The Romanov family was the second and last dynasty to rule Russia, governing the country for just over 300 years from the 17th century until the early 20th century. Tsar Nicholas II was the last reigning emperor, serving from 1894 to 1917. In 1917, Russia experienced a period of significant upheaval known as the Russian Revolution. The citizens were dissatisfied with the existing political and economic order, particularly the autocratic rule, which faced criticism for its inefficiency and corruption. As a result of the political unrest during the Revolution, Tsar Nicholas II was forced to abdicate the throne. Despite his abdication, the fear of autocratic rule persisted, leading Bolshevik revolutionaries to execute Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family on July 18, 1918.

After his forced abdication in 1917, Tsar Nicholas II and his family were placed under house arrest at a palace in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg.) The Russian government was placed under a provisional government, but the lack of Constitutional authority made it ineffective. The Bolshevik revolutionaries, who opposed the autocratic rule and were led by Vladimir Lenin, eventually seized power over the provisional government and established Russia as the first communist state.  After this, the Romanov family was moved from Petrograd to Yekaterinburg in 1918. 

Tsar Nicholas II and his family, which included his wife, Alexandra, and their five children, were relocated to a house in Yekaterinburg owned by a Bolshevik military member, often referred to as the “House for Special Purposes.” The family was placed under house arrest there for three months before they were taken to the basement of the home and executed by firing squad. Initially, the Bolshevik revolutionaries denied that the entire family had been killed, claiming that only Tsar Nicholas was executed to mark the end of the Romanov reign. However, the remains of the family were eventually discovered in 1979.