Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the
heir presumptive
An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question.
...
to the throne of
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary, often referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire,, the Dual Monarchy, or Austria, was a constitutional monarchy and great power in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. It was formed with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of ...
. His
assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Franz Ferdinand was the eldest son of
Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, the younger brother of
Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...
. Following the death of
Crown Prince Rudolf
en, Rudolph Francis Charles Joseph
, caption = Rudolf in 1887
, spouse =
, issue = Elisabeth Marie, Princess Otto of Windisch-Graetz
, house = Habsburg-Lorraine
, father = Franz Joseph I of Austria
, mother ...
in 1889 and the death of Karl Ludwig in 1896, Franz Ferdinand became the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His courtship of
Sophie Chotek, a
lady-in-waiting, caused conflict within the imperial household, and their
morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...
in 1900 was only allowed after he renounced his descendants' rights to the throne. Franz Ferdinand held significant influence over the military, and in 1913 he was appointed inspector general of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces.
On 28 June 1914, Franz Ferdinand and his wife were
assassinated in Sarajevo by the 19-year-old
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip ( sr-Cyrl, Гаврило Принцип, ; 25 July 189428 April 1918) was a Bosnian Serb student who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
Pr ...
, a member of
Young Bosnia
Young Bosnia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Mlada Bosna, Млада Босна) was a separatist and revolutionary movement active in the Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary before World War I. Its members were predominantly ...
. Franz Ferdinand's assassination led to the
July Crisis
The July Crisis was a series of interrelated diplomatic and military escalations among the major powers of Europe in the summer of 1914, which led to the outbreak of World War I (1914–1918). The crisis began on 28 June 1914, when Gavrilo Pri ...
and precipitated Austria-Hungary's
declaration of war against
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
, which in turn triggered a series of events that eventually ledfour weeks after his deathto
Austria-Hungary's allies and
Serbia's allies declaring war on each other, starting World War I.
Early life
Franz Ferdinand was born in
Graz,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, the eldest son of
Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria (the younger brother of
Franz Joseph
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I (german: Franz Joseph Karl, hu, Ferenc József Károly, 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 2 December 1848 until his ...
and
Maximilian
Maximilian, Maximillian or Maximiliaan (Maximilien in French) is a male given name.
The name " Max" is considered a shortening of "Maximilian" as well as of several other names.
List of people
Monarchs
*Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (1459 ...
) and of his second wife,
Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Princess Maria Annunciata Isabella Filomena Sabasia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (Italian: ''Maria Annunziata Isabella Filomena Sabasia, Principessa di Borbone delle Due Sicilie''; 24 March 1843 – 4 May 1871) was a political figure from the House ...
. In 1875, when he was eleven years old, his cousin
Francis V, Duke of Modena
Francis may refer to:
People
*Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome
*Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
*Francis (surname)
Places
*Rural Mu ...
, died, naming Franz Ferdinand his heir on condition that he add the name "Este" to his own. Franz Ferdinand thus became one of the wealthiest men in Austria.
Heir presumptive
In 1889, Franz Ferdinand's life changed dramatically. His cousin
Crown Prince Rudolf
en, Rudolph Francis Charles Joseph
, caption = Rudolf in 1887
, spouse =
, issue = Elisabeth Marie, Princess Otto of Windisch-Graetz
, house = Habsburg-Lorraine
, father = Franz Joseph I of Austria
, mother ...
committed suicide at his hunting lodge in
Mayerling
Mayerling is a small village (pop. 200) in Lower Austria belonging to the municipality of Alland in the district of Baden. It is situated on the Schwechat river, in the Wienerwald (''Vienna woods''), southwest of Vienna. From 1550, it was in t ...
.
[
] This left Franz Ferdinand's father, Karl Ludwig, as first in line to the throne. Karl Ludwig died of
typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...
in 1896. Henceforth, Franz Ferdinand was groomed to succeed to the throne.
![Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este auf Elefantenjagd 1893](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Franz_Ferdinand_von_%C3%96sterreich-Este_auf_Elefantenjagd_1893.jpg)
Despite this burden, he did manage to find time for travel and personal pursuits, such as his circumnavigation of the world between 1892 and 1893. After visiting India he spent time hunting
kangaroo
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern ...
s and
emu
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus '' Dromaius''. The emu ...
s in Australia in 1893, then travelled on to
Nouméa
Nouméa () is the capital and largest city of the French special collectivity of New Caledonia and is also the largest francophone city in Oceania. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and ...
,
New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the island group ...
