On 28 June 1914 the heir to the Austria-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie were assassinated in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a Slav nationalist. This is seen as the spark that ignited the already heightened tensions in Europe.
Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary was a major issue in the region. Serbia particularly bitterly resented this annexation as they were pushing for Slavic independence. Intense nationalistic sentiment was also sparked in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was in the city in 1914 visiting Sarajevo was a provocation to all south-Slav nationalists. It provided an opportunity take revenge on Austria.
28 June was the anniversary of the Battle of Amsefelde (Kosovo). In 1389, Serbia was defeated by the Turks and this marked the end of Serbian independence, and the start of their oppression under the Ottoman Empire. Serbia's national day marked this anniversary. Serbia also, as the largest independent south-Slave state, saw itself as the champion of the nationalistic movement in the region. Austria-Hungary wanted to end Serbian independence due to this, demonstrating hostility and towards Serbia's and its support for nationalistic movements within the Austria-Hungary Empire. The heir to the Empire visiting on this specific day was certain to provoke the Serbians.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph and became heir to the throne after the suicide of his son in 1889. He was not a popular man, considered brutal, bad-tempered, and stubborn. There were also questions about his mental stability. He had also chosen to go against tradition by marrying a woman who was not of royal blood and who, as a result, was snubbed at court.
Franz Ferdinand was a field marshal and Inspector-General of the Austro-Hungarian army. In June 1914 he arranged to go on an inspection tour of the army in Bosnia. This included a reception at the town hall in Sarajevo on 28 June, their wedding anniversary.
Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria-Hungary was a major issue in the region. Serbia particularly bitterly resented this annexation as they were pushing for Slavic independence. Intense nationalistic sentiment was also sparked in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As a result, the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary was in the city in 1914 visiting Sarajevo was a provocation to all south-Slav nationalists. It provided an opportunity take revenge on Austria.
28 June was the anniversary of the Battle of Amsefelde (Kosovo). In 1389, Serbia was defeated by the Turks and this marked the end of Serbian independence, and the start of their oppression under the Ottoman Empire. Serbia's national day marked this anniversary. Serbia also, as the largest independent south-Slave state, saw itself as the champion of the nationalistic movement in the region. Austria-Hungary wanted to end Serbian independence due to this, demonstrating hostility and towards Serbia's and its support for nationalistic movements within the Austria-Hungary Empire. The heir to the Empire visiting on this specific day was certain to provoke the Serbians.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the nephew of Emperor Franz Joseph and became heir to the throne after the suicide of his son in 1889. He was not a popular man, considered brutal, bad-tempered, and stubborn. There were also questions about his mental stability. He had also chosen to go against tradition by marrying a woman who was not of royal blood and who, as a result, was snubbed at court.
Franz Ferdinand was a field marshal and Inspector-General of the Austro-Hungarian army. In June 1914 he arranged to go on an inspection tour of the army in Bosnia. This included a reception at the town hall in Sarajevo on 28 June, their wedding anniversary.
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip was a nineteen year old Bosnian. Studying in Belgrade, he was exposed to committed Serbian nationalists. With his friends Nedeljko Cabrinovic and Trifko Grabez, Princip conceived a plot to assassinate the archduke after reading of his upcoming visit. It was to be an act of revenge against Austria-Hungary and part of the fight for Slavic nationalism. The boys received help from the Serbian secret society known as the Black Hand.
Colonel Dragutin Dimitrijevic was a leading figure in the Black Hand and also the head of Military Intelligence of the Serbian General Staff. His nickname in the Black Hand was Apis (the Bee). Despite being a Serbian official, the Serbian government was unaware of the conspiracy and Dimitrijevic's role in it. Dimitrijevic arranged guns and bombs to be supplied to the conspirators and for their secret border crossing into Bosnia. In Bosnia, the trio linked up with other like-minded individuals on their journey towards Sarajevo. |
The Assassination
Along the Duke's route towards a reception in the Sarajevo town hall , were 22 young assassins armed with guns and bombs. Cabrinovic threw a bomb at the car which bounced off, blowing up behind and injuring several people. Cabrinovic swallowed cyanide and jumped in the river. Unfortunately, the river was almost dry and the cyanide didn't work, and as such he was arrested. Next was Grabez's turn. Both Princip and Grabez did not act when the car passed them. After the reception, a wrong turn meant that their car had to stop in order to reverse. Princip, who happened by chance to be nearby, took his opportunity to step forward and fire two shots from close range, hitting Sophie in the stomach and Franz Ferdinand in the neck. Both died within minutes.
Afterwards riots broke out in Sarajevo as rumours of Serbian involvement in the crime spread. Serbian homes and businesses were attacked and looted. 24 conspirators were tried in an Austrian court in October 1914. Due to Princip's age he was legally considered a minor at the time of the assassination and was sentenced to hard labour, dying in 1917 of tuberculosis. Cabrinovic andI Grabez likewise were sentenced to 20 years, both dying before the end of the war. Many other conspirators were executed. In 1917 Colonel Dimitrijevic and other members of the Black Hand were executed in Serbia for allegedly planning the assassination of the Serbian crown prince. The last survivor conspirator died of old age in 1990.
The Austrian government were never able to prove the Serbian government's knowledge and involvement in the assassination.
Afterwards riots broke out in Sarajevo as rumours of Serbian involvement in the crime spread. Serbian homes and businesses were attacked and looted. 24 conspirators were tried in an Austrian court in October 1914. Due to Princip's age he was legally considered a minor at the time of the assassination and was sentenced to hard labour, dying in 1917 of tuberculosis. Cabrinovic andI Grabez likewise were sentenced to 20 years, both dying before the end of the war. Many other conspirators were executed. In 1917 Colonel Dimitrijevic and other members of the Black Hand were executed in Serbia for allegedly planning the assassination of the Serbian crown prince. The last survivor conspirator died of old age in 1990.
The Austrian government were never able to prove the Serbian government's knowledge and involvement in the assassination.