Research Catalog

Title

The secret order of assassins : the struggle of the early Nizârî Ismâʻîlîs against the Islamic world / Marshall G.S. Hodgson.

Author

Hodgson, Marshall G. S.

Publication

Philadelphia : University of Pennsylvania Press, 2005.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

ix, 352 p.; 24 cm.

Summary

"The sect known as "the Assassins," a corruption of an Arabic word that means hashish smoker, is familiar to the West as a mystical cult of killers led by the "Man in the Mountain" encountered by the Crusaders." "Marshall Hodgson's first major book, The Secret Order of the Assassins remains the most complete history of the Assassins. Beginning the story with the separation of Sunnis and Shi'ites and the rise of Ismailism, an offshoot of Shi'ism, Hodgson traces the long and complex history of power struggles within Islam that led ultimately to the separation of the Nizari Ismailis and their direct challenge to Muslim leadership. Hodgson goes on to explain the principles of the movement, provides an examination of their sacred texts, and follows the history of the group from the pinnacle of power in the mid-eleventh century to its legacy in the form of small pockets of followers in parts of contemporary Syria and India. Long out of print and appearing for the first time in paperback, this book is an illuminating study in the history of Islam."--Jacket.

Uniform Title

Order of assassins

Alternative Title

Order of assassins

Subject

Assassins (Ismailites)

Note

• Originally published: 's-Gravenhage : Mouton, 1955, under title: The order of assassins.
• Based in part on the author's thesis, University of Chicago.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [329]-334) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

I. Introduction : the Ismaili heritage -- Pt. 1. The onslaught against the Saljuqs -- II. Hasan-i Sabbah and the Ismaili crisis -- III. The Nizari revolt -- IV. War with the Saljuqs : decisive phase -- V. The Nizari state -- VI. Reaction of the Islamic world -- Pt. 2. The gospel of the Qiyama -- VII. Stalemate and a new start : Hasan 'Ala Dhikri-hi s-Salam -- VIII. The preaching of the Qiyama -- IX. Qiyama times in Syria : Rashid ad-Din Sinan -- X. Rapprochement with Sunnism : the Satr -- XI. The last generation of freedom -- XII. The failure of the Nizari venture -- App. I. The popular appeal of the Qiyama : commentary and translation of the Haft Bab-i Baba Sayyid-na -- App. II. Hasan-i Sabbah's doctrine : translation from Shahrastani.

ISBN

0812219163 (pbk. : alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2005042218

OCLC

• 57722569
• SCSB-12190270

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library