,
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
,
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
,
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
and Japan. After sailing across the Pacific on the
RMS ''Empress of China'' from
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of T ...
to
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
he crossed the United States, arriving at the
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. The centerpiece of the Fair, hel ...
1893 on the
Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
on a private
Pullman car
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars that were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company (founded by George Pullman) from 1867 to December 31, 1968.
Other uses
Pullman also refers to ra ...
named Mascotte, and staying at the
Lexington Hotel Lexington Hotel or Hotel Lexington may refer to:
* Lexington Hotel (Chicago), now demolished
* Lexington Hotel (New York City)
* Lexington Hotels & Inns, a brand operated by Vantage Hospitality
{{dab ...
, before continuing through to
New York and returning to Europe.
Franz Ferdinand had a fondness for
trophy hunting
Trophy hunting is a form of hunting for sport in which parts of the hunted wild animals are kept and displayed as trophies. The animal being targeted, known as the " game", is typically a mature male specimen from a popular species of collectab ...
that was excessive even by the standards of European nobility of this time.
[Wladimir Aichelburg, ''Erzherzog Franz Ferdinand von Österreich-Este und Artstetten'', Vienna: Lehner, 2000, , p. 31 : – "It is a fact that Franz Ferdinand was an unusually passionate hunter."] In his diaries he kept track of 272,511 game kills, 5,000 of which were
deer
Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...
. About 100,000 trophies were on exhibit at his Bohemian castle at
Konopiště
Konopiště Castle (; german: Schloss Konopischt) is a four-winged, three-storey castle located in Konopiště, now a part of the town of Benešov in Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic. It has become famous as the last residence of Archduke F ...
[ Michael Hainisch, ed. Friedrich Weissensteiner, ''75 Jahre aus bewegter Zeit: Lebenserinnerungen eines österreichischen Staatsmannes'', Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für neuere Geschichte Österreichs 64, Vienna: Böhlau, 1978, , p. 367 : ''"Konopischt ... das einst dem Erzherzoge Franz Ferdinand gehört hatte. Das Schloß ist voller Jagdtrophäen"'' - "Konopiště ... which once belonged to Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The castle is full of hunting trophies."][Neil Wilson and Mark Baker, ''Prague: City Guide'', Lonely Planet City Guide, 9th ed. Footscray, Victoria / Oakland, California / London: Lonely Planet, 2010, ]
p. 237
which he also stuffed with various antiquities, his other great passion.
[Thomas Veszelits, ''Prag'', HB-Bildatlas 248, Ostfildern: HB, 2003, , p. 106. : ''"Jagdtrophäen, Waffen aus drei Jahrhunderten und Kunstschätze füllten die Räume"'' – "Hunting trophies, weapons dating to three centuries, and art treasures filled the rooms."]
Military career
Franz Ferdinand, like most males in the ruling
Habsburg line, entered the
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army (, literally "Ground Forces of the Austro-Hungarians"; , literally "Imperial and Royal Army") was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint arm ...
at a young age. He was frequently and rapidly promoted, given the rank of
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
at age fourteen,
captain at twenty-two,
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
at twenty-seven, and
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
at thirty-one.
While never receiving formal staff training, he was considered eligible for command and at one point briefly led the primarily Hungarian 9th
Hussar Regiment. In 1898 he was given a commission "at the special disposition of His Majesty" to make inquiries into all aspects of the military services and military agencies were commanded to share their papers with him.
He also held honorary ranks in the
Austro-Hungarian Navy, and received the rank of
Admiral at the close of the Austro-Hungarian naval maneuvers in September 1902.
Franz Ferdinand exerted influence on the armed forces even when he did not hold a specific command through a military
chancery that produced and received documents and papers on military affairs. This was headed by and eventually employed a staff of sixteen. His authority was reinforced in 1907 when he secured the retirement of the Emperor's confidant
Friedrich von Beck-Rzikowsky
Friedrich Graf von Beck-Rzikowsky (21 March 1830 – 9 March 1920), sometimes Friedrich Beck, was an Austrian Generaloberst and Chief of the general staff of the Imperial and Royal army from 1881 to 1906.
Beck was born at Freiburg im Breisgau, an ...
as Chief of the General Staff. Beck's successor,
Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf
Franz Xaver Josef Conrad von Hötzendorf (after 1919 Franz Conrad; 11 November 1852 – 25 August 1925), sometimes anglicised as Hoetzendorf, was an Austrian general who played a central role in World War I. He served as '' K.u.k. Feldmarschall ...
, was personally selected by Franz Ferdinand.
