Unfounded complaints of this kind often entailed imprisonment or corporal punishment, but in spite of this the quarrels for precedence were very frequent.  At the commencement of a campaign many such disputes were sure to arise, and the Tsar’s decision was not always accepted by the party who considered himself aggrieved.  I have met at least with one example of a great dignitary voluntarily mutilating his hand in order to escape the necessity of serving under a man whom he considered his inferior in family dignity.  Even at the Tsar’s table these rivalries sometimes produced unseemly incidents, for it was almost impossible to arrange the places so as to satisfy all the guests.  In one recorded instance a noble who received a place lower than that to which he considered himself entitled openly declared to the Tsar that he would rather be condemned to death than submit to such an indignity.  In another instance of a similar kind the refractory guest was put on his chair by force, but saved his family honour by slipping under the table!

The next transformation of the Noblesse was effected by Peter the Great.  Peter was by nature and position an autocrat, and could brook no opposition.  Having set before himself a great aim, he sought everywhere obedient, intelligent, energetic instruments to carry out his designs.  He himself served the State zealously—­as a common artisan, when he considered it necessary—­and he insisted on all his subjects doing likewise, under pain of merciless punishment.  To noble birth and long pedigrees he habitually showed a most democratic, or rather autocratic, indifference.  Intent on obtaining the service of living men, he paid no attention to the claims of dead ancestors, and gave to his servants the pay and honour which their services merited, irrespectively of birth or social position.  Hence many of his chief coadjutors had no connection with the old Russian families.  Count Yaguzhinski, who long held one of the most important posts in the State, was the son of a poor sacristan; Count Devier was a Portuguese by birth, and had been a cabin-boy; Baron Shafirof was a Jew; Hannibal, who died with the rank of Commander in Chief, was a negro who had been bought in Constantinople; and his Serene Highness Prince Menshikof had begun life, it was said, as a baker’s apprentice!  For the future, noble birth was to count for nothing.  The service of the State was thrown open to men of all ranks, and personal merit was to be the only claim to promotion.

This must have seemed to the Conservatives of the time a most revolutionary and reprehensible proceeding, but it did not satisfy the reforming tendencies of the great autocrat.  He went a step further, and entirely changed the legal status of the Noblesse.  Down to his time the nobles were free to serve or not as they chose, and those who chose to serve enjoyed land on what we should call a feudal tenure.  Some served permanently in the military or civil administration,