Russian Empire
Emperor Alexander II ( 1855–1881 ) promoted numerous reforms , most dramatically the emancipation of all 23 million serfs in 1861 . His policy in Eastern Europe involved protecting the Orthodox Christians under the rule of the Ottoman Empire . That connection by 1914 led to Russia's entry into World War I on the side of France and the United Kingdom against the German , Austro-Hungarian , and Ottoman empires . 
<triplet> emancipation of all 23 million serfs <subj> 1861 <obj> point in time