Franz in 1913, as heir-presumptive to the elderly emperor, had been appointed inspector general of all the armed forces of Austria-Hungary (''Generalinspektor der gesamten bewaffneten Macht''), a position superior to that previously held by
Archduke Albrecht and including presumed command in wartime.
Marriage and family
![The Austro Hungarian Empire Before the First World War Q81810](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/The_Austro_Hungarian_Empire_Before_the_First_World_War_Q81810.jpg)
In 1894, Franz Ferdinand met Countess
Sophie Chotek, a
lady-in-waiting to
Archduchess Isabella, wife of
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen (Friedrich Maria Albrecht Wilhelm Karl; 4 June 1856 – 30 December 1936) was a member of the House of Habsburg and the supreme commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.
Early life
Fr ...
.
Franz began to visit Archduke Friedrich's villa in Pressburg (now
Bratislava), and in turn Sophie wrote to Franz Ferdinand during his convalescence from
tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...
on the island of
Lošinj
Lošinj (; it, Lussino; vec, Lusin, earlier ''Osero''; german: Lötzing; la, Apsorrus; grc, Ἄψορρος) is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, in the Kvarner Gulf. It is almost due south of the city of Rijeka and part of the P ...
in the
Adriatic. They kept their relationship a secret,
until it was discovered by Isabella herself.
To be eligible to marry a member of the imperial House of Habsburg, one had to be a member of one of the reigning or formerly reigning dynasties of Europe. The Choteks were not one of these families. Deeply in love, Franz Ferdinand refused to consider marrying anyone else. Finally, in 1899, Emperor Franz Joseph agreed to permit Franz Ferdinand to marry Sophie, on the condition that the marriage would be
morganatic
Morganatic marriage, sometimes called a left-handed marriage, is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which in the context of royalty or other inherited title prevents the principal's position or privileges being passed to the spous ...
and that their descendants would not have succession rights to the throne.
Sophie would not share her husband's rank, title,
precedence, or privileges; as such, she would not normally appear in public beside him. She would not be allowed to ride in the royal carriage or sit in the royal box in theaters.
The wedding took place on 1 July 1900, at Reichstadt (now
Zákupy) in
Bohemia; Franz Joseph did not attend the affair, nor did any archduke including Franz Ferdinand's brothers.
The only members of the imperial family who were present were Franz Ferdinand's stepmother,
Princess Maria Theresa of Braganza
Princess Maria Theresa of Braganza, (Maria Teresa Carolina Micaela Ana Josefina Antónia Francisca de Assis e de Paula Brígida Pia Gerardina Severina Inácia Luísa Estanislau Joana Policarpa; 26 January 1881 – 17 January 1945) was a memb ...
; and her two daughters. Upon the marriage, Sophie was given the title "Princess of Hohenberg" () with the style "Her Serene Highness" (). In 1909, she was given the more senior title "Duchess of Hohenberg" () with the style "Her Highness" (). This raised her status considerably, but she was still required to yield precedence at court to all the archduchesses. Whenever a function required the couple to assemble with the other members of the imperial family, Sophie was forced to stand far down the line, separated from her husband.
Franz Ferdinand's children were:
*
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg
Princess Sophie of Hohenberg (''Sophie Marie Franziska Antonia Ignatia Alberta von Hohenberg''; – ) was the only daughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, both of whom were assassinated at ...
(1901–1990), married Count Friedrich von Nostitz-Rieneck (1891–1973)
*
Maximilian, Duke of Hohenberg
Maximilian, Duke von Hohenberg (''Maximilian Karl Franz Michael Hubert Anton Ignatius Joseph Maria''; 29 September 1902 – 8 January 1962), was the elder son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife Countess Sophie Chotek vo ...
(1902–1962), married Countess Elisabeth von Waldburg zu Wolfegg und Waldsee (1904–1993)
*
Prince Ernst of Hohenberg
Prince Ernst of Hohenberg (''Ernst Alfons Franz Ignaz Joseph Maria Anton von Hohenberg''; 27 May 1904 – 5 March 1954) was the second son of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his morganatic wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, who were ...
(1904–1954), married Marie-Therese Wood (1910–1985)
* Stillborn son (1908), buried in
Artstetten Castle
Artstetten Castle (german: Schloss Artstetten, ) is a château near the Wachau valley in Lower Austria, in the community of Artstetten-Pöbring.
History
Artstetten Castle was owned by a number of families over the centuries until it was purchas ...
