The last Tsar of Russia before the Bolshevik Revolution was Nicholas II. His reign lasted from 1894 until his abdication in 1917 amid World War I and the ensuing social unrest. Nicholas II's inability to address the country's growing economic problems, military failures, and the influence of figures like Rasputin contributed to widespread discontent. Following his abdication, he and his family were placed under house arrest, and they were eventually executed by Bolshevik forces in 1918. His downfall marked the end of the Romanov dynasty, which had ruled Russia for over three centuries.