History of Europe

What happened to the archduke and his wife in Sarajevo?

On 28 June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated in Sarajevo by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. The assassination triggered a chain of events that led to the outbreak of World War I.

Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his assassination was a direct threat to the stability of Europe. The Austro-Hungarian government was quick to blame Serbia for the assassination and used it as a pretext to declare war on Serbia. Russia, as an ally of Serbia, then declared war on Austria-Hungary. Germany, as an ally of Austria-Hungary, then declared war on Russia and France.

The assassination of Franz Ferdinand and his wife was a pivotal moment in history that led to the outbreak of one of the most destructive wars in history.