Archduke Franz Ferdinand and World War I

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot and killed while driving in an open car in Sarajevo. This event set off a chain of events that led to World War I.

Franz Ferdinand was the brother of Emperor Franz Josef, and he was third in line to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, he was not as powerful as his uncle and it was unlikely that he would ever become Emperor.

Ferdinand was raised in a conservative environment and he enjoyed spending time outdoors, tending to flowers. He was also a passionate botanist.

Rudolf, Franz Ferdinand's only son, was born on August 21, 1887. He was not as successful as his father and he was eventually forced to abdicate the throne in 1916.