What is worthy of emulation in the life of Emperor Nicholas  . Style and beard design Nikolai 2 without a beard

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Nicholas II ascended the throne on November 2, 1894. What do we all remember about this king? Mostly, school cliches are stuck in my head: Nikolai is bloody, weak, was under the strong influence of his wife, is to blame for Khodynka, established the Duma, dispersed the Duma, was shot near Yekaterinburg... Oh yes, he also conducted the first census of the population of Russia, recording himself as “the owner of the Russian land” . Moreover, Rasputin looms on the side with his dubious role in history. In general, the image turns out to be such that any schoolchild is sure: Nicholas II is almost the most shameful Russian Tsar of all eras. And this despite the fact that most of the documents, photographs, letters and diaries remained from Nikolai and his family. There is even a recording of his voice, which is quite low. His life has been thoroughly studied, and at the same time it is almost unknown to the general public outside the clichés from the textbook. Did you know, for example, that:

1) Nicholas took the throne in Crimea. There, in Livadia, the royal estate near Yalta, his father Alexander III died. A confused young man, literally crying from the responsibility that had fallen on him - this is how the future king looked then. Mother, Empress Maria Feodorovna, did not want to swear allegiance to her son! The younger one, Mikhail, is who she saw on the throne.

Tsesarevich. 1889 In a few years, Nikolai will grow a beard and will wear it for the rest of his life.

2) And since we are talking about Crimea, it was to Yalta that he dreamed of moving the capital from his unloved St. Petersburg. The sea, the fleet, trade, the proximity of European borders... But I didn’t dare, of course.

In autumn and spring, the royal family often lived in Crimea, and in the hot months they went on vacation to Finland. Girls in a boat - eldest daughters

3) Nicholas II almost handed over the throne to his eldest daughter Olga. In 1900, he fell ill with typhus (again in Yalta, well, just a fateful city for the family of the last Russian emperor). The king was dying. Since the time of Paul I, the law has prescribed: the throne is inherited only through the male line. However, bypassing this order, the conversation turned to Olga, who was then 5 years old. The king, however, pulled out and recovered. But the idea of ​​staging a coup in favor of Olga, and then marrying her off to a suitable candidate who would rule the country instead of the unpopular Nicholas - this thought excited the royal relatives for a long time and pushed them into intrigue.

4) It is rarely said that Nicholas II became the first global peacemaker. In 1898, at his instigation, a note on a general limitation of armaments was published and a program for an international peace conference was developed. It took place in May next year in The Hague. 20 European countries, 4 Asian, 2 American took part. This act of the tsar simply did not fit into the minds of the then progressive intelligentsia of Russia. How can this be, he is a militarist and an imperialist?! Yes, the idea of ​​​​the prototype of the UN, of disarmament conferences, arose precisely in Nikolai’s head. And long before the World War.

As an heir, Nikolai made a 9-month journey to the Far East - through Austria-Hungary, Greece, Egypt, India and China, he reached Japan, and then returned through Siberia. In Japan, a policeman attacked him and managed to inflict several wounds with a sword.

5) It was Nikolai who completed the Siberian railway. It is still the main artery connecting the country, but for some reason it is not customary to give credit to this king. Meanwhile, he considered the Siberian railway one of his main tasks. Nikolai generally foresaw many challenges that Russia then had to deal with in the 20th century. He said, for example, that the population of China is growing astronomically, and this is a reason to strengthen and develop Siberian cities. (And this at a time when China was called sleeping).

Nicholas' reforms (monetary, judicial, wine monopoly, working day law) are also rarely mentioned. It is believed that since the reforms were started in previous reigns, then Nicholas II seems to have no special merit. The Tsar “only” pulled this burden and complained that he “worked like a convict.” “Only” brought the country to that peak, 1913, by which the economy will be measured for a long time to come. He just confirmed two of the most famous reformers in office - Witte and Stolypin. So, 1913: the strongest gold ruble, income from the export of Vologda oil is higher than from the export of gold, Russia is the world leader in grain trade.

A rare case: a king married for love and kept it all his life. With his wife, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna

6) Nicholas was like two peas in a pod like his cousin, the future English king George V. Their mothers are sisters. Even relatives confused “Nicky” and “Georgie”.

“Nicky” and “Georgie”. They are so similar that even their relatives confused them

7) Raised his adopted son and daughter. More precisely, the children of his uncle Pavel Alexandrovich - Dmitry and Maria. Their mother died in childbirth, their father quite soon entered into a new marriage (unequal), and the two little grand dukes were eventually raised by Nicholas personally, they called him “dad”, the empress “mama”. He loved Dmitry like his own son. (This is the same Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, who later, together with Felix Yusupov, will kill Rasputin, for which he will be exiled, survive the revolution, escape to Europe and even manage to have an affair with Coco Chanel there).

Grand Duke Dmitry Pavlovich, who was raised by Nicholas II from 1905. Actually an adopted son

8) I tested soldier’s ammunition myself. Checking the army suppliers to see if they had slipped them rotten cloth, he put on an overcoat and the full equipment of a private and walked 14 kilometers in the heat like that.

