This period introduces Sinan

as yet another strange and terrible Assassin leader.

He had decided that

he was the incarnation of all power and deity,

and that he would live the part.

Sinan was never seen to eat or drink, sleep, or even to spit.

Between sunrise and sunset he stood on a pinnacle of rock,

dressed in a hair-shirt,

and preached his own power and glory to delghted Assassins.

Thus, at one and the same time,

there were two chiefs of the Order,

each busily telling his own followers that he,

and he alone, was God.

Hasan in Persia, Sinan in Syria,

each commanded legions of devoted killers,

all committed by oath to follow his path.

                          Jalaludin

When Mohammed II died,

he was succeeded by his son Jalaludin,

who completely reversed the orders

that the Assassins were to have no outward religious observances.

He felt that he could do a great deal

by adopting the cloak of orthodox piety,

and sent ambassadors far

and wide to announce his maintenance of the true faith.

He went so far as to curse his predecessors publicly,

in order to convince the incredulous

that such a people as the Assassins

could turn over a new leaf.

As a result of what would today

be called a long-term and comprehensive propaganda plan,

he was acknowledged as a religious leader

by half the orthodox monarchs of Islam,

and (the first Assassin to be so styled)

came to be termed Prince Jalaludin.

Jalaludin died in 1203,

after twelve years of leadership of the cult,

handing over to Alaeddin (Aladdin),

a child of nine years of age.

Weak, inefficient, stupid,

Alaeddin made little mark upon history.

It is said that his main activity was tending sheep,

to which he was passionately attached,

and he even had a small hut built in a sheepfold,

where he spent most of his time.

He was extraordinarily cruel,

in spite of the contact with the sheep,

and continued to terrorize

in time-honoured fashion any person,

great or small,

who did not pay tribute

or otherwise co-operate with the organization.