Archduke+Franz+Ferdinand

=Franz Ferdinand Karl Ludwig Josef von Habsburg-Lothringen (full name)= Jasmine K.B.



Early Life and Rising Career
Franz Ferdinand was born in Graz, Austria on December 8, 1863. He was the eldest son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and the eldest nephew to the Hapsburg Emperor Franz Josef. " Ferdinand was a big beefy man, a career soldier whose intelligence and strong will usually lay concealed behind a blunt, impassive features and eyes that, at least in his photographs, often seemed cold and strangely empty," (G.J. Meyer, pg. 3) He recieved strict education from private tudors in history and persued a career in the army. He served in the Austrian army, with an infantry regiment in Prague, and with the hussars in Hungary. He also recieved several promotions: captain (1885), major (1888), colonel (1890) and general (1896) (Spartacus Educational). Ferdinand eventualy rose in ranks from second lieutenant to Inspector General. He still enjoyed hobbies including hunting and traveling. In 1889, Emperor Franz Josef's son, Crown Prince Rudolf, had shot himself in a hunting lodge. Ferdinand's father was next in line to the throne. When he passed away in 1896, Ferdinand was next in line as heir to the throne. His career in the military would have to end.

A Controversial Marriage
In 1888 the Archduke met the love of his life at a dance in Prague. Sophie Chotek von Chotkova was a native from Bohemia. Her relations with a noble Bohemian family sparked controversy within the Austria-Hungarian empire. Their marriage in 1900 was denied by the Emperor who claimed that Sophie was, " considered beneath [Ferdinand's] station," (bbc.co.uk). Even the emperors Wilhelm II of Germany and Nicholas II of Russia felt uncertain about the marriage. Eventually the two were allowed to marry. However, their children would be denied secession to the Austria- Hungarian throne. Sophie also could not accompany her husband on any royal carriage or be by his side in the royal box. Sophie on the other hand, still stood valiantly by her husband's side.

Eastern Europe in Chaos
In the eatsern part of Europe were several small nations of different ethnic groups. Of them included Serbia, (the second largest of the countries), Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, and Montenegro. Other nations just referred to the mass of ethnic groups as "Slavs". All of these slavic nations longed for unity and looked to their larger brother, Serbia for help. Serbia did the same for its gigantic brother, Russia. Russia would then decalre its full support for the actions made by the Slavic nations who were under the rule of Austria-Hungary. The slavs resented being ruled over by foreign nations. In the past, these nations were under the control of the once strong Ottoman empire. "By the eighteenth century the Turks, the Austrians and the Russians were entangled in what would turn into two hundred years of bloody conflict in and over the {Slavs}" (G.J. Meyer, pg 13). This was the Balkan wars. Eventually Austria would get its hold over the Balkans or slavs. In attempt to unite all of these nations, a Serbian nationalist group fromed. The Black Hand, it was named, called for the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Soon, several Serbian nationalists were sent out to aasassinate the Archduke, who was planning for a visit to Sarajevo in Bosnia-Hersegovina. However, Serbian Prime Minister Nikola Pasic felt the assassination would lead to a very large war. He tried to stop the assassins but the plan was already set and they were already gone. These Serbian nationalists/assassins were stricken with tuberculosis, a disease that would inevitably end their lives. So they had nothing really to lose.





**Ferdinand's last day in Sarajevo** On June 28, Ferdinand chose to visit Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzgovina. This was a rather unusual chioce of day considering the fact that it was St. Vitus day, the day that the Serbians were defeated by Ottoman Empire. The Turks slaughtered the Serbian army and eventually led to the end of its kingdom. That day was not a good one to celebrate Austria-Hungarian rule over Bosnia-Herzegovina.Ferdinand chose to make this visit in attempt to make his wife, Sophie in the center of attention. Earlier that day, one assassination attempt had been made. A bomb had been thrown into the Archduke's royal car. The bomb exploded inches behind the Archduke and his wife.They still continued their visit. After meeting with the governor, Ferdinand decided to visit the hospital where those injured by the bomb were taken. This was a life threatening decision. The Archduke and his wife now headed toward the hospital, so they thought. The driver had accidentally taken the wrong route that lead away from the hospital. Ferdinand and Sophie realized the driver's mistake and ordered him to turn around. The driver stoppped the car, shifted gears and slowly backed up. He backed the royal car right into the view of Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist and assassin. Quickly taking advantage of his luck, Princip pulled out his revolver and fired twice into the car. The shots hit both the Archduke and his wife. Within minutes, they were dead. After the incident, Princip attempted to kill himself by shooting himself and swallowing a vial of cyanide. Both attempts failed. Princip was later caught and sent to prison where he would eventually succumb to his tuberculosis. He never did mean to kill the Archduke's wife. While in prison he would express regret at Sophie's death which was not intended (G.J. Meyers pg. 8)

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Reactions to the Archduke's Death
Franz Josef would mourn over the loss of his only heir. However, he also was grateful over the Archduke's death claiming that he was a nuisance because of his marriage problem and because of his unpleasantly advanced ideas. These ideas include giving Bosnian Serbs a voice in the governance of the empire (G.J. Meyer pg. 9). Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II also lamented over the Archduke's death. The two were good friends. In Russia, Tsar Nicholas II also mourned the death of the Archduke, but his mind was really focused on the state of his son's health. News of the slain Archduke showed even less interest in Great Britain, France and the United States. The United States insisted on keeping itself isolated from the affairs in Europe. However, the death of the Archduke did not go easily with the Austirans and Hungarians. They immedietely blamed Serbia for the murder. They decided to punish the Serbians with a series of humiliating tasks. Austria-Hungary would then declare was on Serbia. This action would initiate the responses nations in alliances. Mobilization and preparation for war is made. World War One is now set in motion.

Sources/Bibliography

Images [] __ http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWarchduke.htm __

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Book Reference G.J. Meyer, A World Undone, pg 3-13,(2006)