Archduke Franz Ferdinand

He was born Dec 18, 1863 in Graz Austria. The eldest son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria. At the age of 12 his cousin Duke Francis V of Modena committed suicide, leaving his father to be heir to the throne of Austria. His father turned it down and gave it to Franz. The emperor agreed on the condition that he would add Este to his name. Thus making Franz the wealthiest  man in Austria.

Now before his turn at the throne was to come. Franz joined the Austria-Hungary army at a very young age. Which is common among the young men of the ruling Habsburg line. He was promoted at the age of 14 to Lieutenant, and the promotions kept coming. He was Captain at 22, Colonel at 27, and finally Major General at 31. Never having formal staff training he was still eligible to command and led the 9th Hussar Regiment. In 1898 he was given commission by his Majesty. All military services and agencies had to give Franz full access to their papers. He even exerted influence on the armed forces even when he didn't hold a military command.

Now in 1913 as heir-presumptive he had been appointed Inspector General of all the armed forces of Austria-Hungary. But no matter the accomplishments he had made. He was not a charming man. He was dark in appearance and emotion. One who validated an aura of strangeness and cast a shadow of violence and recklessness. He felt no compulsion to reach out and greet anyone.

The only on he showed any compassion or emotion to was his wife Sophie. Whom he met back in 1894. But he was not allowed to marry her for she was not from a reigning or formerly reigning dynasties of Europe. Even though one of her direct ancestors was Albert IV Count of Hasburg. But the emperor would still not allow it.
That was until Pope Leo XIII, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and the German Emperor Wilhelm II all went to the emperor and argued that the disagreement between him and Franz Ferdinand was undermining the stability of the monarchy. So in 1899 the emperor agreed to let Franz marry Sophie on one condition that none of their descendants would have succession  rights to the throne. Plus Sophie wouldn't share her husband's title or have any of the privileges that came to being married to him. She couldn't even go out in public with her husband.

Maybe that was why he had no emotion for anything. He constantly clashed with the emperor over ideas and never got along with alot of the leaders from other countries. He didn't even like the Hungarian language even though it was the countries language and got angry when the troops spoke it.

So maybe his disposition was the reason no one thought it was a big deal when he was assassinated. The emperor was even glad he was killed. But as time would tell it was a mistake that could not be undone.