Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
History: KS3, topic 16.2.1
The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
The rivalries between the Great Powers were so intense that Europe was on the brink of war. The trigger was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914 AD in Sarajevo, Bosnia.
The assassination
- Archduke Ferdinand was the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
- 28 June 1914 AD: the Archduke and his wife were in Bosnia, the area annexed by Austria-Hungary. They were there to inspect the army.
- During the visit, the Archduke and his wife were shot by a Bosnian Serb called Gavrilo Princip.
The political response
- The assassination of the Archduke was nothing new for the Austro-Hungarians. Two royals had been assassinated in the past 20 years.
- The difference was how politicians responded in the next six weeks.
Consequences of the assassination
- Austria-Hungary wanted to use the assassination to attack Serbia.
- They believed that the Serbian government had secretly helped the assassins.
Austria-Hungary and Germany
- Austria-Hungary asked for Germany's help to attack Serbia.
- 5 July 1914 AD: Austria-Hungary received full German support in the ‘blank cheque’.
Serbia and Russia
- In response, Serbia asked for Russian support against the threat of Austria-Hungary and Germany.
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