The famous heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne whose assassination triggered World War I was Archduke Franz Ferdinand. His assassination in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group, sparked a series of events that escalated into a complex web of alliances and military mobilizations. This moment marked the beginning of a conflict that would involve multiple global powers, resulting in unprecedented loss of life and geopolitical changes. The impact of Archduke Ferdinand's death was far-reaching, contributing to the dissolution of empires and significant political upheaval in Europe and beyond.