The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary in June 1914 had profound consequences, as it triggered the outbreak of World War I. The archduke's murder by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group seeking Serbian independence, escalated existing tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. This event set off a chain reaction of alliances and mobilizations, leading to declarations of war among major European powers. The assassination highlighted the fragile state of international relations and nationalism, ultimately resulting in a devastating conflict that altered the global landscape and set the stage for subsequent geopolitical changes in the 20th century.