WorldPublished: 25 July 2026 at 10:37
Today in History: Gavrilo Princip Born
On July 25, 1894, Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist whose assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914 sparked World War I, was born.
Today marks the birthday of Gavrilo Princip, born on this day in 1894. He was a Serbian nationalist who fired the fatal shots in Sarajevo in June 1914, killing Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. Those shots became the prelude to the First World War, a conflict that reshaped the global order. Decades later, Princip remains a controversial figure, viewed by some as a freedom fighter and by others as a terrorist. The event he triggered continues to be studied for its profound impact on the 20th century.
