James Crossland is Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University. He is the author of several books, most recently Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold History of Robert Bruce Lockhart (2024).

'Punctuated by the stories of a host of interesting and extraordinary characters, this is a fascinating exploration of the long nineteenth century’s development of terrorism and counterterrorism, highlighting the role of fear and the paranoia, repression and overreaction it engendered.'Michael Stohl, author of Crime and Terrorism'Applying an innovative historical lens, James Crossland offers a remarkable perspective on the history of terrorism that is not overdetermined by the events of 9/11 and explores a "violent strain of nihilism intoxicated by a whiff of martyrdom". The book reads like the prequel to the National Treasure movie franchise and offers a completely unique understanding of terrorism’s first wave.'Mia Bloom, author of Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror'An engaging book that will entertain a wide audience and will enlighten scholars and undergraduate students about the foremost theorists of terrorist violence in nineteenth-century Europe.'William Meier, H-Net

• Prologue: The prophet of terror1 Three bombs in Paris2 The ‘Moloch of radicalism’3 For those in Hell4 Breakers of worlds5 Insurgents across borders6 Gathering storms7 City of enemies8 Chasing chimeras9 Murder triumphant10 The dynamite lesson11 Thoughts that light fires12 No one is safe13 Of fright and fantasy14 All toward its endEpilogue: OuroborosIndex

James Crossland is Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University. He is the author of several books, most recently Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold History of Robert Bruce Lockhart (2024).

'Punctuated by the stories of a host of interesting and extraordinary characters, this is a fascinating exploration of the long nineteenth century’s development of terrorism and counterterrorism, highlighting the role of fear and the paranoia, repression and overreaction it engendered.'Michael Stohl, author of Crime and Terrorism'Applying an innovative historical lens, James Crossland offers a remarkable perspective on the history of terrorism that is not overdetermined by the events of 9/11 and explores a "violent strain of nihilism intoxicated by a whiff of martyrdom". The book reads like the prequel to the National Treasure movie franchise and offers a completely unique understanding of terrorism’s first wave.'Mia Bloom, author of Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror'An engaging book that will entertain a wide audience and will enlighten scholars and undergraduate students about the foremost theorists of terrorist violence in nineteenth-century Europe.'William Meier, H-Net

• Prologue: The prophet of terror1 Three bombs in Paris2 The ‘Moloch of radicalism’3 For those in Hell4 Breakers of worlds5 Insurgents across borders6 Gathering storms7 City of enemies8 Chasing chimeras9 Murder triumphant10 The dynamite lesson11 Thoughts that light fires12 No one is safe13 Of fright and fantasy14 All toward its endEpilogue: OuroborosIndex

James Crossland is Professor of International History at Liverpool John Moores University. He is the author of several books, most recently Rogue Agent: From Secret Plots to Psychological Warfare, the Untold History of Robert Bruce Lockhart (2024).

'Punctuated by the stories of a host of interesting and extraordinary characters, this is a fascinating exploration of the long nineteenth century’s development of terrorism and counterterrorism, highlighting the role of fear and the paranoia, repression and overreaction it engendered.'Michael Stohl, author of Crime and Terrorism'Applying an innovative historical lens, James Crossland offers a remarkable perspective on the history of terrorism that is not overdetermined by the events of 9/11 and explores a "violent strain of nihilism intoxicated by a whiff of martyrdom". The book reads like the prequel to the National Treasure movie franchise and offers a completely unique understanding of terrorism’s first wave.'Mia Bloom, author of Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror'An engaging book that will entertain a wide audience and will enlighten scholars and undergraduate students about the foremost theorists of terrorist violence in nineteenth-century Europe.'William Meier, H-Net

• Prologue: The prophet of terror1 Three bombs in Paris2 The ‘Moloch of radicalism’3 For those in Hell4 Breakers of worlds5 Insurgents across borders6 Gathering storms7 City of enemies8 Chasing chimeras9 Murder triumphant10 The dynamite lesson11 Thoughts that light fires12 No one is safe13 Of fright and fantasy14 All toward its endEpilogue: OuroborosIndex