Archduke Franz Ferdinand, retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
Although the details of the conspiracy leading up to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand are vague, the Black Hand was deeply involved. The Black Hand provided training, weapons, and assistance in crossing the Serbian border into Bosnia to three young Bosnian's living in Belgrade. One of these three men was Gavrilo Princip. This group was determined to take the life of the archduke, whom they viewed as a symbol of Austro-Hungarian domination. They also saw him as a threat to their dreams of a Greater Serbia, because of his apparent endorsement of equality for the South Slavs within the Hapsburg empire (Lyons, 2000).
In June of 1914, Francis Ferdinand traveled to Bosnia to observe military maneuvers and open a state museum near Sarajevo. His trip was to be concluded by a trip to visit the Bosnian capital on June 28, 1914. This day was known as Vidovan (St. Vitus Day) and represented the anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo in which the Turks crushed the Serbian military, ending Serbia's independence for 400 years. The anniversary amounted to high national feelings (Lyons, 2000).
After mass on June 28, Ferdinand and his party proceeded by train to Sarajevo. At the train station, Governor Oskar Potiorek and six automobiles were waiting. The first car contained three local police officers and the chief officer of local security. The second car carried the Major and the Chief of Police of Sarajevo. The third car was an open sports car with the top folded down, carrying Franz Ferdinand, his wife Sophie, Governor Potiorek, and Lieutenant Colonel Count Franz von Harrack. The first stop in the program was to the military barracks, and at 10:00 am the car was to head to town hall by Appel Quay (New World Encyclopedia).
After mass on June 28, Ferdinand and his party proceeded by train to Sarajevo. At the train station, Governor Oskar Potiorek and six automobiles were waiting. The first car contained three local police officers and the chief officer of local security. The second car carried the Major and the Chief of Police of Sarajevo. The third car was an open sports car with the top folded down, carrying Franz Ferdinand, his wife Sophie, Governor Potiorek, and Lieutenant Colonel Count Franz von Harrack. The first stop in the program was to the military barracks, and at 10:00 am the car was to head to town hall by Appel Quay (New World Encyclopedia).
The car passed the first assassin, Mehmedbasic, without havoc. Mehmedbasic had been equipped with a bomb, but had failed to act. The next assassin, Cubrilovic, failed to act as well. at 10:10 am Ferdinand's car passed the third assassin, Nedeljko Cabrinovic, threw his bomb at the car. The bomb was blocked by Ferdinand's hand and exploded under the next car, wounding 20 people. Cabrinovic swallowed the cyanide pill he and the other assassins were givem, but it was old and only induced vomiting. He was severly beaten by the crowd beofre being taken into custody. The procession sped away towards town hall, and the remaining assassins, including Princip, were unable to ast due to the high speed of the vehicles (New World Encyclopedia).
Following the reception at town hall, Ferdinand changed his planned route and decided to go to the hospital and visit the wounded victims of the bombing. at 10:45 am Ferdinand and Sophie got back in the car, again the third in the processions. After learning the truth about the failed assassination, Princip had gone to a local sandwhich shop (Schiller's delicatessen) to get some food. COming out of the shop, his eyes fell on Ferdinand's car. The open car was trying to reverse after having made a wrong turn, the driver unaware of the change in plan and following the first two cars out of the city. Moving to the right side of the car, Princip fired two shots from his automatic pistol, hitting the Archduke in the jugular vein, and hitting Sophie with an abdominal wound. Both the Archduke and Duchess died 15 minutes later (New World Encyclopedia).
Princip swallowed his cyanide pill, again leading only to induced vomiting. He then tried to turn his pistol onto himself, but was seized and restrained by a man nearby and several policmen. He was arrested and taken to the police station. Princip and seven other men were charged with treason and Franz Ferdinand's murder. Because he was under the age of 20, Princip was imprisoned for the maximum duration of 20 years. He died of tuberculosis on April 28, 1918 (First World War.com).
Following the reception at town hall, Ferdinand changed his planned route and decided to go to the hospital and visit the wounded victims of the bombing. at 10:45 am Ferdinand and Sophie got back in the car, again the third in the processions. After learning the truth about the failed assassination, Princip had gone to a local sandwhich shop (Schiller's delicatessen) to get some food. COming out of the shop, his eyes fell on Ferdinand's car. The open car was trying to reverse after having made a wrong turn, the driver unaware of the change in plan and following the first two cars out of the city. Moving to the right side of the car, Princip fired two shots from his automatic pistol, hitting the Archduke in the jugular vein, and hitting Sophie with an abdominal wound. Both the Archduke and Duchess died 15 minutes later (New World Encyclopedia).
Princip swallowed his cyanide pill, again leading only to induced vomiting. He then tried to turn his pistol onto himself, but was seized and restrained by a man nearby and several policmen. He was arrested and taken to the police station. Princip and seven other men were charged with treason and Franz Ferdinand's murder. Because he was under the age of 20, Princip was imprisoned for the maximum duration of 20 years. He died of tuberculosis on April 28, 1918 (First World War.com).