1914 - 1918

Archduke Franz Ferdinand heir to the Astro-Hungarian Empire

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On 28 June 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in Sarajevo by 19 year old Gavrilo Princip, a member of Young Bosnians. Franz Ferdinand's assassination led to the 'July Crisis' and precipitated

Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia, which in turn triggered a series of events that eventually led to Austria-Hungary's allies and Serbia's allies declaring war on each other, starting World War I.

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The assassinations, along with the arms race, nationalism, imperialism, militarism of Imperial Germany and the alliance system all contributed to the origins of World War I, which began a month after Franz Ferdinand's death, with

Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia.

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The assassination of Ferdinand is considered the

most immediate cause of World War I.

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Franz and Sophie's tragic love story

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...the Emperor forbade the match. Sophie was banished and Franz ordered to renounce his love. Franz refused. Eventually, Franz swore an oath that he would never raise his wife to be his equal, that she would never be his Empress, and that his children would never be able to 'lay claim to those rights, honours, titles, coats of arms, or privileges' that other Habsburg children would acquire.

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...but in death, they lay side-by-side as equals!

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