Today -100: June 30, 1914: Archduke Franz Ferdinand is still dead

The NYT thinks that Austrian reactions to the assassinations yesterday “are likely further to embitter the relations” between Austria and Serbia, and with Serbia’s protector Russia.

The Bosnian (still a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire) Diet convenes to express sorrow at the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Four Serb deputies show up not wearing dark suits (not sure if that includes the president of the Serbian group, who is arrested for inciting the people to sedition).

Someone throws a bomb in Sarajevo, injuring one person slightly, but it sets off an anti-Serb demonstration. Serb homes and businesses are damaged and looted by Croats and Muslims who presumably didn’t really care so much about the archduke and more about fucking with the Serbs. In the afternoon, martial law is declared.

Russian newspapers have been saying some not very nice things about the late Archduke F.F.

The new heir to the Austrian throne is the 26-year-old Archduke Karl Franz Josef, grandnephew of the emperor, which is considered a bit young (Emperor Franz Josef was only 18 when he ascended to the throne, but that was 65 years ago). Also, his career has been military rather than royal, so everyone’s hoping the dottering emperor hangs on for a few more years. Karl F.J. is married to Princess Zita of Parma, and suddenly I’m hungry for Italian food for some reason.

A 20% increase in bread prices in Madrid leads to a good old-fashioned bread riot.

Many of Huerta’s soldiers are deserting for the more lucrative career of pillaging.

Rebels claim to have proof that Huerta is planning to lease large swathes of Baja California to form Japanese colonies.

Pancho Villa may have extorted from Carranza complete control of the rebel military but, it turns out, Carranza kept the ammunition, so Villa has to abandon plans to expand his campaign in the south.

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