RUSSIA TRANSFORMED
19 FEB 1861
Serfdom is brought to an end across the Russian empire by the reigning tsar, Alexander II. But although peasants are no longer forced to live under the control of wealthy landowners, many become trapped in dire poverty, paying for their land.
1 MAR 1881
A member of the radical ‘People’s Will’ group assassinates Alexander II in St Petersburg. He is succeeded by his son, Alexander III, who enacts anti-terror measures that limit civil rights and freedom of the press.
8 MAY 1887
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (who
