Contents

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Plates and Maps ix
4. 1 The Promise of Death 1
5. 2 Assassins: Birth of a Legend 9
6. 3 A Beginning and a Blueprint: Persia (1090–1100) 18
7. 4 Assassins and Syria: In Search of a Home (1100–1113) 27
8. 5 Assault on Shaizar: Mum’s Army (1114) 50
9. 6 Assassins: A State within a State (1115–1126) 61
10. 7 Templars: The Ideology of Love and Death (1095–1129) 71
11. 8 Templars: ‘A Living Sacrifice’ (1119–1129) 82
12. 9 So It Begins: The Strangest Partnership (1126–1130) 97
13. 10 Assassins: Home Sweet Home (1130–1162) 109
14. 11 Templars: The Little Castle on the Prairie (1130–1169) 122
15. 12 Fear and Loathing in Lebanon (1130–1162) 143
16. 13 Sinan: The Old Man of the Mountain (1162–1170) 151
17. 14 Ambushes and Ambassadors (1170–1174) 168
18. 15 Saladin Must Die: Assassins Take the Lead (1175–1176) 179
19. 16 Saladin Must Die: The Templars’ Turn (1177–1191) 195
20. 17 The Death of Heroes (1192–1193) 209
21. 18 Contest for the Holy Land (1194–1248) 221
22. 19 Egypt, Saints and Sinners (1248–1254) 229
23. 20 Assassins: Holocaust and horror (1255–1291) 246
24. 21 Templars: Death in the East (1255–1291) 265
25. 22 Afterlife: From Intimidation to Entertainment 273
26. 23 Ending and Beginning 292
27. Acknowledgements 294
28. Notes 297
29. References and Further Reading 317
30. Index 326