Passage: "These insinuations, which came from the priests, occasioned the publication of many pamphlets in Moscow, where for tha
t reason alone the tsar was regarded as a tyrant and a pagan; and there were many old Russians who, after having their beards shaved off, saved them preciously, in order to have them placed in their coffins, fearing that they would not be allowed to enter heaven without their beards. As for the young men, they followed the new custom with the more readiness as it made them appear more agreeable to the fair sex. From the reform in beards we may pass to that of clothes. Their garments, like those of the Orientals, were very long, reaching to the heel. The tsar issued an ordinance abolishing that costume, commanding all the boyars [i.e., the nobles] and all those who had positions at court to dress after the French fashion, and likewise to adorn their clothes with gold or silver according to their means.”
Observations by Jean Rousset de Missy regarding appearance requirements for Russians under Peter the Great
QUESTION:
Peter the Great ordered cultural reforms in 18th-century Russia to
A) increase the influence of the Russian nobility and solidify his claim to the throne by engendering the support of powerful elites.
B) prepare Russia for a war with Western Europe by encouraging citizens to better understand European society.
C) encourage citizens to celebrate Russian heritage and traditions and differentiate Russia from traditional European kingdoms.
D) cause Russians to think of themselves as Europeans, not Asians, and endear Russia to Europe, building diplomatic relations.
