Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Who did Gavrilo Princip assassinate, setting off World War I?"
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie were assassinated by a Bosnian Serb nationalist named Gavrilo Princip during an official visit to the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. The assassination set off a rapid chain of events, as Austria-Hungary immediately blamed the Serbian government for the attack. As Russia supported Serbia, Austria asked for assurances that Germany would step in on its side against Russia and its allies, including France and possibly Great Britain. On July 28, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, beginning the devastating conflict now known as World War I.