Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg
Assassination illustrated in the Italian newspaper Domenica del Corriere, 12 July 1914 by Achille Beltrame
Location	Near the Latin Bridge, Sarajevo
Date	28 June 1913

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were shot and killed in Sarajevo. Franz Ferdinand was the next in line to become the ruler of Austria-Hungary, a large empire in Europe at the time. The person who shot them was named Gavrilo Princip.

Princip was part of a group of seven people who planned the attack. This group wanted to break off the parts of Austria-Hungary where South Slav people lived. They hoped these areas could then join together to form a new country called Yugoslavia. This event was a major cause of World War I, which started just a few weeks later in July 1914. After the assassination, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, and soon many other countries and their allies joined the fight.

The Archduke and His Visit

Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph I, who ruled Austria-Hungary. This meant Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne, meaning he would become emperor after his uncle. He and his wife, Sophie, were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was then part of Austria-Hungary. Their visit on June 28 was for military inspections.

The Assassination Plot

A secret group called the Black Hand helped plan the assassination. This group wanted to free the South Slav people from Austria-Hungary's rule. They believed that killing Franz Ferdinand would help achieve their goal of creating a larger, independent South Slav state. Gavrilo Princip was a young student and a member of this group. He and his fellow plotters waited along the Archduke's planned route through Sarajevo.

The Attack Unfolds

The Archduke's motorcade, a line of cars, was driving through the city. An earlier attempt to attack the Archduke's car with a bomb failed. The bomb bounced off his car and exploded near another car, injuring several people. After this, the Archduke decided to visit the injured people in the hospital.

On the way to the hospital, the Archduke's driver took a wrong turn. By chance, the car stopped right in front of Gavrilo Princip, who was standing on the street. Princip quickly seized the opportunity. He pulled out his pistol and fired shots at the Archduke and his wife. Both Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were hit and died shortly after.

Why It Led to War

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand shocked the world and created a major crisis in Europe. Austria-Hungary was very angry and blamed Serbia for the attack, believing the Serbian government had supported the plotters.

• Ultimatum to Serbia: Austria-Hungary sent a list of demands, called an ultimatum, to Serbia. These demands were very harsh, and Serbia could not agree to all of them.
• Declarations of War: Because Serbia did not fully accept the ultimatum, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, exactly one month after the assassination.
• Alliances Kick In: Many countries in Europe had alliances, which were agreements to support each other in times of war.
  • Russia was an ally of Serbia and began to prepare its army.
  • Germany was an ally of Austria-Hungary and declared war on Russia and then France.
  • United Kingdom then declared war on Germany.
• World War I Begins: This chain reaction quickly pulled most of the major European powers into a massive conflict that became known as World War I. The assassination was the spark that set off the war, but many other tensions and rivalries had been building up for years.

Images for kids

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  Gavrilo Princip outside the courthouse

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  Princip's FN Model 1910 pistol, displayed at the Museum of Military History, Vienna, 2009

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  Crowds on the streets in the aftermath of the Anti-Serb riots in Sarajevo, 29 June 1914

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  The Sarajevo trial in progress. Princip is seated in the center of the first row.

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  Indictees at the Salonika trial, after the verdict

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  Serbien muss sterb[i]en! ("Serbia must die!"; last word altered to rhyme). This old drawing shows Austria crushing an ape-like Serb.

See also

In Spanish: Atentado de Sarajevo para niños