---
title: "Emancipation of Russian Serfs"
year: 1861
country: "Russia"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1861/emancipation-russian-serfs"
slug: "emancipation-russian-serfs"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1861-01-01"
---

# Emancipation of Russian Serfs

> Alexander II's decree freed 23 million serfs and fundamentally restructured Russian society, triggering modernization and social upheaval.

## Summary

The emancipation reform of 1861 in Russia, also known as the Edict of Emancipation of Russia, was the first and most important of the liberal reforms enacted during the reign of Emperor Alexander II of Russia. The reform effectively abolished serfdom throughout the Russian Empire.

## Sources

- [Emancipation of the Russian Serfs in 1861](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_reform_of_1861) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1861/emancipation-russian-serfs