▁ ▁The ▁less er ▁Lith uan ian ▁nob ility , ▁still ▁partially ▁pres erving ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁language , ▁subsequent ▁to ▁the ▁partitions ▁of ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁left ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Grand ▁Duch y ▁under ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire . ▁The ▁situation ▁w ors ened ▁during ▁the ▁years ▁of ▁t zar ▁Nicholas ▁I ▁of ▁Russia ' s ▁rule . ▁After ▁the ▁November ▁u pr ising ▁imperial ▁officials ▁wanted ▁to ▁minim ize ▁the ▁social ▁base ▁for ▁another ▁potential ▁u pr ising ▁and ▁thus ▁decided ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁noble ▁class . ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 3 – 1 8 6 0 , ▁ 2 5 , 6 9 2 ▁people ▁in ▁Vil na ▁Governor ate ▁and ▁ 1 7 , 0 3 2 ▁people ▁in ▁K ov no ▁Governor ate ▁lost ▁their ▁noble ▁status . ▁They ▁could ▁not ▁prove ▁their ▁status ▁with ▁monarch s ' ▁privileges ▁or ▁land ▁ownership . ▁They ▁did ▁not ▁lose ▁personal ▁freedom , ▁but ▁were ▁assigned ▁as ▁one ▁ste aders ▁ ▁in ▁rural ▁areas ▁and ▁as ▁citizens ▁in ▁towns . ▁ ▁In ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁January ▁U pr ising , ▁imperial ▁officials ▁announced ▁that ▁" L ith u ani ans ▁are ▁Rus si ans ▁s edu ced ▁by ▁Pol es ▁and ▁Catholic ism " ▁and ▁b anned ▁press ▁in ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁language ▁and ▁started ▁the ▁Program ▁of ▁Rest oration ▁of ▁Russian ▁Begin nings . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁time , ▁the ▁Lith uan ian ▁nob ility ▁ ▁increasing ly ▁developed ▁a ▁sense