Lenin, a radical Marxist, led the Bolsheviks in seizing power from the provisional government established after the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II during the Russian Revolution. Nicholas's autocratic rule, exacerbated by economic hardship and military setbacks in World War I, had fueled widespread discontent. Lenin's promise of "peace, land, and bread" resonated with the masses, while his strategic use of violent tactics, such as the Red Terror, helped consolidate Bolshevik control. The abdication of Nicholas II in February 1917 marked the end of over 300 years of Romanov rule and a turning point in Russian history.
