Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, reigning from 1894 until his abdication in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. A member of the Romanov dynasty, he presided over the Russian Empire's role in the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War. He and his family were killed by the Bolsheviks in 1918, during the Russian Civil War. His reign was marked by industrial growth and diplomatic activity, but also by unrest, military defeats and widespread criticism of his leadership.