The Ismaili Assassins: A History of Medieval Murder

by James Waterson, David Morgan (Contribution by)

Overview

“A fascinating history . . . The Medieval conflict between Christians and Muslims has many similarities to the Middle East today.”—Firetrench

The Ismaili Assassins were an underground group of political killers who were ready to kill Christians and Muslims alike with complete disregard for their own lives. Under the powerful control of an enigmatic grand master, these devoted murderers often slayed their victims in public, cultivating their terrifying reputation. They assumed disguises and their weapon of choice was a dagger. The dagger was blessed by the grand master and killing with it was a holy and sanctified act; poison or other methods of murder were forbidden to the followers of the sect. Surviving a mission was considered a deep dishonor and mothers rejoiced when they heard that their Assassin sons had died having completed their deadly acts.

Unsurprisingly, their formidable reputation spread far and wide. In 1253, the Mongol chiefs were so fearful of them that they massacred and enslaved the Assassins’ women and children in an attempt to liquidate the sect. The English monarch, Edward I, was nearly dispatched by their blades and Richard the Lionheart’s reputation was sullied by his association with the Assassins’ murder of Conrad of Montferrat.

The Ismaili Assassins explores the origins, actions and legacy of this notorious sect. Enriched with eyewitness accounts from Islamic and Western sources, this important book unlocks the history of the Crusades and the early Islamic period, giving the reader entry into a historical epoch that is thrilling and pertinent.
 
“An inherently fascinating, deftly written, and impressively informative read from beginning to end.”—Midwest Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781783461509
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

James Waterson was born into a London family of Royal Marines and Paratroopers. Fatherly advice however steered him away from a military career and into academia and teaching. He is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London and received his Masters degree from Dundee University. He worked and taught in the United States and China for a number of years and now divides his time between the Middle East and Italy whilst trying to makes ends meet. The Ismaili Assassins is his second book and grew out of his travels in Iran. His first book, The Knights of Islam, a history of the slave soldiers of Islam, was published in 2007 by Greenhill Books. He continues to work at producing a life of the Crusader Bohemond of Taranto but knows it will never be finished.

Table of Contents

List of Maps and Illustrations vii

Acknowledgements ix

Foreword xi

Timeline of Key Events xiii

Genealogical and Succession Tables xix

A Note on Transliteration, Titles and Dates xxii

Maps xxiii

Introduction 1

1 A House Divided: The Origins of the Ismaili Assassins 5

2 Statehood and Separation: The Assassins are Born 35

3 Whetting the Blade: Assassination as War 53

4 New Blood in a New Land: The Assassins in Syria 97

5 The Gathering Tempest: New Enemies for the Persian Mission 127

6 The White Donkey and the War Charger: Sinan and Saladin 151

7 Destruction in the Homeland: The Mongol Conquest of Persia 175

8 Mamluks, Mongols and Crusading Kings: The End of the Syrian Mission 195

9 Both Forgotten and Remembered: The Meaning and The Myth of the Assassins 209

Further Reading 217

Index 219

Editorial Reviews

An inherently fascinating, deftly written, and impressively informative read from beginning to end, "The Ismaili Assassins: A History of Medieval Murder" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Medieval History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Midwest Book Review