Imperial and Royal Military Administration in Serbia Imperial and Royal Military Administration in Serbia The K.u.k. Military Administration in Serbia (German: K.u.k. Militärverwaltung in Serbien) was the Austro-Hungarian military administration in the Kingdom of Serbia from 1915 to 1918. It was formed by the Central Powers during World War I. On 28 June 1914 Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. This led to the diplomatic July Crisis between Austria-Hungary and the Kingdom of Serbia which ultimately led to a declaration of war by Austria-Hungary on July 28. The first Austro-Hungarian forays into Serbia began in August. After disappointing results at the Battle of
Emperor of Austria in 1875. As Ferdinand I had no sons, his brother Francis Charles would have become emperor, but was persuaded by his wife to pass over the right of succession to their son, Francis Joseph. He accepted the duty of the Emperor of Austria without having been Crown Prince or "Thronfolger" before. Francis Joseph's only son Rudolf committed suicide in 1889, Francis Joseph's brother Karl Ludwig died in 1896. Karl Ludwig's son Franz Ferdinand became heir presumptive to the throne. He was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1914; due to his morganatic marriage, his son had no rights to the throne.