Power-Tricks is the Game: Influence of European Dynasties swallowed in World War I?

Abstract

The First World War (WWI) remains one of the most devastating occurrences in human history, resulting in the death of millions of people. The great deal of intricacies it harbours, however, have prompted continuous engagement by historians and academics even after a hundred years (Mulligan, 2016). This paper therefore aimed to examine micropower and how such forces, beyond the traditional causes of World War I, made the four years (1914-1918) war inevitable. Using data from both primary and secondary sources, the paper concluded that European dynasties were not only swallowed by the drive of nationalism, alliances, arms race, diplomacy and individual decision making, but also the myth of their thrones which had greater influence than just a mere family connection.