, near his parents
Franz Ferdinand and Sophie visited England in the autumn of 1913, spending a week with
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...
and
Queen Mary at
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history.
The original c ...
before going to stay for another week with the
Duke of Portland
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
at
Welbeck Abbey
Welbeck Abbey in the Dukeries in North Nottinghamshire was the site of a monastery belonging to the Premonstratensian order in England and after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, a country house residence of the Dukes of Portland. It is o ...
,
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (; abbreviated Notts.) is a landlocked county in the East Midlands region of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west. The trad ...
, where they arrived on 22 November. He attended a service at the local Catholic church in
Worksop
Worksop ( ) is a market town in the Bassetlaw District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located east-south-east of Sheffield, close to Nottinghamshire's borders with South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, on the River Ryton and not far from th ...
. Franz Ferdinand and the Duke of Portland went game shooting on the Welbeck estate when, according to Portland's memoirs, ''Men, Women and Things'':
Character
The German historian Michael Freund described Franz Ferdinand as "a man of uninspired energy, dark in appearance and emotion, who radiated an aura of strangeness and cast a shadow of violence and recklessness ... a true personality amidst the amiable inanity that characterized Austrian society at this time." As his sometime admirer
Karl Kraus put it, "he was not one who would greet you ... he felt no compulsion to reach out for the unexplored region which the Viennese call their heart." His relations with Emperor Franz Joseph were tense; the emperor's personal servant recalled in his memoirs that "thunder and lightning always raged when they had their discussions." The commentaries and orders which the heir to the throne wrote as margin notes to the documents of the Imperial central commission for architectural conservation (where he was Protector) reveal what can be described as "choleric conservatism." The Italian historian Leo Valiani provided the following description.
Political views
![Greater austria](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Greater_austria.png)
Historians have disagreed on how to characterize the political philosophies of Franz Ferdinand, some attributing generally liberal views on the empire's nationalities while others have emphasized his dynastic centralism, Catholic conservatism, and tendency to clash with other leaders.
He advocated granting greater autonomy to ethnic groups within the Empire and addressing their grievances, especially the Czechs in
Bohemia and the south Slavic peoples in
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
and
Bosnia, who had been left out of the
Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. Yet his feelings towards the Hungarians were less generous, often described as antipathy. For example, in 1904 he wrote that "The Hungarians are all rabble, regardless of whether they are minister or duke, cardinal or burgher, peasant, hussar, domestic servant, or revolutionary", and he regarded even
István Tisza as a revolutionary and "patented traitor".
He regarded
Hungarian nationalism
Hungarian nationalism developed in the late 18th century and early 19th century along the classic lines of scholarly interest leading to political nationalism and mass participation. In the 1790s, Hungarian nobles pushed for the adoption of Hungar ...
as a revolutionary threat to the Habsburg dynasty and reportedly became angry when officers of the 9th Hussars Regiment (which he commanded) spoke Hungarian in his presence – despite the fact that it was the official regimental language. He further regarded the Hungarian branch of the Dual Monarchy's army, the
Honvédség, as an unreliable and potentially threatening force within the empire, complaining at the Hungarians' failure to provide funds for the joint army and opposing the formation of artillery units within the Hungarian forces.
He also advocated a cautious approach towards
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hungar ...
– repeatedly locking horns with
Franz Conrad von Hötzendorf
Franz Xaver Josef Conrad von Hötzendorf (after 1919 Franz Conrad; 11 November 1852 – 25 August 1925), sometimes anglicised as Hoetzendorf, was an Austrian general who played a central role in World War I. He served as '' K.u.k. Feldmarschall ...
, Vienna's hard-line Chief of the
Austro-Hungarian General Staff
The Imperial and Royal General Staff (german: k.u.k. Generalstab) of Austria-Hungary was part of the Ministry of War. It was headed by the Chief of the General Staff for the Whole Armed Forces (''Chef des Generalstabes für die gesamte bewaffnete ...
, warning that harsh treatment of Serbia would bring Austria-Hungary into open conflict with
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, to the ruin of both empires.
He was disappointed when Austria-Hungary failed to act as a great power, such as during the
Boxer Rebellion in 1900. Other nations, including, in his description, "dwarf states like Belgium and Portugal", had soldiers stationed in China, but Austria-Hungary did not. However, Austria-Hungary did participate in the
Eight-Nation Alliance to suppress the Boxers, and sent soldiers as part of the "international relief force".
