The Tsar suffered defeats at the front, and the situation in the country was very unstable, so there was increasing talk of the need to remove the Tsar from power. Monarchists defending Nicholas II blamed this situation on Rasputin and Tsarina Alexandra, who completely succumbed to the will of the alleged prophet.
The young monarchists headed by Prince Felix Yusupov lured Rasputin to Yusupov's palace, where he was treated to potassium cyanide-poisoned wine and cake.