Testing out his private uniform, Nicholas II walked 14 kilometers in the heat in full uniform. I was satisfied

9) Of all the wines, I loved Crimean port the most, but I knew when to stop. Although, not without pleasure, he recorded in his diary: “I tried 6 types of port wine and got a little tired, which is why I slept well” (August 1906). The tsar smoked like a locomotive - one after another.

Hunting in Belovezh with the Empress Consort

10) I couldn’t stand women’s singing. He would run away when his wife, Alexandra Fedorovna, or one of the daughters or ladies-in-waiting sat down at the piano and started playing romances. The courtiers recall that at such moments the king complained: “Well, they howled...”

11) I read a lot, especially contemporaries, subscribed to a lot of magazines. He loved Averchenko most of all.

The traditional and familiar appearance of the Russian Emperor Nicholas II developed quite early. While still an heir, in the early 1890s. A small, dandy mustache appeared on the face of young Nikolai Alexandrovich.

Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich during a trip to Japan. Photo 1891

In 1891 photographs of the Tsar during his trip to the East, we see a shaved chin, a short crew cut and a small mustache. Judging by the surviving photographs, the beard on the face of Nicholas II appeared in 1892–1893. In a series of photographs associated with his engagement in April 1894, there is a new image that Nicholas II did not change until the end of his life: a short haircut, parted on the right side, a fairly large, well-groomed mustache and a small, rounded beard. Over time, the mustache became shorter and “merged” with the beard. Small bald patches appeared on my head, and my hair thinned slightly.

The appearance of the king throughout his life is described by many memoirists. They all noted the king’s athleticism and his good physical shape and good health. For example, General Headquarters Yu.N. Danilov described the “late”, 46-year-old Tsar as follows: “The Tsar was of short stature, densely built, with a somewhat disproportionately developed upper half of the body. His rather full neck gave him a not quite agile appearance, and his whole figure leaned forward in a peculiar way when he moved.

Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich and Princess Alice of Hesse after their engagement. Photo 1894

Emperor Nicholas II wore a small light oval beard, cast in a reddish color, and had calm gray-green eyes, distinguished by some special impenetrability, which internally always separated him from his interlocutor.”68

Nicholas II was very careful about his appearance. This is evidenced by the accounts of hairdressers who visited the king 2–3 times a month. Nicholas II, by virtue of his position, had a fairly extensive wardrobe. The most significant part of it were various military uniforms. Being the chief of many regiments of the Russian army, the emperor put on these uniforms depending on the situation and taking into account many reasons: regimental holidays of the unit that was on guard in the palace, various regimental anniversaries, etc. This collection also included uniforms of regiments of European armies, worn during official visits. The wardrobe also included a civilian dress, which Nicholas II, as a rule, could only afford to wear abroad.

The first series of photographs of Nicholas II in civilian dress dates back to his trip “to the East” in 1890–1891, when he was still a crown prince. In these photographs, the young 22-year-old Tsarevich is dressed in a light “tropical uniform”, and only during official visits did he wear an officer’s uniform.

First family photograph of Coburg. April 1894

During excursions, the Tsarevich, as a rule, dressed in a fashionable light European suit. In the photograph taken in 1891 in Japan, the crown prince is wearing a felt bowler hat. It was this bowler hat that a samurai policeman cut with two strokes of his saber during the assassination attempt on the Tsarevich in May 1891. The State Hermitage still keeps a white shirt with the monograms of Tsarevich Nicholas on it; there are traces of blood on it after the assassination attempt.

Around the same years, the young Tsarevich acquired a hunting suit “made from English matting.” All subsequent years, the style of this hunting suit was invariably preserved. This suit was preserved, and it was from this sweaty suit that experts were able to take genetic material during an examination to identify the remains of Nicholas II in the 1990s.

In 1893, Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich visited England. During the visit, it was discovered that the cousins ​​- heirs of the Russian (future Nicholas II) and English (future George V) crowns - were unusually similar. They are so similar that it became the reason for a series of photographs.

The next series of photographs in civil dress was taken during the matchmaking of Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich in April 1894. According to tradition, the Russian Tsarevich arrived in Darmstadt in civil suit. In these staged photographs, the Tsarevich is quite constrained and somewhat preoccupied. This is understandable, since the circumstances of the matchmaking with Alice of Hesse turned out to be quite complicated.

Since 1895, Swiss citizen Henry Vollenweider, owner of the Henry company, has been included in the “List” of suppliers of the Supreme Court. In his store, located in St. Petersburg on Bolshaya Morskaya, 18, he sold naval uniforms and civilian clothing. Its inclusion in the “List” apparently took place by the Supreme decision, since the supply of marine and civilian clothing to the Court by this company began precisely in 1895.

The Henry company supplied civilian clothing to Nicholas II. For example, from April to August 1903, Henry Vollenweider sold 16 items to Nicholas II on account for the amount of 1,043 rubles. The list of these items is very indicative: a frock coat, vest and trousers (worth 150 rubles); tuxedo (150 rub.); three suits (115 rubles each); white tennis suit (RUB 110); autumn coat (140 rub.); frock coat “Fantasy” (30 rubles); three white vests for tailcoats (20 rubles each); cycling pants (RUB 28); vest for a suit (25 rubles); silk tennis belt for 5 rubles.

