arding Peter and his reforms were strongly confirmed by
the vigorous persecutions which took place during the earlier years of
his reign. The Nonconformists were constantly convicted of political
disaffection--especially of "insulting the Imperial Majesty"--and were
accordingly flogged, tortured, and beheaded without mercy. But when
Peter had succeeded in putting down all armed opposition, and found that
the movement was no longer dangerous for the throne, he adopted a policy
more in accordance with his personal character. Whether he had himself
any religious belief whatever may be doubted; certainly he had not a
spark of religious fanaticism in his nature. Exclusively occupied with
secular concerns, he took no interest in subtle questions of religious
ceremonial, and was profoundly indifferent as to how his subjects prayed
and crossed themselves, provided they obeyed his orders in worldly
matters and paid their taxes regularly. As soon, therefore, as political
considerations admitted of clemency, he stopped the persecutions, and
at last, in 1714, issued ukazes to the effect that all Dissenters might
live unmolested, provided they inscribed themselves in the official
registers and paid a double poll-tax. Somewhat later they were allowed
to practise freely all their old rites and customs, on condition of
paying certain fines.

With the accession of Catherine II., "the friend of philosophers," the
Raskol,* as the schism had come to be called, entered on a new phase.
Penetrated with the ideas of religious toleration then in fashion
in Western Europe, Catherine abolished the disabilities to which the
Raskolniks were subjected, and invited those of them who had fled
across the frontier to return to their homes. Thousands accepted the
invitation, and many who had hitherto sought to conceal themselves from
the eyes of the authorities became rich and respected merchants. The
peculiar semi-monastic religious communities, which had up till that
time existed only in the forests of the northern and western provinces,
began to appear in Moscow, and were officially recognised by the
Administration. At first they took the form of hospitals for the
sick, or asylums for the aged and infirm, but soon they became regular
monasteries, the superiors of which exercised an undefined spiritual
authority not only over the inmates, but also over the members of the
sect throughout the length and breadth of the Empire.

* The term is derived