14 Most Significant Assassinations In History - Richard Chibo

From Ancient Rome to the Russian Empire, from India to the United States, the violent deaths of prominent leaders often brought unpredictable changes and had wide-ranging consequences.


1. Julius Caesar (44 BC) -

 Julius Caesar, the Roman general and statesman, was assassinated by a group of senators who were opposed to his growing power and feared he would become a tyrant. His death marked the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire.


2. Archduke Franz Ferdinand (1914) -

 The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary by a Serbian nationalist was the trigger that led to the outbreak of World War I. The event caused a diplomatic crisis that ultimately led to the formation of two opposing alliances and the mobilization of armies across Europe.


3. Mahatma Gandhi (1948) - 

Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian nationalist leader who led the nonviolent resistance against British colonial rule, was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist who opposed his policy of religious tolerance and his advocacy for Hindu-Muslim unity.


4. John F. Kennedy (1963) - 

President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, by Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine who had become disillusioned with the American government. His death had a profound impact on American politics and culture and led to numerous conspiracy theories.



5. Martin Luther King Jr. (1968) -

 Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, by James Earl Ray, a white supremacist. King's death sparked riots in more than 100 cities across the United States and helped to galvanize the civil rights movement.


6. Indira Gandhi (1984) -

 Indira Gandhi, the first female prime minister of India, was assassinated by two of her bodyguards who were Sikh nationalists. Her death led to a wave of anti-Sikh violence across India and a period of political instability.


7. Grigori Rasputin (1916) -

 Grigori Rasputin, the Russian mystic who had become a trusted advisor to the royal family, was assassinated by a group of nobles who believed he was exerting too much influence over the Tsar. His death helped to destabilize the Russian monarchy and contributed to the Russian Revolution of 1917.


8. Abraham Lincoln (1865) - 

President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer who opposed Lincoln's policies during the American Civil War.


9. Leon Trotsky (1940) - 

Leon Trotsky, the Russian revolutionary and Marxist theorist, was assassinated in Mexico City by Ramón Mercader, a Spanish communist who was acting on behalf of Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union.

10. Anwar Sadat (1981) -

 Anwar Sadat, the President of Egypt, was assassinated by Islamic extremists during a military parade in Cairo. His death led to a crackdown on Islamic fundamentalists in Egypt and a shift in the country's foreign policy.


11. Yitzhak Rabin (1995) -

 Yitzhak Rabin, the Prime Minister of Israel, was assassinated by a Jewish extremist who opposed his peace initiatives with the Palestinians. His death led to a period of political instability and set back the peace process.


12. Benazir Bhutto (2007) -

Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was assassinated by a suicide bomber during a political rally. Her death led to a period of political instability and increased violence in Pakistan.


13. Malcolm X (1965) - 

Civil rights leader Malcolm X was assassinated by members of the Nation of Islam, a black separatist group, who were opposed to his political views and his split from the organization.


14. Thomas Becket (1170) - 

Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was assassinated by knights who were acting on behalf of King Henry II of England. His death led to a public outcry and increased the power of the church in England.