World leaders with the most assassination attempts in history

The very nature of their roles; shaping policies, leading nations, and influencing global events has made them targets for those who oppose their ideologies or seek to disrupt their power.

Here are some of the most notable leaders who survived multiple assassination attempts:

Fidel Castro (638)

Fidel Castro, the revolutionary leader of Cuba, holds the record for the most assassination attempts. The CIA and other adversaries reportedly made 638 attempts on his life. These attempts ranged from exploding cigars to poisoned diving suits.

Zog I of Albania (55)

King Zog I, who ruled Albania from 1928 to 1939, survived 55 assassination attempts. His reign was marked by political instability and numerous enemies, both domestic and foreign, who sought to end his life.

Adolf Hitler (42)

Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany, faced 42 assassination attempts. The most famous attempt was the July 20 plot in 1944, where a bomb planted by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg exploded but failed to kill Hitler.

Charles de Gaulle (31)

Charles de Gaulle, the French military leader and statesman, survived 31 assassination attempts. His leadership during World War II and his subsequent presidency made him a target for various factions, including the OAS (Organisation Armée Secrète), which opposed Algerian independence.

Yasser Arafat (13)

Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), faced 13 assassination attempts. His role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict made him a target for numerous assassination plots.

Queen Victoria (8)

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom survived 8 assassination attempts. Her long reign from 1837 to 1901 saw multiple attempts on her life, reflecting the political and social tensions of the era.

Alexander II (6)

Alexander II of Russia faced 6 assassination attempts during his reign, eventually dying from one. The final successful attempt occurred in 1881 when a member of the "People's Will" threw a bomb at his carriage in St. Petersburg.

Abraham Lincoln (5)

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, faced several threats and 5 assassination attempts during his presidency. The most infamous and successful attempt was on April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathiser, shot Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Lincoln succumbed to his injuries the following morning.

Muammar Gaddafi (5)

During the Libyan Civil War, Gaddafi faced numerous threats from rebel forces. The most notable attempt was his eventual capture and killing on October 20, 2011, by National Transitional Council (NTC) forces in Sirte. He encountered 5 assassination attempts in total.

Joseph Stalin (4)

Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, faced everything from shooting and bombing in 4 attempts. Savely Dmitriev, a soldier, fired at a government car he believed was carrying Stalin in 1942. The vehicle contained Anastas Mikoyan, a Soviet official, who was unharmed.

Vladimir Putin (3)

Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has survived several assassination attempts during his time in power. The president has 3 assassination attempts including a plot to kill him ahead of the 2012 elections. Two men were arrested in connection with that.

Donald Trump (2)

Donald Trump has survived 2 assassination attempts, the most recent occurring during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024.