Whose assassination started World War I?
Quick Answer
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was shot by Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
The Full Story
Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were visiting Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, which Austria-Hungary had annexed in 1908. Earlier that morning, a member of a group of young Bosnian Serb conspirators threw a bomb that bounced off their car. Later, the driver took a wrong turn and stopped right in front of 19-year-old Gavrilo Princip, who fired two shots, killing both the archduke and Sophie. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia and declared war on 28 July 1914. Within about a week, alliances had pulled in Russia, Germany, France and Britain, turning a regional crisis into a world war.
Key Facts
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"One Wrong Turn β The Assassination That Started World War I"