landed gentry 

wealthy aristocrats (and/or nobles and/or merchants) living on manorial estates in the countryside and owning slaves or serfs.

Landed gentry, exempt from mandatory military under Catherine The Great of Russia, retired to their estates to live like hedonists; this is part of the reason why Russian society actually degenerated to the point of revolution by 1917.

landed gentry by Uncle Dimma February 18, 2014

landed gentry 

wealthy aristocrats (and/or nobles and/or merchants) living on manors and estates in the countryside and owning slaves (and maybe even state peasants or even serfs)

landed gentry, after mandatory military under Catherine The Great of Russia, retired to their estates to live like hedonist; this is part of the reason Russian society actually regressed to the point of revolution by 1917.

landed gentry by Uncle Dimma September 29, 2013