dec 6, 1861 - Tsar Alexander II (1861) The tsar issued the Emancipation Manifesto, which abolished the institution of serfdom and granted liberty to some twenty-three million serfs. This newfound freedom encompassed the right to full citizenship, the right to marry without consent, and the right to own property.
Added to timeline:
Date:
dec 6, 1861
Now
~ 163 years ago