In the same store, the tailcoats of Nicholas II were cleaned and repaired, and the royal vests were also washed. The store also provided related services: for example, purchased ready-made clothes were adjusted to the customer’s figure.

It should be emphasized once again that Nicholas II appeared in civilian dress very rarely, and even the emperor’s inner circle, who were constantly next to him, saw the Tsar in civilian dress and perceived this as an incongruity.

Emperor Nicholas II during a visit to Germany. Photo 1910

At the same time, as follows from the accounting accounts, the tsar’s wardrobe had all the necessary civilian items, and they were carefully monitored. In 1897, during a trip to his wife’s homeland in Darmstadt, Nicholas II and Alexandra Fedorovna made an incognito trip to Frankfurt am Main. They were dressed in the usual private costumes of wealthy bourgeois. Those around the young emperor immediately noted that Nicholas II was not in the habit of wearing civilian dress, and the top hat he was wearing was of poor quality69.

Quite a few photographs of Nicholas II, dressed in civilian clothes, remained after visiting Germany in the fall of 1910. The main purpose of the trip was the treatment of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna in her homeland in Darmstadt. The family of Nicholas II stayed abroad for about three months. The visit was of a family, private nature, and Nicholas II for the most part dressed in civilian dress, and a very varied one at that. At first this was surprising. For example, the Empress’s friend A.A. Vyrubova, when she first saw Nicholas II dressed “in civilian clothes” in 1910, noted this fact in her memoirs: “The Emperor came in civilian dress. Out of habit, it was somehow strange to see him like that, although at the same time it was very amusing.”7.”

After 1910, Nicholas II made several more trips abroad, during which he had the opportunity to wear civilian dress. One of the last foreign visits took place in May 1913. In August 1914, Russia entered the First World War, from which time Nicholas II never wore civilian dress. Dressed in a soldier's tunic, he met death in July 1918.

Tailors of Nicholas II

As already noted, Russian emperors wore only military uniforms in their homeland. As a rule, it was sewn by tailors who specialized in the production of military uniforms. A tailored military uniform required many more elements, from hats, shoulder straps, aiguillettes and boots. All this was purchased in the so-called officers' stores. The owners of these stores eventually found themselves among the suppliers of the Imperial Court.

The owner of the officer's clothing store, manufacturer I. Skosyrev, was considered the oldest supplier. The family business existed since 1812. The store was located in St. Petersburg at 4 Vladimirsky Prospekt. Using the “List” of imperial suppliers, one can reconstruct three generations of the Skosyrev family, who successively received the high title of supplier of the Supreme Court: the manufacturer I. Skosyrev received the title of supplier of the Supreme Court even in 1857, then the title was confirmed by his son Vasily Skosyrev, supplier since 1863. Alexander Skosyrev, supplier since 1895, completed the merchant dynasty.

In the military store M.I. Skosyrev, who sold uniforms for officers, purchased goods worth 1,234 rubles for Emperor Nicholas II in 1903. 90 kopecks These are mainly small things: two scarves, seven caps of various regiments, uniform belts, cap badges, saber buckles, epaulettes, etc.

Since the Russian emperors were chiefs of various foreign regiments, the suppliers included German ones (I. Eisner, Berlin, from 1862; Theodor von Linker, Darmstadt, from 1896; Felix Collani and Oscar Curde, owners of the company L.H. Berger Collani ", Berlin, since 1903) and Danish (A.N. Herlin, since 1910) tailors.

One of the outstanding St. Petersburg military tailors of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. was Nikolai Ivanovich Nordenstrem, supplier to the Imperial Court since 1895. Firm "Nordenstrem N." was one of the oldest companies in the capital, specializing in the manufacture of military uniforms. It was founded by Nikolai Ivanovich Nordenstrem, who came to St. Petersburg from Sweden in 1821. In 1841, the workshop passed to his nephew Andrei Ivanovich, in 1852 - to Nikolai Ivanovich and in 1856 - to Karl Ivanovich Nordenstrem. The company had an atelier and a store at 46 Nevsky Prospekt. In the early 1900s. K.N. became the head of the company. Nordenström. The company's tailors and cutters carried out very important orders - they sewed uniforms for Alexander III, his younger brothers, Grand Dukes Alexei, Sergei and Pavel Alexandrovich.

Accounts N.I. Nordenström for the military uniform supplied for Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich from 1884 to 1895 amounted to 14,500 rubles. His first deliveries to Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich date back to 1877. From December 1902 to December 1903, Nordenström’s store supplied 15 items and 2 sets of military uniforms worth 1,572 rubles. This list includes: Horse Guards tunic (225 rubles); winter dolman (250 rub.); ceremonial cuirass (55 rub.); jacket (100 rub.); jacket of the Moscow regiment (100 rubles); jacket of the Preobrazhensky regiment (100 rubles); naval jacket (110 rub.); vest (15 rub.); three pairs of trousers (38 rubles each); double-breasted jacket of the Preobrazhensky Regiment (90 rubles); trousers for naval uniform (38 RUR); trousers for infantry uniform (40 rubles); ceremonial infantry uniform (145 rubles); ceremonial uniform of the Consolidated Regiment (135 rubles). The same tailor accepted the royal uniforms for cleaning and repair. Some of the uniforms, vests and trousers were arranged by the tailor, as in 1903 the Tsar began to put on weight.

