Count Leopold Berchtold Leopold ( Anton Johann Sigismund Josef Korsinus Ferdinand ) Graf Berchtold von und zu Ungarschitz , Frättling und Püllütz ( , ) ( 18 April 1863 – 21 November 1942 ) , was an Austro - Hungarian politician , diplomat and statesman who served as Imperial Foreign Minister at the outbreak of World War I . Life . Career . Born in Vienna on 18 April 1863 into a wealthy noble family that owned lands in Moravia and Hungary , he was reputed to be one of Austria - Hungary ' s richest men . Tutored at home , he later studied law and joined the Austro - Hungarian foreign service in 1893 . In the same year , he married Ferdinandine ( Nandine ) Gräfin Károlyi von Nagykároly ( 1868 – 1955 ) , the daughter of one of the richest aristocrats in Hungary , in Budapest . He subsequently served at the embassies in Paris ( 1894 ) , London ( 1899 ) and St . Petersburg ( 1903 ) . In December 1906 , Count Berchtold was appointed as the successor of Count Lexa von Aehrenthal as Ambassador to Russia upon the latter ' s appointment as Imperial Foreign Minister . He served with distinction for five years in St . Petersburg and experienced Russia ' s distrust and fear of Vienna . In September 1908 , he hosted a secret meeting between Count Lexa von Aehrenthal and the Russian Foreign Minister Izvolsky at his estate at Buchlovice in Moravia . This meeting produced the so - called Buchlau bargain and led to the Austro - Hungarian annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina . At the death of Count Lexa von Aehrenthal in February 1912 , Count Berchtold was appointed as his successor and thus became at the age of forty - nine the youngest foreign minister in Europe . His appointment came against his own will and despite lack of experience in domestic affairs as well as in military matters . Balkan Wars . As Imperial Foreign Minister , Count Berchtold focused almost exclusively on the Balkans where his foreign policy aims were to maintain peace , stick to the principle of non - intervention and preserve the territorial status quo . The Balkan Wars in 1912 / 1913 , however , quickly made such a policy illusory . At the outset of the Balkan Wars , Count Berchtold pursued a hard - line policy and flirted with the idea of war against Serbia , but vacillated and pulled back from intervention at the last moment . Although he managed to prevent Serbia from securing an outlet to the Adriatic Sea with the creation of Albania , the Balkan Wars resulted in a failure to contain the rising Russian influence in the Balkans and thwart Serbian ambitions for a South Slav state . It meant diplomatic defeat for Austria - Hungary and also a reputation of being weak and indecisive for Count Berchtold . Count Berchtold ' s focus on Serbia was grown out of a fear of Serbian territorial expansion in the Balkans and also a complication of matters within the multinational Dual Monarchy and eventually result in the dissolution of the empire itself . July Crisis . Following the Balkan Wars , the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 was therefore a culmination of the heightened tension between Austria - Hungary and Serbia . If Count Berchtold had been accused of indecisiveness and diffidence during the Balkan Wars , he gave proof of more resolve during the July Crisis . Pushed by the so - called Young Rebels at the Ballhausplatz led by Count Hoyos , his chef de cabinet , Count Berchtold seized the opportunity to launch punitive action against Serbia and deal the country a mortal blow . After having dispatched Count Hoyos on a mission to Berlin on 5 July to secure German support for Austria - Hungary ' s future actions , which resulted in the famous ' blank cheque ' , he became the leading spokesman , together with the Chief of the General Staff General Conrad von Hötzendorf , for war against Serbia during the meeting of the imperial Crown Council on 7 July . Through the moderating influence of the Hungarian Minister - President Count Tisza , who had reservations on the use of force against Serbia , it was decided to present Serbia with an ultimatum . The ten - point ultimatum was presented to Emperor Franz Joseph on 21 July and transmitted to Belgrade on 23 July . Serbia ( conditionally ) accepted all points of the ultimatum but the one that permitted Austro - Hungarian authorities to participate in the investigation of the assassination on Serbian territory . As the ultimatum required acceptance of all ten demands , Serbia ' s refusal forced the Austro - Hungarian government to declare war on Serbia on 28 July . World War I . Once the war had started , Count Berchtold focused his efforts on the question of Italy ’ s participation in the war that would lead to his downfall . The main problem was Italy ’ s demands for territorial compensation from Austria - Hungary in return for remaining in the Triple Alliance . When Rome presented the Ballhausplatz with demands for control over territories in southern Austria - Hungary , Berchtold demurred and refused to offer any Habsburg concessions , especially not in the Trentino . However , Italian Foreign Minister Baron Sonnino succeeded in obtaining vague promises of compensations in South Tyrol from Germany and by the end of 1914 , Count Berchtold informed the Crown Council that the choice was either acceptance of the Italian demands or a declaration of war . Both Count Tisza and General Conrad von Hötzendorf expressed a preference for the latter . Under mounting German pressure , Count Berchtold , however , indicated that he was ready to cede the Trentino and parts of the Albanian coastline . When he informed Count Tisza and General Conrad von Hötzendorf of the concessions he was ready to give , they forced him to resign on 13 January 1915 . At Count Tisza ’ s insistence he was replaced by the more pugnacious Count Burián . Count Berchtold played no further public role during the war although he was appointed Lord High Steward to Archduke Karl , the heir apparent , in March 1916 and became Lord Chamberlain following the latter ' s accession to the throne in November . Count Berchtold had been invested as a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1912 and bestowed with the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Stephen in 1914 . After the war , he retired as a grand seigneur on his estate at Peresznye near Csepreg in Hungary , where he died on 21 November 1942 . He was buried in the family tomb at Buchlau . Assessment . Count Berchtold was described at the time as " intelligent and hard - working " and possessive of a " great personal charm " that made him well - liked at court . Indeed , he possessed all the social graces required at the Hofburg and impressed with his aristocratic background which helps explaining his rapid promotion . However , for the post of Imperial Foreign Minister he lacked both strength of character and broad experience . This contributed to quick reversals of policy which resulted in a foreign policy that was often perceived as inconsistent and vacillating . Many historians have regarded him as indecisive and diffident . However , during the July Crisis this appears not to have been the case as he " commanded and managed the process " on this occasion . His responsibility for the outbreak of the First World War has been much debated by historians . Without a doubt , he played a leading role in the intransigent formulation in the ultimatum of 23 July , the declaration of war on 28 July and the rebuttal of Grey ' s mediation proposal on 29 July . Although he believed that only the defeat of Serbia could preserve the Dual Monarchy , he was , however , not personally a warmonger , as can be said of General Conrad von Hötzendorf . At the same time , his lack of self - confidence at the helm of Austro - Hungarian diplomacy made him susceptible for persuasion by his pro - war personal staff at the Ballhausplatz on whose advice and opinions he was heavily dependent . Although Count Berchtold may have pushed for war , the main question though is whether he understood that a war against Serbia carried the risk of a major European war . It seems , for example , that a Russian intervention was not taken into much consideration by the Austro - Hungarian leaders during the decision - making process . If he did not apprehend the consequences of his policies sufficiently , he was , however , not alone ; as a matter of fact there were few diplomats at the time who actually did . In television . Count Berchtold was portrayed by actor John Gielgud in the 1969 film Oh ! What A Lovely War .