The Eagle's Nest: Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria (Ismaili Heritage) [Hardcover]

Peter Willey (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1850434646 | ISBN-13: 978-1850434641 | Publication Date: December 22, 2005

Magnificent castles and fortresses in remote, mountainous regions were built for refuge and defensive purposes by the Ismaili Muslims of Iran and Syria fleeing from persecution during the early middle ages. Often superior in construction to those built by the Crusaders, these castles withstood numerous offensives for over two centuries until the middle of the thirteenth century when most were captured and demolished by the Mongols. Peter Willey describes the discoveries he made during the course of more than 20 expeditions to these Ismaili sites spanning the past forty years. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps and plans. As well as being a piece of original scholarship, it is also a readable personal account of the challenges encountered in expeditions to remote, inaccessible and often hazardous locations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The book brings together the results of a lifetime of investigation by the author into the extraordinary castle-building activities of the Islamic sect the West knew as the Assassins." --Postern

 

"Willey…manages to express the spirit of adventure underlying his missions, the geographical obstacles overcome and the different levels of interaction with the local populations."-- Katia Cytryn-Silverman, Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam

About the Author

Peter Willey is the world authority on the Ismaili castles of Iran and Syria He has written a number of books including The Castles of the Assassins (1963) which is still regarded as the standard work on the subject, and he has contributed to the Encyclopaedia Iranica on Islamic monuments.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris in Association with the Ins (December 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1850434646
• ISBN-13: 978-1850434641
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,469,227 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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