In the atelier of a famous tailor, uniforms were sewn for the Grand Dukes Konstantin and Dmitry Konstantinovich; Grand Dukes Nicholas and Peter Nikolaevich; Grand Dukes George and Alexander Mikhailovich; Grand Dukes Kirill, Boris and Andrei Vladimirovich, as well as for Alexander and Konstantin Petrovich of Oldenburg, for Prince Peter Alexandrovich of Oldenburg, Duke Eugene Maximilianovich of Leuchtenberg71. Any officer of the Imperial Guard considered it obligatory for himself to have his uniform sewn from “old man Nordenström.” Through the workshop of N.I. Almost all wealthy guards officers who “built” their uniforms passed through Nordenström, the supplier of the Imperial Court.

Coronation dress of Alexandra Feodorovna and uniform of Nicholas II

"Blue" (identified by the color of the uniform) cuirassier B.C. Trubetskoy wrote in his memoirs: “Every day after the exercises I went to St. Petersburg, where my first duty was to visit the venerable Nordenström, the famous St. Petersburg military tailor... there I endlessly tried on the officer’s jacket, frock coats, uniforms, tunics, coats, the Nikolaev overcoat, short and long leggings and chakhchirs with stripes for the parade, for living rooms and for everyday life”72.

For the coronation of Nicholas II in 1896, a special uniform was sewn; it is currently kept in the Armory Chamber of the Moscow Kremlin in the collection of coronation clothes of Russian monarchs. Since the coronation ceremony included the very significant sacrament of anointing, special holes were made on the uniform and boots for performing the sacrament. The uniform had a flap on the chest; by folding it back, one could anoint the emperor’s naked chest with myrrh. As the valet who dressed Nicholas II before the coronation recalled: “The uniform and soles of the sovereign’s boots had pre-made holes through which the sacrament of anointing was performed. Having changed clothes, the sovereign ordered to remove the uniform and boots, which were to be kept as a shrine and as a historical relic.”73

Russian emperors, like ordinary people, got used to certain clothes and had difficulty parting with them. The same thing happened with Nicholas II. He wore the same things for years, preferring patched and darned, but familiar details of the toilet. This, of course, made life difficult for his valets. Like all Romanovs, he passionately loved military uniforms. Hundreds of military uniforms were stored in his wardrobes, some of them can now be seen in the Alexander Palace of Tsarskoye Selo. By 1917, up to 1,500 of the emperor’s uniforms were stored in ash cabinets in Nicholas II’s dressing room in the Alexander Palace of Tsarskoye Selo. In fact, he was supposed to have a complete set of uniforms for all regiments of the Russian army. During ceremonial exits, he put on the uniform of the regiment that was on guard duty at the imperial residence at that time. Nevertheless, Nicholas II preferred the uniform of the Preobrazhensky and Life Hussars74. With pleasure, Nicholas II wore the crimson blouse of the Guards Riflemen.

There were other, incomparably smaller expenses for clothing, but they show how wide the circle of people involved in the personal service of the emperor was. So, in 1902, the Cossack of the Own Convoy, Platon Monastyrsky, “corrected” the Tsar’s Circassian coat and beshmet in the uniform of his Own Convoy and received 10 rubles for the work.

Character and behavior

Many traits in the behavior of Nicholas II are due to his childhood. Several episodes from childhood and adolescence played a significant role in the formation of the king’s personality. Nicholas II remembered them many years later. Thus, little Nicholas was deeply impressed by the episode with ball lightning that flew into the palace church during the service. He saw that Emperor Alexander II remained completely calm during this incident, and the desire to imitate his grandfather forced him to consciously develop extraordinary self-control75. On March 1, 1881, the 12-year-old future Nicholas II looked at his dying grandfather, covered in blood, Alexander II, fading away in his office on the second floor of the Winter Palace. He was certainly shocked, and this sight was also deposited in the deep layers of his personality. In October 1888, the 19-year-old Tsarevich almost died during a train accident near the Borki station near Kharkov. In May 1891, an attempt was made on Nikolai Alexandrovich’s life in Japan, which left a “notch” on his head.

Emperor Nicholas II. E.K.Litart. 1900

Nicholas II did not immediately acquire the skill and habit of countless public appearances and appearing in public as the first person of the state. At first, this caused him real stress. However, over time, the skill was acquired, but, nevertheless, despite his outward calmness and “impenetrability,” he, like any person, was nervous, and “outwardly the embarrassment of the sovereign was expressed, for example, in the well-known constant stroking of his mustache and scratching left eye"76. This persistent internal uncertainty of the tsar, despite the outward “impenetrable” calm, was noted by many attentive memoirists, especially those who could observe the tsar for a long time in his daily life. Thus, one of the General Headquarters recalled that “these features of the sovereign were revealed externally by nervous twitching of the shoulders, rubbing of the hands and excessively frequent coughing, which was then accompanied by the unconscious smoothing of the beard and mustache with the hand”77.

