The Emancipation Reform of 1861 in Russia (Russian: Крестьянская реформа 1861 год, Krestyanskaya reforma 1861 goda, literally: "the Peasant Reform of 1861") was the first and most important of liberal reforms effected during the reign (1855-1881) of Emperor Alexander II of Russia. The reform, together with a related reform[which?] in 1861, effectively liquidated the serf status of peasants of the Russian Empire. In some areas serfdom had been abolished earlier.
The 1861 Emancipation Manifesto proclaimed the emancipation of the serfs on private estates and of the domestic (household) serfs. By this edict more than 23 million people received their liberty. Serfs gained the full rights of free citizens, including rights to marry without having to gain consent, to own property and to own a business. The Manifesto prescribed that peasants would be able to buy the land from the landlords. Household serfs were the worst affected: they gained only their freedom and no land.
In Georgia the emancipation took place later, in 1864, and on much better terms for the nobles than in Russia. State-owned serfs—the serfs on the imperial properties—were emancipated in 1866[1][need quotation to verify] and received better and larger plots of land.