Archduke’s Assassination

Definition

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This event is widely considered the catalyst that sparked World War I.

Analogy

Think of the Archduke's assassination as a spark that ignites a pile of dry leaves (the tense political climate in Europe). Just one small spark can set off a huge fire (World War I).

Related terms

Assassination: The act of killing someone, usually for political reasons or other strategic purposes. In this case, it refers to the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.

Franz Ferdinand: He was an Austrian royal figure whose assassination led to the outbreak of World War I. He was next in line to be the Emperor of Austria-Hungary.

Sarajevo, Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo is the capital city where Franz Ferdinand was assassinated. At that time, Bosnia and Herzegovina were under Austro-Hungarian rule but had significant Serbian population who wanted independence or unification with Serbia.