When his people were in despair, Nicholas ignored their plight and spent time with his family. When his people needed him, the Tsar of all the Russians needed the isolation of the imperial cathedral and Alexander Palace, his church and home in Tsarskoe Selo (the tsar's village).

Although Nicholas was out of touch with the common people and the intelligentsia, he had the support of the aristocracy for most of his reign. But there came a time when even that support eroded. There came a time when a wandering charismatic "monk" named Gregory Efimovich Novyk entered the life of the royal family. Most folks called him "Rasputin." Most historians today think his presence significantly contributed to the downfall of the Tsar.