Why did Tsar Nicholas II fall from power in 1917?

The cause of Tsar Nicholas II downfall is controversial but I believe there are three main reasons for it. Rasputin and the Russian people’s resentment towards his influence over Nicholas contributed significantly. However, world war one was also a discernible cause of the downfall of the Tsar due to the terrible state it left the country in and the negative effects this had on the people. The most important contributing factor to Nicolas’ downfall was himself because he was an ineffective, autocratic ruler who refused to listen to the needs of his people worsening the other factors. Tsar Nicholas was an autocratic ruler who believed in divine right meaning he believed he was God’s representative on Earth, chosen by God to be Tsar; however, he was incompetent and refused to listen. In source 11, Nicholas states ‘I am not prepared to be tsar’ contradicting his belief in divine right and showing he wasn’t ready to be tsar. Nicholas’ military training instead of training to rule may explain his lack of readiness to become tsar. This statement backs up Nicholas’ incompetence as even he knew he wasn’t fit to rule. In the same source, he says ‘I never wanted to become one’ (become Tsar). Nicholas preferred to spend time with his family rather than ruling the country, shown when he says he didn’t want to be Tsar. Source 13 shows the Tsar wouldn’t listen, as the Okrahna, his secret police, sent a report to Nicholas saying ‘the workers here are on the verge of despair’ but he does nothing about it. Bloody Sunday is another example of Nicholas refusing to listen when he could have prevented his downfall. Father Gapon, led 200,000 to the Winter Palace on 22 January 1905 to give Nicholas a petition (source 12) requesting help. The peaceful demonstrators, some of whom carried pictures of the Tsar out of respect, were met by the Cossacks and soldiers who shot at them. Source 5, depicting bloody Sunday, shows a skeleton on a horse wearing the hat, of a Cossack uniform