Franz Ferdinand was a prominent and influential supporter of the
Austro-Hungarian Navy in a time when sea power was not a priority in Austrian foreign policy and the Navy was relatively little known or supported by the public. After his assassination in 1914, the Navy honoured Franz Ferdinand and his wife with a
lying in state aboard
SMS ''Viribus Unitis''.
Assassination
![Sarajevo princip bruecke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Sarajevo_princip_bruecke.jpg)
On Sunday, 28 June 1914, at about 10:45 am, Franz Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
, the capital of the
Austro-Hungarian province of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The perpetrator was 19-year-old
Gavrilo Princip
Gavrilo Princip ( sr-Cyrl, Гаврило Принцип, ; 25 July 189428 April 1918) was a Bosnian Serb student who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914.
Pr ...
, a member of
Young Bosnia
Young Bosnia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Mlada Bosna, Млада Босна) was a separatist and revolutionary movement active in the Condominium of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria-Hungary before World War I. Its members were predominantly ...
and one of a group of assassins organized and armed by the
Black Hand
Black Hand or The Black Hand may refer to:
Extortionists and underground groups
* Black Hand (anarchism) (''La Mano Negra''), a presumed secret, anarchist organization based in the Andalusian region of Spain during the early 1880s
* Black Hand (e ...
.
Earlier in the day, the couple had been attacked by
Nedeljko Čabrinović
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, were assassinated on 28 June 1914 by Bosnian Serb student Gavrilo Princip. They were shot at close range while ...
, who had thrown a grenade at their car. However, the bomb detonated behind them, injuring the occupants in the following car. On arriving at the Governor's residence, Franz angrily shouted, "So this is how you welcome your guests – with bombs!"
[Beyer, Rick, ''The Greatest Stories Never Told'', A&E Television Networks / The History Channel, . p. 146–147]
After a short rest at the Governor's residence, the royal couple insisted on seeing all those who had been injured by the bomb at the local hospital. However, no one told the drivers that the itinerary had been changed. When the error was discovered, the drivers had to turn around. As the cars backed down the street and onto a side street, the line of cars stalled. At this same time, Princip was sitting at a cafe across the street. He instantly seized his opportunity and walked across the street and shot the royal couple.
He first shot Sophie in the abdomen and then shot Franz Ferdinand in the neck. Franz leaned over his crying wife. He was still alive when witnesses arrived to render aid.
His dying words to Sophie were, "Don't die darling, live for our children."
Princip's weapon was the pocket-sized
FN Model 1910
The FN Model 1910 is a blowback-operated, semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and manufactured by Fabrique Nationale of Belgium.
Development
The FN Model 1910, also known as the Browning model 1910, was a departure for Browning. Bef ...
pistol chambered for the
.380 ACP
The .380 ACP (9×17mm) ( Automatic Colt Pistol) is a rimless, straight-walled pistol cartridge developed by firearms designer John Moses Browning. The cartridge headspaces on the mouth of the case.Wilson, R. K. ''Textbook of Automatic Pisto ...
cartridge provided him by Serbian Army
Military Intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...
Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colo ...
and
Black Hand
Black Hand or The Black Hand may refer to:
Extortionists and underground groups
* Black Hand (anarchism) (''La Mano Negra''), a presumed secret, anarchist organization based in the Andalusian region of Spain during the early 1880s
* Black Hand (e ...
leader
Dragutin Dimitrijević
Dragutin Dimitrijević ( sr-Cyrl, Драгутин Димитријевић; 17 August 1876 – 24 June 1917), better known by his nickname Apis, was a Serbian army officer and chief of the military intelligence section of the general staff in ...
. Franz Ferdinand's aides attempted to undo his coat but realized they needed scissors to cut it open: the outer lapel had been sewn to the inner front of the jacket for a smoother fit to improve his appearance to the public. Whether or not as a result of this obstacle, his wound could not be attended to in time to save him, and he died within minutes. Sophie also died en route to the hospital.
A detailed account of the shooting can be found in ''Sarajevo'' by Joachim Remak:
One bullet pierced Franz Ferdinand's neck while the other pierced Sophie's abdomen. ... As the car was reversing (to go back to the Governor's residence because the entourage thought the Imperial couple were unhurt) a thin streak of blood shot from the Archduke's mouth onto Count Harrach's right cheek (he was standing on the car's running board). Harrach drew out a handkerchief to still the gushing blood. The Duchess, seeing this, called: "For Heaven's sake! What happened to you?" and sank from her seat, her face falling between her husband's knees.
