The Assassins
Aug 2008 · Sold by Basic Books
5.0star
1 review
Ebook
192
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About this ebook
From a master historian, the definitive account of history's first terrorists
An offshoot of the Ismaili Shi'ite sect of Islam, the Assassins were the first group to make systematic use of murder as a political weapon. Established in Iran and Syria in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, they aimed to overthrow the existing Sunni order in Islam and replace it with their own. They terrorized their foes with a series of dramatic murders of Islamic leaders, as well as of some of the Crusaders, who brought their name and fame back to Europe. Professor Lewis traces the history of this radical group, studying its teachings and its influence on Muslim thought. Particularly insightful in light of the rise of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. and in Israel, this account of the Assassins -- whose name is now synonymous with politically motivated murderers -- places recent events in historical perspective and sheds new light on the fanatic mind.
An offshoot of the Ismaili Shi'ite sect of Islam, the Assassins were the first group to make systematic use of murder as a political weapon. Established in Iran and Syria in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, they aimed to overthrow the existing Sunni order in Islam and replace it with their own. They terrorized their foes with a series of dramatic murders of Islamic leaders, as well as of some of the Crusaders, who brought their name and fame back to Europe. Professor Lewis traces the history of this radical group, studying its teachings and its influence on Muslim thought. Particularly insightful in light of the rise of the terrorist attacks in the U.S. and in Israel, this account of the Assassins -- whose name is now synonymous with politically motivated murderers -- places recent events in historical perspective and sheds new light on the fanatic mind.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
1 review
Johnny West
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August 20, 2016
Perhaps the most concise and authoritative book about the Assassins ever written. Highly researched with a smooth flowing timeline about the development of a fascinating and peculiar sect of people that are intricate in the etymology of the word "assassin". This book was so well written that I purchased other books by Bernard Lewis, about the Middle East. The other books I read matched in ease of reading and were all written with a command of the subject. This story flows as if he is there telling it to you, without having to look at notes! There are other books about the Assassins, but if they do not reference this book by Bernard Lewis, then the author is a plagiarist! It is to note, this book is highly referenced, as noted in the bibliography. A side note: I came upon reading this book because it was referenced in Louis L'Amour's, The Walking Drum. In the book, The Walking Drum, Kerbauchard (the main character) meets the Old Man of the Mountain!
About the author
Bernard Lewis (1916-2018), author of What Went Wrong?, The Middle East, The Muslim Discovery of Europe, The Arabs in History, and many other books, was Cleveland E. Dodge Professor Emeritus of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University.
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