Gradually, Nicholas II developed a certain “defensive” manner of behavior, which became part of his business style: “All gestures and movements of Emperor Nicholas II were very measured, even slow. This feature was inherent in him, and people who knew him closely said that the sovereign was never in a hurry, but was never late for anything.”78

Since every word of the emperor was carefully listened to, Nicholas II realized early on that the consequences of the most, in his opinion, harmless remarks could turn out to be very serious. Therefore, he was very rarely frank with his interlocutors; he preferred to listen, keeping his opinions to himself. He did not want to argue, to prove what seemed completely obvious to him. Many people mistakenly took the emperor’s silence for agreement with their opinion and then experienced severe disappointment when the emperor acted as he considered necessary. Then conversations immediately began about the king's duplicity. People who knew the tsar closely unanimously noted his “ability to control himself and hide his inner experiences. In the most dramatic moments of his life, outer calm did not leave him.”79

The king's calmness and restraint in stressful situations remained a mystery to his contemporaries and gave rise to a wide variety of rumors. Restraint in behavior and assessments, in imitation of his grandfather, was formed by him consciously from childhood, and then became a mask, so fused with himself that it was difficult to separate the developed fatalism of his nature and consciously hidden emotions. Aide-de-camp A. Mordvinov (his father-in-law was the Englishman K.I. Heath, the tutor and teacher of the young Tsarevich) also emphasized that “even as a boy he almost never got excited or lost his composure”80.

Government activity is inevitably associated with resolving complex, conflict situations. It is common knowledge that the king tried to avoid them. This is explained in different ways. Some write about his upbringing, which prevented him from saying unpleasant things to his dignitaries, others see in this a manifestation of a kind of double-mindedness and Jesuitism. For example, S.Yu. Witte, who did not have any special sympathy for the tsar, noted that “the sovereign is by nature an indifferent optimist. Such persons feel a feeling of fear only when a thunderstorm is in front of their eyes, and as soon as it moves behind the nearest door, it instantly passes”81. Minister of Public Education A.N. Schwartz wrote that “he never seemed to be angry. I myself have never seen his anger, and I have never heard of its manifestations from others.”82 Minister of War A. Roediger believed that “despite the difficult days that befell him, he never lost his composure, always remained even-tempered and friendly, an equally diligent worker. He told me that he is an optimist.”83

The king’s behavior in stressful situations is especially noteworthy. During his reign, quite a few of them arose. But wars are events that shake any power to its foundations. On the day the Russo-Japanese War began, Minister of War A.N. Kuropatkin wrote in his diary: “January 28, 1904. At the report on the 27th, the sovereign was pale, but calm”84. The Ambassador of the German Empire, Count Pourtales, who informed the Tsar about the declaration of war in 1914, also noted this extraordinary self-control; it even gave him the impression of some kind of mental anomaly: “On July 31, 1914, the Tsar calmly listened to me, without betraying the slightest movement of a muscle, what’s going on in his soul….I got the impression that my tall interlocutor was either gifted with self-control in an extraordinary manner, or had not yet had time, despite my very serious statements, to comprehend the full gravity of the situation that had arisen”85.

The king's behavior during the abdication caused a lot of talk. The most frequently quoted phrase is from the official historiographer of General Headquarters, General D.N. Dubensky, said during interrogation in August 1917: “He is such a fatalist that I cannot imagine... he abandoned the Russian throne, just as he surrendered the squadron”86. This ostentatious calm deeply offended many and, in turn, forced them to take a calm view of the death of the Tsar himself and his family in the summer of 1918. But at the same time, the general, who had encountered the Tsar only since 1914, considered it necessary to add: “I think , many psychologists will write about this, and it will be difficult for them to find out; but to conclude that this is an indifferent person would be incorrect.”

The impression of the tsar’s excessive calm deeply struck A.I., who accepted the text of the renunciation. Guchkova. During interrogation at the Extraordinary Investigative Commission established by the Provisional Government, on August 2, 1917, he shared his observations: “In general, I must say that this whole scene made a very difficult impression in one respect, ... that it immediately occurred to me: yes, we have Are we dealing with a normal person? I've always had doubts about this before, but this scene; she convinced me even more deeply that this man simply, until the last moment, was not fully aware of the situation, the act that he was committing... it seemed to me that these people should have understood that they were dealing with a person , which cannot be considered normal in all respects”87.

Not everyone shared this opinion. Those who knew the tsar well for many years wrote that this “unbreakable” calm was just a mask. They emphasized that in order to maintain this familiar mask, the king sometimes needed serious volitional efforts. Baroness S.K., who knew him well. Buxhoeveden recalled that “restraint was second nature to him. Many asked: was he fully aware of the tragedy of some events? – his attitude was so calm, his expression was so secretive. In fact, it was a mask."88 A. Blok quotes the words of General D.N. Dubensky: “When he talked to Frederiks about Alexei Nikolaevich, one on one, I know, he still cried”89.

