The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in June 1914 triggered World War I. Franz Ferdinand's death and that of his wife, Sophie, were carried out by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group opposing Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia. This event heightened tensions among European powers, leading to a complex web of alliances and mobilizations. Within weeks, various countries declared war on each other, leading to a prolonged conflict that lasted until 1918 and resulted in significant global changes, including the collapse of empires and the emergence of new nations.