The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 was the spark that ignited World War I. The heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne was killed in Sarajevo by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a nationalist group seeking independence for Slavic peoples from Austro-Hungarian rule. This event triggered a series of political alliances and mobilizations across Europe, leading to a complex web of treaties and ultimatums. The resulting conflict involved many major powers and precipitated a global war characterized by trench warfare and unprecedented destruction. It fundamentally altered the political landscape in Europe and set the stage for major societal shifts.