The king allowed only his closest people to see his real experiences. The Tsar’s younger sister Ksenia wrote in her diary that after a reception in the Winter Palace in April 1906 on the occasion of the opening of the sessions of the First State Duma: “Many cried! Mom and Alyx cried, and poor Nicky stood in tears, his self-control finally left him, and he could not stop himself from crying! A very characteristic remark from the sister is “finally.” Apparently, the sovereign’s excessive calm oppressed even the people closest to him90. Anna Vyrubova mentions in her memoirs that when the Tsar returned to Tsarskoye Selo after his abdication on March 9, 1917, he “cryed like a child in front of his wife”91. She also conveys the words of the king: “You see, all this excited me very much, so that for all the following days I could not even write my diary”92. One of the tsar’s biographers, E.E. Alferyev, in the very title of his book, expressed the idea of ​​his extraordinary will. He wrote that “through constant hard work on himself, he developed superhuman self-control and never expressed his experiences in any obvious way. By nature, the Sovereign was very closed... Ignorance gave rise to misunderstanding”93.

This external and emotional “closedness” of the tsar also had objective reasons: too many people in conversations with him were looking for the slightest manifestations of any emotions, on the basis of which they could judge Nicholas II’s attitude to their words. The Tsar wanted to maintain complete privacy of his thoughts and sentiments regarding the views and arguments of his next interlocutor, in order to avoid any gossip and retain a certain freedom of maneuver. And for this purpose the mask of impenetrable calm was unusually well suited. In general, such behavior was atypical for Russian monarchs, because due to their position they could not afford to restrain their emotions, and “royal anger” was generally an integral part of their “royal profession.” Therefore, P.A. Stolypin and burst out one day: “Be angry for once, Your Majesty!”

Soviet historians of the 1920s who dealt with this issue agreed that this calmness was the result of the tsar’s special psycho-emotional make-up. For example, P.E. Shchegolev stated: “Nikolai’s sensitivity was extremely reduced, it was below the level required for a normal person”94.

It seems to us that there is no reason to talk about any mental anomaly. Such restrained behavior is the result of many years of volitional efforts that have become a habit and become the second person. In addition, the tsar’s religiosity, bordering on fatalism, also contributed to a certain detached view of the events taking place, and the image of a calm, self-controlled tsar impressed those around him. But he was impressed only in conditions of stability. In a situation of impending collapse, clearly felt by many contemporaries, this excessive calm was perceived as lack of will, as a mental anomaly, which in turn undermined the prestige of imperial power.

Protopresbyter of the Russian Army and Navy G.P. writes about the pathological impression of the “impenetrable” calm of the Tsar. Shavelsky. In his memoirs, he cites a very interesting phrase of Nicholas II, uttered in July 1916 in a conversation with Foreign Minister S.D. Sazonov: “I, Sergei Dmitrievich, try not to think about anything and find that this is the only way to rule Russia. Otherwise I would have been in a coffin long ago.”95

The degree of influence of the monarch on his closest employees is very important. It is common knowledge that Nicholas I and Alexander III possessed a distinct charisma of power. This charisma was based both on their character and on their “professional-official” ability to subjugate. As for Nicholas II, he had an inner conviction in the divinity of his power, but the intelligent tsar considered it unnecessary to convince anyone of this. Therefore, he responded to all attempts to argue with him with silence, and then, after a while, “removed” the arguer from the political arena. Those who worked directly with the Tsar were convinced that the Tsar was “weak.” According to V.I. Gurko, on the one hand, Nicholas II “did not know how to instill his will in his employees,” but on the other, “his employees were not able to convince the tsar of anything and impose their way of thinking on him”96. What was tragic for the fate of Russia was that at the head of a huge empire “at the turning point” was a man who did not have “that inner power that conquers people, forcing them to obey unquestioningly”97.

Concluding the conversation about the characteristics of the king’s character, I would like to cite one little-known fact, which again raises difficult questions. Nicholas II, like his grandfather and father, was a passionate hunter. According to the procedure adopted by the Ministry of the Court, at the end of each hunting season a final list of royal hunting trophies was compiled. Thus, in this list of Nicholas II, along with traditional bears, bison, deer, and wolves, crows, stray cats and dogs were constantly present. And in huge quantities. Thus, according to the author’s calculations, in just six years (1896, 1899, 1900, 1902, 1908, 1911) the tsar shot 3,786 “stray” dogs, 6,176 “stray” cats and 20,547 crows98. It is difficult to understand why the king needed these unfortunate dogs and cats, where and how he shot them. Was this not a kind of outlet for the deeply hidden aggressiveness of the outwardly meek king?

We look at “lumbersexual” portraits of the 19th century together with Sofia Bagdasarova.

