by making changes in the economic, political or social structure of the power entrusted to him. As they say, the new broom sweeps in a new way. Many rulers, including Russian ones, were remembered by descendants of important and effective reforms. But the Emperor Paul I, in less than five years of reign - from 1796 to 1801 - "became famous" for innovations that can be called at least eccentric.

"Obscurantism" of Paul I: the prohibition of waltz, vests, hats and high boots

The Great French Revolution had a tremendous impact on the internal political situation of European states. A real rebellious whirlwind flew past the countries of the Old World. The echoes of this storm reached Russia, which disturbed her government a lot.

Emperor Paul I realized that any revolution not only destroys the old way of life, but also changes the views of people, their understanding of moral values. The thought of the possibility of penetration of the ideas of the French Revolution into Russia terrified him and prompted him to take a number of restrictive measures. Most of the tsarist prohibitions, however, looked quite extravagant. Among those is the taboo on French fashion. At the time of Peter I, representatives of the nobility were guided in clothing by Paris. Men wore caftans, camisoles, short pants fastened under the knee in combination with stockings and buckled shoes. Women sported deeply low-cut dresses with puffy hemlines and high-heeled shoes. Under Paul I, this luxury had to be abandoned. No high boots and colored ribbons, tailcoats and vests, high top cylinders and round hats.

Violation of the rules threatened with corporal punishment, and for the military who risked appearing in a long fur coat - a guardhouse. In an effort to regulate all aspects of public life, the emperor went so far as to ban the waltz, declaring it indecent, defaming the honor of the ladies. There is, however, a version that Paul got into this dance after he fell during his performance, which caused the courtiers to sneer at him.

What did not suit the emperor of French literature and language. Travel ban

The fear of the expansion of revolutionary sentiments into Russia resulted in Paul I's rejection of the French language, the use of which was considered by the Russian nobility a sign of good manners and excellent upbringing. Not only were French words derived from the lexicon, a real war with French literature began. The customs received instructions to confiscate books imported into Russia, strict control was established over state printing houses, and private ones were closed.

Such a policy could not but turn progressive citizens against the autocrat. Among the anti-French reforms, there was also a veto on travel abroad. Thus, it was intended to protect Russian heads from the penetration of dangerous freethinking into them. A kind of "quarantine" has led to the indignation of those wishing to travel and young people seeking to get an education abroad.

New hairstyle from Paul I and why the emperor forbade wearing sideburns

Another of the dubious initiatives of the emperor is the fight against sideburns. It seems that Paul I considered them an indispensable attribute of free-thinkers and hoped in this way to save the Fatherland. Apparently, it was assumed that, having got rid of this type of facial hair, his loyal subjects would certainly become reliable citizens. Therefore, according to a state decree, all representatives of the stronger sex had to get rid of sideburns of any shape and size. A new hairstyle was also introduced - smoothly combed back hair, braided into a pigtail. Paul set an example by being the first to appear in society in a new image. And evil tongues said that with such hairdressing innovations the autocrat tried to get rid of personal complexes associated with the fact that the vegetation on his face was not manly poor. It is not known for what reason the tsar got under the hairdressing "repression" and the ladies: they were denied the pleasure of having curls and bangs.

Fortunately, this ban has sunk into oblivion together with its legislator, and the old fashion has returned, as evidenced by the magnificent sideburns of Pushkin, Bagration, Krylov.

Who became the ideal for Paul I

Rejecting France and the French, the Russian emperor was an ardent adherent of the Prussian way of life and traditions. A significant role in this was played by the fact that even during the reign of Elizabeth Petrovna, Prussia was a kind of role model in almost all of Europe. In addition, Paul I was greatly impressed by the Prussian king Frederick II. The Russian monarch strove to be like his idol, even in small things. He adopted his gait and manner in the saddle, developed a rough-harsh style of communication with subordinates. Paul developed a daily routine for himself, like that of Frederick the Great, and also made changes to his personal wardrobe.

The Russian ruler admired not only the personality of "Old Fritz", but also the well-oiled state machinery of Prussia. Upon his return from a trip abroad, Paul I turned Gatchina into a miniature semblance of Prussia: he brought the town into perfect cleanliness, built a hospital, a school, several factories, churches for parishioners of different religions, and ordered the guardhouses to be painted in the Prussian state colors. A small military unit was led by a Prussian colonel, who trained the soldiers accordingly. And the Russian officers under his command had to come up with second names for themselves - in the German manner.

In fairness, it should be noted that the personality of Paul I and his methods of government have received mixed assessments of historians. Some scholars speak of him as a capricious madcap, and of his activities as a series of aimless and unreasonable acts that have slowed down the country's development. Others, on the contrary, see in Paul I an enlightened ruler who cared about the welfare of his state, initiated positive changes in the army and the economy, and also improved the social situation of the peasants.

And the wife of Paul the First transformed from a "wax princess" into a "cast-iron empress".