The Assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand

Austria-Hungary was given control over several small countries in the Balkans region by Otto Von Bismarck, during the Congress of Berlin. This was very upsetting to the people in the region who had fought for many years against the control of Turkey. Discontent over Austrian-Hungarian rule led to the formation of secret societies that wanted to fight for Balkan independence.

Arriving in the turmoil of the region was the nephew of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Francis Ferdinand. The Archduke was next in line to be Emperor of Austria-Hungary once his uncle passed away. Ferdinand and his wife had arrived to watch army maneuvers near Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The maneuvers were designed to show the local people the power of Austria-Hungary.
Upon his arrival in the capital city, the Archduke was met with a large crowd of people. Mixed in with the crowd were members of the Black Hand. The Black Hand was a secret society prepared to fight for independence of Serbia. While at the train station, a bomb was thrown at the Archduke. The bomb missed him, but wounded several of his guards and escorting officers.

The Archduke was quickly driven to the town hall where it was decided that he should leave the city immediately and join the army in the countryside. He departed by car in order to move toward the Austrian-Hungarian army outside of town. While slowing to navigate a sharp corner in the road, a nineteen year-old member of the Black Hand, Gavrilo Princip, jumped from the sidewalk onto the Archduke's car. He quickly fired two shots killing the Archduke and his pregnant wife.

Eyewitness Account
The road to maneuvers was shaped like the letter V, making a sharp turn at the bridge over the River Nilgacka. Franz Ferdinand's car could go fast enough until it reached this spot but here it was forced to slow down for the turn. Here Princip had taken his stand. As the car came abreast he stepped forward from the curb, drew his automatic pistol from his coat and fired two shots. The first struck the wife of the Archduke, the Archduchess Sofia, in the abdomen. She was an expectant mother. She died instantly.

The second bullet struck the Archduke close to the heart.He uttered only one word; Sofia - a call to his stricken wife. Then his head fell back and he collapsed. He died almost instantly. The officers seized Princip. They beat him over the head with the flat of their swords. They knocked him down; they kicked him, tortured him, and all but killed him. He was then taken to the Sarajevo gaol (jail).

Borijove Jevtic
One of the Conspirators
Sarajevo, 28 June 1914