Lumbersexual (from the English lumberjack - “lumberjack”) - a brutal man with a beard. Nowadays, a beard is a symbol of masculinity, a way to emphasize your own individuality and stand out from the crowd. In the middle and second half of the 19th century in Russia, a beard was also worn in order to show the difference of its owner from others.

At that time, only completely “free” people could afford not to shave - those who were not in the service of the state. (And even representatives of the simple classes - the clergy, merchants, peasants and Old Believers.)

For others there were special laws and rescripts. Under Nicholas I, only officers could wear mustaches, and officials were required to shave their entire faces smoothly. Only after getting a promotion could they afford short sideburns - and then only if their superiors were favorable.

“At the same time, His Majesty deigned to command: not to allow any oddities in both the mustache and sideburns, ensuring that the former are not below the mouth, and the latter, if not connected with a mustache, then also not below the mouth, shaving them on the cheeks against him."

Facial hair for a capital resident was considered a sign of freethinking and was not approved by the authorities. By the second half of the 19th century, intellectuals and representatives of the liberal public began to intensively grow beards. As the famous memoirist Elizaveta Nikolaevna Vodovozova writes, “they did not want to resemble, as they put it then, like ‘bureaucrats’ or ‘chinodralovs’; they did not want to bear the official stamp.” Growing a beard was a clear challenge to total government control.

After retiring, clean-shaven artillery lieutenant Lev Tolstoy grows a beard - one of the most recognizable in Russian art. Petrashevets Alexey Pleshcheev, exiled as a simple soldier to the Orenburg battalion, upon returning from exile, soon develops magnificent facial hair. A graduate of the Naval Cadet Corps, Vasily Vereshchagin, having gone into civilian life and completely devoted himself to painting, happily joins the ranks of bearded men. There are countless examples. A beard meant belonging to a “free” profession - writer, journalist, artist, architect; “barefoot” face - the presence of demanding bosses with stupid rules.

In the same era, Slavophilism was spreading: among thinking people, this meant a return to the “old Russian traditions” in fashion. They recalled that before the law of Peter the Great of 1705 “On shaving the beards and mustaches of all ranks of people, except priests and deacons, on collecting a duty from those who do not want to comply with it, and on issuing badges to those who paid the duty,” a beard was a mandatory sign of a real Russian person .

This was combined with a pan-European fashion trend: mustaches, sideburns and beards became a popular accessory for Victorian men in the 1850s. It is believed that this was facilitated by the long residence of the British among mustachioed Indians, as well as the Crimean War and the massive return of overgrown veterans. Before this, in Europe, facial hair was also considered a symbol of revolutionary spirit and political provocation.

The state’s position regarding beards softened in the Russian Empire only from the era of Alexander III, who himself preferred the “official nationality” and wore a beard. In 1874, an order was issued “On permission for civil officials to wear a beard and mustache, with the exception of employees in certain institutions...”. In 1881, vegetation was officially permitted by naval officers. Nicholas II followed the example of his father - however, he failed to grow an equally luxurious beard.

In the 21st century, bearded men are back in trend.

Thanks to the variety of beard types, it will not be difficult for a modern man to choose a model that will optimally match the features of his face and organically complement the overall style. Nowadays beard fashion is free from conservatism and open to experimentation. But, nevertheless, there are classic types of haircuts that are a stylistic guideline and a starting point for the most daring experiments. Our experienced craftsmen will select the beard shape that best suits you.

Three-day stubble

Stylish and bohemian look with the illusion of casualness. The key word in this case is “with illusion.” The line between sexy stubble and unkempt neglect is a very thin one. Such a beard requires careful care and constant maintenance: the hair on the cheekbones should be carefully shaved, as well as on the neck.

The model that is most popular among modern men, largely due to its maximum naturalness and minimal control. Moreover, according to one study, this is the type of beard that most women prefer.

Stubble covers the upper lip, chin, cheeks and neck. The optimal length is formed in 10-15 days. A short, full beard can, without a doubt, add masculinity and maturity to your look.

While wearing a long, full beard was once the prerogative of older people, this style remains available to men of all age groups. A beard goes well with both an artsy hipster style and a strict, classic look without any frills.

Evening beard

Ultra-short beard option. In fact, this is a one- or two-day stubble 0.5 - 1 mm long, with neatly shaved cheekbones and neck.

Goatee

This popular style consists of a mustache that extends downwards, surrounding the mouth and forming an elongated tuft on the chin. The length of the beard itself can vary as desired.

Van Dyck

The model was named after the Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck. The artist at the court of the English king Charles I introduced the fashion of wearing a curled mustache and a straight beard. Following the painter, such a model began to be worn first in England, and then throughout Europe. Now the name “French beard” is also assigned to it.

Mush

A small tuft of hair under the lower lip. The name comes from the French La mouche - fly. The model became popular in Europe during the Baroque era (XVI and XVII centuries), in the circles of court youth. A small tuft of hair under the lower lip was neatly cut in the shape of a triangle, less often a crescent or a rectangle, often complemented by a small mustache.

Anchor

Anchor-shaped model. This is a variant of a short-cropped beard that lengthens slightly towards the chin, thus forming a pointed end. The model is complemented by a strip of hair under the lip. A classic combination is an anchor beard and a pencil mustache.