Harrach and Potoriek ... thought she had fainted ... only her husband seemed to have an instinct for what was happening. Turning to his wife despite the bullet in his neck, Franz Ferdinand pleaded: "''Sopherl! Sopherl! Sterbe nicht! Bleibe am Leben für unsere Kinder!'' – Sophie dear! Don't die! Stay alive for our children!" Having said this, he seemed to sag down himself. His plumed hat ... fell off; many of its green feathers were found all over the car floor. Count Harrach seized the Archduke by the uniform collar to hold him up. He asked "''Leiden Eure Kaiserliche Hoheit sehr?'' – Is Your Imperial Highness suffering very badly?" "''Es ist nichts.'' – It is nothing." said the Archduke in a weak but audible voice. He seemed to be losing consciousness during his last few minutes, but, his voice growing steadily weaker, he repeated the phrase perhaps six or seven times more.
A rattle began to issue from his throat, which subsided as the car drew in front of the Konak bersibin (Town Hall).
Despite several doctors' efforts, the Archduke died shortly after being carried into the building while his beloved wife was almost certainly dead from internal bleeding before the motorcade reached the Konak.
The assassinations, along with the
arms race,
nationalism
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...
,
imperialism,
militarism
Militarism is the belief or the desire of a government or a people that a state should maintain a strong military capability and to use it aggressively to expand national interests and/or values. It may also imply the glorification of the mili ...
of
Imperial Germany
The German Empire (), Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditar ...
and the alliance system all contributed to the
origins of World War I
The identification of the causes of World War I remains controversial. World War I began in the Balkans on July 28, 1914, and hostilities ended on November 11, 1918, leaving 17 million dead and 25 million wounded. Moreover, the Russian Civil ...
, which began a month after Franz Ferdinand's death, with Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia. The assassination of Franz Ferdinand is considered the most immediate cause of World War I.
After his death,
Archduke Karl became the heir presumptive of Austria-Hungary. Franz Ferdinand was buried with his wife Sophie in
Artstetten Castle
Artstetten Castle (german: Schloss Artstetten, ) is a château near the Wachau valley in Lower Austria, in the community of Artstetten-Pöbring.
History
Artstetten Castle was owned by a number of families over the centuries until it was purchas ...
, Austria.
Commemorations
![Franzferdinand40hel1917](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Franzferdinand40hel1917.jpg)
Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his
Castle of Artstetten were selected as a main motif for the Austrian 10 euro
The Castle of Artstetten commemorative coin, minted on 13 October 2004. The reverse shows the entrance to the crypt of the Hohenberg family. There are two portraits below, showing Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
* 18 December 1863 – 20 November 1875: ''His Imperial and Royal Highness'' Archduke and Prince Franz Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia
[ Since 1780 official title used for princes ("''zu Ungarn, Böhmen, Dalmatien, Kroatien, Slawonien, Königlicher Erbprinz''")]
* 20 November 1875 – 28 June 1914: ''His Imperial and Royal Highness'' Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria-Este
Hof- und Staatshandbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie
' (1914), Genealogy p. 2
Honours and awards
Domestic
*
Knight of the Golden Fleece
This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece.
Knights of the Burgundian Golden Fleece
15th Century
!Year of Induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes
, -
, rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , ...
, ''1878''
* Grand Cross of the
Royal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen, ''1893''
*
Military Merit Cross, in Diamonds
* Silver
Military Merit Medal on Red Ribbon
* Long Service Cross for Officers, 2nd Class
* Bronze Jubilee Medal for the Armed Forces
Foreign
See also
*
July Crisis
The July Crisis was a series of interrelated diplomatic and military escalations among the major powers of Europe in the summer of 1914, which led to the outbreak of World War I (1914–1918). The crisis began on 28 June 1914, when Gavrilo Pri ...
*
List of heirs to the Austrian throne This is a list of people who were heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Archduchy of Austria from when Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonw ...
Footnotes
References
Further reading
*
* Fomenko, A. "There Was an Alternative! The Legacy of Franz Ferdinand" ''International Affairs: A Russian Journal of World Politics, Diplomacy & International Relations'' (2009) 55#3 p177-184.
*
*
*
External links
*
Newsreels about Franz Ferdinand's assassination at www.europeanfilmgateway.eu*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Franz Ferdinand Of Austria, Archduke
1863 births
1914 deaths
1914 murders in Europe
Assassinated Austrian people
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Austria-Este
Austrian adoptees
Austrian people murdered abroad
Austrian princes
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Deaths by firearm in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Extra Knights Companion of the Garter
2
2
Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary
Grand Crosses of the Order of the Star of Romania
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
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Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria
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