The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the result of a complex set of factors, including:
* The rise of nationalism in the Balkans: The Balkans was a region of Europe that was home to a number of different ethnic groups, each with its own language, culture, and religion. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these groups began to develop a sense of national identity and to seek independence from the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled the region for centuries.
* The Austro-Hungarian Empire's annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina: In 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina, a province of the Ottoman Empire that was predominantly inhabited by Serbs. This annexation angered many Serbs, who saw it as a violation of their national sovereignty.
* The activities of the Black Hand: The Black Hand was a secret society dedicated to the unification of all South Slavic peoples into a single state. The Black Hand was responsible for a number of terrorist attacks against Austro-Hungarian officials in the years leading up to World War I.
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the final straw that led to the outbreak of World War I. The assassination triggered a chain of events that led to the declaration of war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia, and eventually to the involvement of all the major European powers.
Ultimately, the responsibility for the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand lies with Gavrilo Princip and the Black Hand. However, the assassination was also the result of a complex set of factors that had been building up for decades.