The conflict initiated by the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914 was the First World War. His assassination in Sarajevo triggered a series of alliances and hostilities among major world powers, leading to a full-scale war. The underlying causes included nationalism, militarism, and imperialist competition among European nations. Initially localized, the conflict expanded, involving numerous countries across various continents. The war resulted in unprecedented casualties and widespread destruction. It fundamentally altered the political landscape, contributing to the fall of empires, such as the Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman Empires, and laid the groundwork for the Second World War.