| [CHAPTER I.] |
State of the World in the Seventh Century—Western
Empire—Eastern Empire—Persia—Arabia—Mohammed—His
probable Motives—Character of his Religion—The
Koran | 13 |
| [CHAPTER II.] |
Origin of the Khalifat—The first Khalifs—Extent of the
Arabian Empire—Schism among the Mohammedans—Soonees
and Sheähs—Sects of the latter—The Keissanee—The
Zeidites—The Ghoollat—The Imamee—Sects
of the Imamee—Their political Character—The
Carmathites—Origin of the Fatimite Khalifs—Secret
Society at Cairo—Doctrines taught in it—Its Decline | 24 |
| [CHAPTER III.] |
Ali of Rei—His son Hassan Sabah—Hassan sent to
study at Nishaboor—Meets there Omar Khiam and
Nizam-al-Moolk—Agreement made by them—Hassan
introduced by Nizam to Sultan Malek Shah—Obliged
to leave the Court—Anecdote of him—His own account
of his Conversion—Goes to Egypt—Returns to
Persia—Makes himself Master of Alamoot | 43 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] |
Description of Alamoot—Fruitless attempts to recover it—Extension
of the Ismaïlite Power—The Ismaïlites
in Syria—Attempt on the Life of Aboo-Hard Issa—Treaty
made with Sultan Sanjar—Death of Hassan—His
Character | 56 |
| [CHAPTER V.] |
Organization of the Society—Names given to the Ismaïlites—Origin
of the name Assassin—Marco Polo's description
of the Paradise of the Old Man of the
Mountain—Description of it given by Arabian writers—Instances
of the obedience of the Fedavee | 66 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] |
Keäh Buzoorg Oomeid—Affairs of the Society in Persia—They
acquire the Castle of Banias in Syria—Attempt
to betray Damascus to the Crusaders—Murders committed
during the reign of Keäh Buzoorg | 84 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] |
Keäh Mohammed—Murder of the Khalif—Castles gained
in Syria—Ismaïlite Confession of Faith—Mohammed's
Son Hassan gives himself out for the promised Imam—His
followers punished—Succession of Hassan—He
abolishes the Law—Pretends to be descended from the
Prophet—Is murdered | 93 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] |
Mohammed II.—Anecdote of the Imam Fakhr-ed-deen—Noor-ed-deen—Conquest
of Egypt—Attempt on the
Life of Saladin | 102 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] |
Sinan the Dai-al Kebir of Syria—Offers to become a
Christian—His Ambassador murdered by the Templars—Cardinal
de Vitry's Account of the Assassins—Murder
of the Marquis of Montferrat—Defence of King
Richard | 114 |
| [CHAPTER X.] |
Jellal-ed-deen—Restoration of Religion—His Harem makes the
Pilgrimage to Mecca—Marries the Princess of Ghilan—Geography of
the Country between Roodbar and the Caspian—Persian Romance—Zohak
and Feridoon—Kei Kaoos and Roostem—Ferdoosee's Description of
Mazanderan—History of the Shah Nameh—Proof of the Antiquity of
the Tales contained in it. | 131 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] |
Death of Jellal-ed-deen—Character of Ala-ed-deen, his
successor—The Sheikh Jemal-ed-deen—The Astronomer
Nasir-ed-deen—The Vizir Sheref-al-Moolk—Death
of Ala-ed-deen—Succession of Rukn-ed-deen,
the last Sheikh-al-Jebal | 148 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] |
The Mongols—Hoolagoo sent against the Ismaïlites—Rukn-ed-deen
submits—Capture of Alamoot—Destruction
of the Library—Fate of Rukn-ed-deen—Massacre
of the Ismaïlites—St. Louis and the Assassins—Mission
for the Conversion of the People of Kuhistan—Conclusion | 156 |