God's Assassins

The Medieval Roots of Terrorism

Gavin Baddeley, Paul Woods

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English

Miscellaneous
01 December 2009

History; Social & cultural history; Terrorism, armed struggle; Bargains

Terrorism - the deliberate use of fear as a political tool - is mostly regarded as a modern horror, implemented by bombs, hijackings and assassinations. But the roots of terrorism stretch far back to the Middle Ages, when the forefathers of the modern world's most uncompromising Islamist terrorists, such as al-Qaeda, laid down their murderous creed. According to tales brought back to Europe by Marco Polo, the Grand Master of the Assassins fed his followers with hashish before they were indulged with the sexual favours of young 'houris'. The Assassin was then told he had experienced the heavenly garden of Paradise and would spend all eternity there, provided he lived and died in the service of the sect. In ""God's Assassins"", the authors reinterpret the history and mythology of the Assassins, to create a thought-provoking collision between past and present which includes: the bloody narrative of the Crusades, when East met West in holy war; the history of assassination in furtherance of religious or political ends, and the myth and reality of drugs as a 'mnemonic' to murder; the concept of brainwashing and the belief in creating 'sleeper' assassins; the recreation of Hasan-i-Sabbah as a phantom subversive by cult writer William S. Burroughs; and, the Assassin's creed of modern-day Islamists, with their belief in martyrdom through murder - contrasted with the progressive thinking of the Ismailis, the true descendants of Hasan and his Nizari sect. This vibrant living history is compelling reading for everyone intrigued by the crises of our age. Dispelling the idea of political and religious assassinations as a peculiarly modern phenomenon, ""God's Assassins"" also explores the chilling implications of Hasan-i-Sabbah's legendary dark maxim: 'Nothing is true. Everything is permitted'.

By: Gavin Baddeley, Paul Woods
Imprint: Miscellaneous
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 363g
ISBN: 9780711034099
ISBN 10: 0711034095
Pages: 256
Publication Date: 01 December 2009
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

GAVIN BADDELEY - A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 'Baddeley is quickly becoming the patron saint of gothic journalism because of his humorous, sometimes ironic writing style, his thoroughness, and his obvious interest in the dark cultures.' Journal of Pop Culture Gavin Baddeley is an acclaimed UK author and journalist. A childhood preoccupation with all things dark and grotesque blossomed into a career specialising in devilment and decadence, penning countless articles for diverse publications, ranging from Metal Hammer to Medieval History, and the Observer to Knave. His efforts attracted the attention of San Francisco's infamous 'Black Pope' Anton LaVey, who ordained him as an honorary priest in the Church of Satan. Gavin's expertise has made him a popular speaker in a number of arenas, delivering addresses on Satanism to academic institutions as far afield as Cambridge University and the University of Wisconsin. He has also been employed as a consultant and interviewee on all of the major UK TV stations, acting as the occult authority for Channel 4, talking about Satanic conspiracies on the BBC, Goth on MTV, horror films on Channel 5, and ritual crime on Sky News, as well as serving as onscreen expert on demonic music for the acclaimed big screen feature documentary Metal: A Headbanger's Journey. Gavin is also a familiar face on the film festival circuit, with lectures on cursed celluloid upcoming at the Bram Stoker Film Festival, and vampires and disease at the Abertoir Festival in Wales. The author favours locales with 'old bones' for inspiration, and currently lives in the northern English city of York, where it's said the spectral sandals of long-dead Roman centurions still walk its ancient streets. Gavin Baddeley's books include: Lucifer Rising ('A gilt-edged (oc)cult classic.' NME), Goth Chic ('Goth Chic is an essential handbook for aspiring Goths.' Loaded) Dissecting Marilyn Manson ('Informative and thought-provoking, this belongs on your shelf whether you're a fan or not.' Record Collector), God's Assassins * ('really captures the complexity of Hasan's position in history...a different approach to exploring the diverse echoes one small group of people can have down the centuries.' Fortean Times) The Gospel of Filth ('An occult classic.' The Observer) Saucy Jack * ('Written from a hip, informed perspective... thoroughly enjoyable... I will certainly be keen to snare myself copies of future instalments in this compelling series.' Mudkiss) Goth: Vamps and Dandies ('Book of the Month' Bizarre) Vampire Lovers ('Vampire Lovers is a brilliant resource for fans of the undead in TV and film.' Wondrous Reads) * Co-authored with Paul Woods.