In 1855, when Alexander II, son of Nicholas I, came to power as Tsar of Russia he was faced by many problems. Russia, being the backwards place it was needed reform. The gap between the noble class and the peasant class was enormous and causing problems. The serfs were being treated horribly; the legal system and educational system were in desperate need of changes. There were also governmental issues that needed to be addressed. Russia could use as much reform as possible; Alexander II saw these needs and made every effort to fulfill them in the name of fatherland.
In 1859, there were more than 40 million peasants enslaved to either private landowners or the state, others served as servants on the estates of the nobles. These serfs were the private property of their owners, often beaten for no or little reason. They had no freedom; it was up to their owners to consent any proposed marriages. …
