The major political event that occurred in Russia in 1917, leading to the rise of the Bolsheviks, was the Russian Revolution. It consisted of two significant phases: the February Revolution and the October Revolution. The February Revolution led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the establishment of a provisional government. However, dissatisfaction with the provisional government grew, and by October, the Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power in a relatively bloodless coup. This event marked the beginning of communist rule in Russia and had profound global implications.