11th May 1812: British prime minister Spencer Perceval assassinated in the House of Commons

Описание: Spencer Perceval rose to prominence as a lawyer before entering politics, becoming a Member of Parliament in 1796. He aligned with the policies of William Pitt the Younger, and held various ministerial positions including Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. He was appointed prime minister in 1809, where his premiership was marked by significant economic damage associated with the Napoleonic Wars, combined with his own staunch opposition to the slave trade

On 11 May, 1812, Perceval arrived at the House of Commons for a session of Parliament around 5:15pm. As he walked through the lobby, a merchant with grievances against the British government approached him. John Bellingham had suffered financial losses in Russia and blamed the British government for failing to adequately assist him in seeking compensation. Bellingham’s grievances against the government led him to believe that assassinating a government official would draw attention to his case and bring about justice.

Bellingham fired a single shot from a pistol, fatally wounding the prime minister in the chest. Perceval collapsed immediately, and despite efforts to save him, he died shortly afterward. His assassin made no attempt to flee the scene so was quickly arrested, tried, and executed for murder. During his trial, Bellingham showed no remorse and maintained that he had acted out of a sense of justice.

While parliament erected monuments to Perceval, a new ministry under Lord Liverpool gradually began to reverse his policies. Nevertheless, the manner of his death makes him unique as the only British prime minister to have been assassinated.