The Austro-Hungarian Empire is central to the context of the podcast episodes, as it was the target of the assassination plot that ultimately sparked the outbreak of World War I.

The empire's rule over territories like Bosnia-Herzegovina, and its policies towards the diverse ethnic groups within its borders, are examined as factors fueling nationalist resentment among Serbs like Gavrilo Princip, the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (episode 63551).

Additionally, the origins and early life of Nikola Tesla, the renowned Serbian-American inventor, are discussed in the context of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as it influenced his education and worldview (episode 57736).