Reasons for Emancipation

• Reasons for Emancipation

  The Crimean War

  Alexander II's tutor

  Increase in peasant uprisings

  Pressure from progressive nobles and enlightened bureaucrats
• The Crimean War


  Humiliated Russia and exposed the need to modernise to compete with the Western powers
• Alexander II's tutor


  Romantic poet called Vasily Zhukovsy
• Increase in peasant uprisings


  Intention to avoid a revolution/reform "from below"
• Pressure from progressive nobles


  In close contact with the Tsar's aunt and brother

  Committed to ending serfdom to modernise Russia
• Alexander II's own experiences

  Had seen for himself what life was like for ordinary Russians