The destruction of the Temple, and the subsequent destruction of the national entity of the Jewish people, occurred to a great degree because of warfare among the Jews themselves. The warring groups besieged in Jerusalem destroyed all hopes of victory.
In the midst of all the carnage, the leadership of the Jewish people passed, on a permanent basis, from the hands of political leaders to the hands of religious leaders. And the primary religious leader at the time was the famous Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai, who though a disciple of the great Hillel was not a descendant of Hillel.
The Talmud says that for forty years he was a business man; for forty years he studied Torah; and for forty years he led the Sanhedrin. He served together with Rabbi Shimon ben Gamaliel, who was a descendant of Hillel. Rabbi Shimon disappeared at the beginning of the war. We do not know exactly what happened to him. Most authorities say that he died during the war. It is not clear if he died of natural causes or because of the war. Either way, to a certain extent he abdicated his powers as Nasi (“prince” or “leader”) to Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai.
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