The book is part of the "Making History" series and argues that the invention of the wheel-lock pistol—a lethal, concealable weapon—fundamentally changed the safety of world leaders and the security of nations forever.
Writing for The Times (London) , Jan Morris noted that Jardine’s clearest strength lies in exploring the "abstract implications" of the event, drawing an "ominous line" from the 1584 shooting to modern threats like 9/11. The Awful End of Prince William the Silent: The...
Lisa Jardine’s (2005) is a taut, scholarly examination of a pivotal historical "tipping point": the first-ever assassination of a head of state by a handgun. The Core Narrative The book is part of the "Making History"
The book focuses on the July 1584 murder of William of Orange (William the Silent) in Delft by Balthasar Gérard, a fanatical French Catholic. Jardine explores how this single event reverberated across Europe, particularly devastating William’s ally, Queen Elizabeth I, and sparking a new era of security panic that led to the first laws restricting firearms near royal palaces. The Core Narrative The book focuses on the
While Publishers Weekly called it a "marvelous study," some readers and specialized reviewers found it slightly uneven, noting that the later chapters on the history of pistols and lengthy 17th-century quotes could cause the narrative to "drift". Why It Matters Today
Reviewers from the Omaha World-Herald and The Washington Post praised the book for being "pithy" and "fascinating" without being pedantic.