assassination

May 11: British PM assassinated

11 May 1812: Tory Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was shot dead in the lobby of the House of Commons by John Bellingham. Perceval had been unpopular with the outbreak of the Luddite riots and the commencement of the War of 1812 against the United States of America.

Perceval was the only British Prime Minister to date to be assassinated. Bellingham was hanged a week later. The transcript of the proceedings of the murder trial at the Old Bailey can be found at oldbaileyonline.org.