3. The Assassination Attempt on Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914)
On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in Sarajevo, an event that ignited World War I. Earlier that day, a failed bomb attempt had left the couple unharmed. However, a wrong turn in their motorcade led them directly to Gavrilo Princip, who seized the opportunity to fatally shoot them. This chance encounter underscores how a simple misstep can alter the course of history (history.com).
