Machevallian- the use of cunning or duplicity in state craft or general cunduct.
Though I can't say much one the books until I've read them myself, researching the term "machevallian" can give you are interesting lesson into the history of the French Wars of Religion.
The St. Bartholomew's Day massacre was seen as a product of such after Discours contre Machievel was published by Gentillet in 1576. The massacre featured several targeted assasinations followed by Roman Catholics mobing Huguenots (potestants). The death in the massacre were measured to be in the thousands, though there's varying accounts on the actual number of deaths.
The mob mentality is a frightful thing.
-Yami