The overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II in Russia was precipitated by the February Revolution in 1917, a key event in the larger context of World War I and domestic unrest. The severe economic difficulties faced by the Russian populace, exacerbated by military losses in the war, fueled widespread discontent among various social classes. Workers, peasants, and soldiers formed councils known as "soviets" that challenged the Tsar's authority. The abdication of Nicholas II followed mass protests and strikes, signaling a rejection of autocracy and leading to a provisional government. This upheaval eventually set the stage for the Bolshevik Revolution later that year.