The conflict precipitated by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was World War I. The archduke, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, by a Bosnian Serb nationalist. This event triggered a series of alliances and conflicts among major European powers, leading to the widespread war that lasted from 1914 to 1918. The war resulted in tremendous casualties and significant geopolitical changes, ultimately altering the course of history for numerous nations involved.