THE ASSASSINATION OF ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo was the spark that ignited World War I. Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was shot by Gavrilo Princip, a 19-year-old Bosnian Serb nationalist and member of the Black Hand, a group seeking South Slavic independence. The attack occurred during a state visit, with Princip firing two shots, killing both Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie. The assassination inflamed tensions in Europe, where rival alliances, nationalism, and militarism were already simmering. Austria-Hungary, backed by Germany, issued an ultimatum to Serbia, where the plot was linked. Serbia’s partial compliance led to Austria-Hungary declaring war. This triggered a domino effect: Russia mobilized to defend Serbia, prompting Germany to declare war on Russia and France, and invade Belgium, drawing Britain into the conflict. The assassination exposed the fragility of the European balance, plunging the world into war.