The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, is widely regarded as the spark that ignited World War I. The archduke, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was killed by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group advocating for Slavic independence. This event set off a chain reaction of alliances and political tensions among European powers, resulting in the mobilization of armies and declarations of war. The conflict ultimately led to profound changes in the political landscape of Europe, the dissolution of empires, and significant loss of life, forever altering the course of history.