Across the ages, nefarious individuals have sought to shape the course of history by eliminating the most powerful figures of the day. Kings, emperors, presidents and prime ministers have all fallen foul of the assassin's blade.

This fascinating compilation explores the men and women behind the murders, their motives, means and mistakes along the way and the legacies of their killings. Sometimes working alone and other times assisted by well-resourced teams sponsored by terrorist groups or foreign governments, these hitmen had an outsized impact on world affairs.

This collection features 50 of the most high-profile assassinations of all time, including those of:

- Julius Caesar, the man killed to protect a republic only to see his great-nephew crowned as emperor;

- Empress Myeongseong, the last Empress of Korea before the Japanese occupation;

- Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose murder set Europe on the course to war;

- John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, whose death generated conspiracy theories for decades to come;

- Indira Gandhi, India's only female prime minister.