Nashenas, "Ahuye
Mishkin"
Marshall Hodgson, The Order of
Assassins:
an interpretation of the Nizari Isma`ilis as both a peasant revolt and
as a spiritual movement comparable to the Gospel of John, and the
Epistle to the Romans
Other notable apocalyptic adventures:
Munster, and the messianic reign of John of Leyden (16th cent.)
Sabbetai Zwi, the failed Jewish messiah who converted to Islam (17th
cent.)
Book 2: the Assassins'
Paradise
15. Hassan unveils the "New Preaching" [not "prediction" as on
page 90-- faulty translation!]
16. Isma`ilis take Samarkand; Nizam al-Mulk engineers Seljuk
conquest by tricking Terken Khatun
17. Alamut seized by Hassan
18. Nizam al-Mulk prepares for death and defies Malik Shah;
writes Book of Government as a critique of powerful Turkish women
(Terken Khatun) and Isma`ilis
19. Terken Khatun's machinations for her sons; assassination of
Nizam al-Mulk; the hierarchy of Assassins and their methods
20. Malik Shah poisoned by minions of Nizam al-Mulk; Terken
Khatun elevates her four-year-old son to throne and embraces
Isma`ilism; she is strangled before she can kill Barqyaruq
21. Jahan summons Omar, he urges her to flee the palace
22. Omar flees Isfahan; parable of the Panther; Alamut as a
fortress of fanatics; Hassan kills his family
23. Omar reaches Merv at age 66, and starts Observatory, defying
the pious; receives Hassan's invitation to Alamut. Vartan writes
biographical commentary to the poems, and is assassinated, the
manuscript stolen
24. Omar dies in Nishapur, Hassan dies; Isma`ili Imam Hasan II (`ala dhikrihi salam, "on whose
memory be peace") reads the manuscripts and declares the Resurrection;
the end of A.ssassin tactics. The Mongols sack Alamut, and
Juvayni
saves a few books.