1833 – History of Order of Assassins – Hammer | First French Edition of the Nizari Ismailis

Histoire de l’Ordre des Assassins by Joseph Hammer-Purgstall is a curious and rather unknown history of the medieval sect, Nizari Ismaili. Commonly called the “Assassins”, the Nizari Ismaili was an 11^th-century secret network led by the fabled ‘Old Man of the Mountain’ who were known for their selective and strategic killings and assassinations of political figures. This book is notable for its influential role in framing European views of Islamic mysticism, esotericism, and historical terrorism, and the volume remains a foundational source for those studying the historiography of the Middle East.

This 1833 first French edition of Hammer’s work was published in Paris.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Histoire de l’Ordre des Assassins
• Author(s): Joseph Hammer-Purgstall
• Contributor(s): J.-J. Hellert (Translator); P.-A. de La Nourais (Translator)
• Publisher: Paulin, Paris
• Edition: 1833. First French edition.
• Format: (8vo), single volume
• Binding: Original printed softcover
• Size:  8.5 in x 5.75 in (21.6 cm x 14.6 cm)
• Collation: 367 pp
• Contents Include:
  • Extensive translated excerpts from Arabic and Persian sources
  • Narratives of the “Old Man of the Mountain”
  • Discussion of Nizari political strategies and religious beliefs

Condition:

Very Good. Softcover binding sound, text block tight and secure. Pages uncut, with moderate foxing and scattered spotting throughout. Spine legibly titled with some expected age toning.

Why Collect This?

• First French edition of a foundational Orientalist historical study
• Source material derived from medieval Arabic and Persian manuscripts
• Represents one of the earliest Western accounts of the Nizari Ismailis

Item Number: # 29566