Bald–hairy

Pattern

The bald–hairy pattern holds that a bald or balding Russian state leader is succeeded by a non-bald one, and vice versa, with consistency since 1825 starting from Nicholas I. A possible exception is Georgy Malenkov, who was Premier from 1953 to 1955 but not First Secretary or an uncontested leader.

Other patterns in Russian rulers' successions

From 1682 to 1801, a strict man–woman sequence occurred on the Russian throne: Peter I, Catherine I, Peter II, Anna, Ivan VI, Elizabeth, Peter III, Catherine II, Paul. This ended when Emperor Paul changed succession rules to allow only men. A separate pattern involves the character of death of Russian heads of state from 1730 to 1825 and 1825 to 1924: Anna died, Ivan VI was killed, Elizabeth died, Peter III was killed, Catherine the Great died, Paul was killed, Alexander I died.

After an interruption when Nicholas I suppressed the Decembrists, the sequence resumed with Alexander II killed, Alexander III died, and Nicholas II killed. The pattern briefly continued with Lenin's natural death, but Stalin broke it by dying from a stroke. No subsequent Russian heads of state have been killed since Nicholas II. Among prime ministers since 1999, a similar bald–hairy pattern appears: Stepashin (hairy), Putin (bald), Kasyanov (hairy), Fradkov (bald), Zubkov (hairy), Putin (bald), Medvedev (hairy), Mishustin (bald), valid only if acting prime ministers are excluded.