Ultimatum of July 23, 1914

The ultimatum of July 23, 1914, was a diplomatic note the Austro-Hungarian ambassador in Belgrade delivered to the Serbian Minister of Finance, the sole member of the royal government present in the capital that day. The text was drafted with great care by Baron Musulin von Gomirje, a Viennese diplomat. It constituted Austria-Hungary's response to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the thrones of Austria and Hungary, on June 28 of the same year in Sarajevo. This delayed response resulted from an agreement between Austria-Hungary and its principal ally, the German Empire, reached as early as July 7.

Following a period of more than two weeks during which intense negotiations were conducted within the leadership of the dual monarchy, those in favor of initiating a conflict with the Kingdom of Serbia—deemed responsible for the assassination—secured the agreement of their colleagues, who had previously been reluctant to proceed. Subsequently, a subordinate diplomat, renowned for his proficiency in drafting, was assigned the task of formulating the ultimatum. The text was meticulously constructed to appear untenable, thereby ensuring its rejection by the Serbian government. Delivered to Serbian authorities on July 23, the Austro-Hungarian note compelled the Serbian royal government to issue a response, ultimately dismissed by Austro-Hungarian diplomacy.