Unknown to Trotsky, the six editors of "Iskra" were evenly split between the "old guard" led by Plekhanov and the "new guard" led by Lenin and Martov. Plekhanov's supporters were older (in their 40s and 50s), and had spent the previous 20 years together in exile in Europe. Members of the new guard were in their early 30s and had only recently emigrated from Russia. Lenin, who was trying to establish a permanent majority against Plekhanov within "Iskra," expected Trotsky, then 23, to side with the new guard. In March 1903 Lenin wrote: