The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, is widely recognized as the immediate catalyst that sparked the beginning of World War I. His assassination, executed by Gavrilo Princip of the Serbian nationalist group known as the Black Hand, intensified existing tensions among European powers and alliances. Following the assassination, a series of political maneuvers, ultimatums, and declarations of war between major European powers unfolded, culminating in a full-scale global conflict. This event marked the ignition of a war that would change the course of history, leading to significant political, social, and economic transformations worldwide.