Vladimir Lenin was a Russian revolutionary leader who helped spark the Bolshevik Revolution. He was born in 1870 to a middle-class family and studied law, becoming involved in Marxist politics. After several exiles from Russia, Lenin fully embraced Marxism and led the Bolsheviks to power in the October Revolution of 1917, establishing the Soviet Union. He faced many challenges in consolidating power and reforming Russia's economy and society, but suffered strokes starting in 1922 and died in 1924, leaving a lasting impact on communism in the Soviet Union.