Balbo

Today, few people remember Italo Balbo, a military and political figure in Italy during the Mussolini era, but many know the model of the beard he wore. In general terms, this is a variation of the anchor, but with longer stubble and a wider stripe under the lower lip.

Brett or Hollywood beard

A model that became a popular trend in the 30s thanks to the light hand of American actors. This is a medium-length beard that covers the chin and lower jaw, but does not meet the sideburns.

Beard in the style of Nicholas II

A wedge-shaped beard combined with a thick, slightly curled mustache. The fashion canon of the early 20th century was revived by hipster culture 100 years later - at the beginning of the 21st century.

We can say that a beard and mustache are the main accessory of people with unconventional thinking, real individuals who have always stood out from the crowd. The mustaches and beards of Nicholas 2, Lenin and other famous personalities will forever remain in history.

The beard has long been considered a symbol of courage and masculine strength. Perhaps that is why almost every great personality, prominent political figure, and revolutionary had beards or mustaches. Let's take a closer look at which famous bearded men left a serious mark on world history (in our opinion).

Albert Einstein

The great scientist, founder of modern theoretical physics, no doubt a well-read and intelligent man, also preferred a mustache to his clean-shaven face. It is probably now even difficult to imagine what Einstein would have looked like without his mustache, which complemented his lush gray hair.

Freddie Mercury

Without a doubt, the great singer, who left behind many hits, had remarkable charisma. There was fire in every song, and his manner of performance still gives me goosebumps today. A thick black mustache adorned Mercury’s upper lip when he was already mega popular and became his characteristic feature.

Clark Gable

This great actor, the sex symbol of cinema of the 30s and 40s, is rarely remembered by film fans. But it’s impossible to forget his striking pencil mustache and slight squinting of his eyes. The ideal style of the “King of Hollywood”, a real man’s womanizer, was for a long time assigned to the name of Clark Gable. A narrow thin strip of hair above the upper lip was always neatly trimmed and complemented the image of a real “macho” conqueror of women’s hearts.

Joseph Stalin

The great dictator, whom everyone feared during his reign, left behind a bloody trail in the history of mankind. Thousands of people killed, millions of people and “enemies of the people” exiled to camps, constant repressions and high-profile reprisals. This great ruler became famous for such exploits. One thing we can say is that his oriental blood and lush mustache were the nightmares of many people.

Salvador Dali

Historians claimed that this man was strange and somewhere close to madness, so his mustache was also far from standard. With such a long, sticking mustache, it was hardly possible to get a job as a teacher or financier in a decent office. Such non-standard facial hair on the great artist simply obliged him to paint surreal paintings that were on the verge of human understanding.

Nikita Mikhalkov

For reference! The great Soviet and Russian actor, director and producer. He starred in cult films, and his mustache won many women's hearts.

And today in Russia it is Mikhalkov who is considered a role model among actors who listen to his opinion and consider him a wise and important person in cinema. His images were always courageous and strong, and the mustache was an integral part of them.

Che Guevara

It was this noble revolutionary and underground worker who was also distinguished by his stern appearance and bearded face. Naturally, in the conditions of the revolution, he had no time to twirl in front of the mirror and shave his cheeks clean every day. Only severity, only revolution!

Vasily Chapaev

Division Chief Chapaev's full, lush mustache would be the envy of any fashionista today. Not every man, leading a healthy lifestyle and properly caring for his facial hair, can boast of the same results. Chapaev's mustache is a trend! Naturally, genes play a big role, and Chapaev apparently couldn’t take away testosterone!

Semyon Budyonny

This great military leader left a big mark on Soviet military history. He proved himself to be a fearless, brave and intelligent warrior. At the same time, he loved wearing a bushy mustache. His appearance cannot be confused with anyone, and Budyonny’s mustache is his calling card. Perhaps such lush facial hair added to the military man’s courage and desire for victory.

Nicholas II

Important! Russian Emperor Nicholas II was smart and calm, he became the first global peacemaker. He loved port wine and dreamed of moving the capital to Yalta.

These historical facts are not known to everyone, they were not written about in history textbooks. The sovereign's thick, full beard looked royal. Although in youthful photos Nikolai is depicted with a thin small mustache. There are many facts about the strength, courage of this ruler and his great mind. He did a lot for Russia and this cannot be denied.

Lenin

The great revolutionary did not wear a beard or mustache until 1917. Lenin’s beard appeared closer to the time of mass uprisings, at which time the leader looked the way he is depicted in all portraits. The great historical figure was able to lead the people to revolution and coup, which is not so easy, so his power and influence on people cannot be denied. There are many opinions, but there is no arguing about fortitude, intelligence and a beautiful beard.

All these great people with beards or mustaches left an important mark on the history of revolutions, culture, cinema, and music. They all had charisma, masculinity and fortitude. Sometimes, it’s even difficult to imagine how much they carried on their shoulders and how they coped with everything on their own. Perhaps beards and mustaches did not play a big role in history, but they definitely influenced the character of men!