An Austrian Archduke was a member of the royal family of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, specifically the House of Habsburg. The title "Archduke" was used to denote a rank above that of a duke but below that of an emperor. Archdukes often held significant political power and were involved in the governance of the empire. One of the most notable Austrian Archdukes was Franz Ferdinand, whose assassination in 1914 triggered the outbreak of World War I. The title was abolished after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, marking the end of the monarchy in Austria.